Unit 5--Consistent Ethic of Life (from Study Guide)

Abortion: deliberate termination of a pregnancy by killing unborn child. (Grave sin + crime against human life)

Euthanasia: deliberate action that causes death of those who are handicapped, sick, dying. (Violates 5th commandment)

Excommunication: severe penalty Church imposes on a Catholic who has committed a grave sin/offense against canon law in which person is banned from celebrating/ receiving the Sacraments

Genetic Engineering: Manipulation of an ovum or fetus’ genetic coding. Used to produce a “designer baby” with predetermined qualities (ex. specific gender, hair color, etc.)

Just War: war that’s only permissible when it meets strict criteria in protecting citizens from an unjust aggressor.

Legitimate defense: teaching that limited violence is morally acceptable in defending yourself or your nation from an attack.

Prenatal Diagnosis: testing embryo or fetus for diseases or birth defects while it’s still in the womb.

Scandal: action, attitude, or failure to act that leads another person into sin.

Stem Cells: unique cells that have the potential to reproduce themselves as different human tissues and organs.

Suicide: deliberately taking one’s own life (serious violation of 5th commandment for it’s God’s will that we perserve our own lives.)

Sex/Human Trafficking: use of force, fraud, coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex

Voluntary euthanasia: euthanasia conducted with consent

Involuntary euthanasia: Euthanasia conducted without consent (decision made by another person because the patient is incapable of doing so himself/herself.)

Passive euthanasia: disconnecting of life support or equipment or other life sustaining medical treatments to allow the natural death of patient to occur.

Assisted suicide: providing the means (drugs, etc.) by which a person can end his/her own life.

Physician assisted suicide: Doctor provides drugs which will end a person’s life

Terminal Illness: condition suffered by a sick person for which there’s no known cure

Living Will: individual’s legal document informing a physician not to connect or disconnect life support equipment if such an action would simply delay an inevitable death

DNR (Do not resuscitate): (On patient’s medical charts) informing doctors that no extraordinary measures should be taken to save the patient’s life (ex. CPR)

Palliative care: doesn’t involve extraneous means of keeping an individual alive (ex. Hydration, comfort)

Hippocratic Oath: a medical-based oath for that outlines a physician’s obligations in which they must agree to preserve life, ensure the well-being of an individual, and avoid harm

Capital Punishment/Death Penalty: death penalty for serious crime

Consistent Ethic of Life: a moral vision for life in community and is at heart of the gospel and the Church’s social teaching

Migration: an individual leaving their own country to go live in another (usually because people want to escape from tyranny, seek better job opportunities, or freedom.)