Rachels Ch. 1 Reading

Baby Theresa

  • Background

    • Suffered from anencephaly — “babies without brains”

    • Found out in pregnancy

      • A lot of people use abortion

    • Parents wanted to birth Baby Theresa to use her organs to donate

    • Ultimate end: FL government prevented the operation

  • Benefits Argument: YAY

    • One child dies to save many

    • More objective benefit to society (utilitarianism)

  • Consider the Baby Already Dead: YAY

    • Change definition of dead = heart head → brain dead

    • Brain dead doesn’t apply to Baby Theresa…

    • She never had any hope for conscious life

  • Manipulation of a Life: NAY

    • Using people as a means of others’ ends

    • Theresa used to benefit those who she doesn’t know or care about

      • Nor does she really have a choice…

  • Killing is Wrong: NAY

    • Killing a person to save another is wrong

Jodie and Mary

  • Background

    • Conjoined twins at the hip and spinal cord; heart in Jodie

    • Mary is not going to make it, conjoined or separated

    • Jodie has a chance to live separated

    • Parents wanted to let the twins be and let nature take its course

    • Ultimate end: hospital says no, convinces court to do the operation against the parents’ will, Jodie survives

  • Save as Many as We Can: YAY

    • Not killing Mary, just saving Jodie

      • Mary is dying because she’s weak

  • Sanctity of Life: NAY

    • Every life is special and choosing to kill any innocent life is immoral

Tracy Latimer

  • Background

    • Cerebral palsy: brain can’t control body completely; in pain

    • Can’t move on her own

    • Parents had to watch her suffer

    • Ultimate end: father kills Tracy and subsequently tried for murder

  • Wrong to Discriminate the Handicapped: NAY

    • Tracy killed because she was handicapped

    • A handicapped life is no less of a life

  • Slippery Slope: YAY