ethics - euthanasia

euthanasia definition

literally meaning a ‘good death’, it refers to the practice of hastening someone’s death perhaps in order to spare them from further suffering

voluntary euthanasia

when the person consents

non-voluntary euthanasia

when the person cannot or does not consent; the decision is made with the patient’s best interest in mind 

active euthanasia

a treatment is given that directly causes the death of the individual 

passive euthanasia

a treatment is withheld indirectly causes the death of the individual

jury nullification (uk)

-2008 case study

-lynn was 31 and bedridden for 17 years, told she would be for the rest of her life 

-she made multiple failed suicide attempts

-her mum gave her a cocktail of lethal drugs to end her life

-this was illegal, she was however cleared of all charges within just two hours of jury deliberation 

diane pretty

-2002 case study

-she suffered from motor neurone disease

-she appealed based on ‘right to life’ meaning ‘right to die’ and ‘right to self determination’ (choosing how and when to die)

-rejected in both uk and eu courts

baby charlotte 

-2005 case study

-she was born prematurely with severe brain damage, blind, deaf and a 5% chance of survival

-high court ordered a ‘dnf’ order if charlotte went into respiratory failure

-this was against the parent’s wishes, the principle was that her underlying conditions did not justify the medical assistance she was being given to stay alive 

maid - canada 

-medical assistance in dying

-government run euthanasia scheme

-must be 18, mentally competent, have a grievous and unfixable medical condition

slippery slope

an arguement that claims that if a rule is weakened, even for good reasons, then what eventually follows if the rule is again weakened for good reasons which will be highly undesirable 

eugenics

means literally ‘the production of good off-spring’ but is used to justify producing racially and intellectually ‘superior’ humans through selective breed and termination of ‘inferior’ humans 

john haldane and alasdair macintyre

-if euthanasia allowed for terminal cases, it may immediately be allowed for the fear, discomfort or loss of dignity from a terminal illness instead

-if QoL is grounds for euthanasia for those who request it, then logically this could be extended to those who do not request it 

-in the netherlands where euthanasia is permitted, there is evidence to indicate that many die against their wishes 

nazis

-active, non-voluntary euthanasia

helga kuhse:

-nazis are not apt comparison to society

-legalising euthanasia would only result in eugenics if you’re a nazi

-our values are different so it wouldn’t result in this

-our motivation is different

sanctity of life principle (SoL)

all human life is sacred and can never be taken

strong SoL

-no exceptions ever 

-every human created in the image of god, life is set apart by god (genesis 1:28)

-life is a gift from god and is on loan from humans; he is the one who determines when it should end (john 1:21)

-only one who may directly terminate a person’s life

-an innocent life is always to be respected; 10 commandments (do not kill)

-life is always to be loved and protected (luke 10:29-37; the parable of the good samaritan) respect all humans 

weak SoL

-no one has a duty to endure a life of extreme pain 

-agape is not just niceness, it can be harsh; the loving thing to do is kill

-life is a gift not a burden; may use it responsibly and dispose of it as we wish, not be a gift if the giver had ownership of it (genesis 1:28) - good stewards of this life 

quality of life

-states human life has to possess certain attributes in order to have value e.g., happiness, autonomy or being conscious

-peter singer; denies that all humans intrinsically have value

five rational QoL commands

-worth of human life varies

-take responsibility for consequences of your decision

-respect a person’s desire to live or die

-bring children into the world only if they are wanted

-do not discriminate on the basis of species

happiness as a basis of QoL (bentham)

-for the utilitarian a bad quality of life is where unhappiness or pain outweighs happiness

-total happiness judgement- overall judgement on QoL if it cannot be improved euthanasia is permissible

-average happiness judgement- if your average level of happiness can be maintained, QoL is good, euthanasia cannot be justified

-higher qualities judgement- certain minimum standards must be met e.g., memory, ability to reason, hope for the future, ability to form relationships. if a person lacks this and capacity to develop it, euthanasia can be justified

autonomy as the basis for QoL (mill)

-the matter of taking our own life is a matter of personal autonomy

-maximise personal liberty includes choice to end our own life

-only reason to stop would be if we are harming others by doing it (it is not clear whether harm is only physical or mental, is interference justified if the person is not acting rationally?)

consciousness as a basis for QoL (glover)

-being alive is not sufficient condition for that life being valuable

-for life to have value, it must also be conscious, ending a life is not itself wrong, only wrong if conscious

-body only important in so far enables conscious experience

voluntary euthanasia case study

-david moor gave morphine with the intent of relieving pain; later that day the patient died

-police treated it as murder; doctrine of double?

-’helped 300 patients to die’

natural law on euthanasia

1.active-not allowed; violates primary precepts

2.passive-not allowed; violates sanctity of life (imago dei), violates divine law and ten commandments

3.voluntary-not allowed; apparent good (misreasoned)

4.non voluntary-not allowed; doctrine of double effect

-euthanasia is permissible if and only if the primary outcome was to reduce pain

situation ethics on euthanasia

1.active-allowed depending on situation and whether it is the most loving thing

-only the end justifies the means

2.passive-allowed depending on the situation

-pragmatism; euthanasia more practical in many cases

-personalism; people above rules can allow euthanasia, even if illegal, if loving to person

3.voluntary-okay in some situations

-love as a guiding christian principle

-positivism; euthanasia okay as long as decision is made lovingly

4.non voluntary-allowed if most loving thing; choosing whether people live or die based on our interpretation of love