Euthanasia

www.philosophicalinvestigations.co.uk

TermsTerms

Voluntary Euthanasia (patient’s consent)Voluntary Euthanasia (patient’s consent) Non-voluntary euthanasia (no consent)Non-voluntary euthanasia (no consent)

Active (you administer the drug yourself, Active (you administer the drug yourself, or doctor does with your consent)or doctor does with your consent)

Passive (turn off a life support machine)Passive (turn off a life support machine)

Q. What legal conditions would ensure Q. What legal conditions would ensure active euthanasia was not abused?active euthanasia was not abused?

Voluntary Euthanasia Voluntary Euthanasia examplesexamples

Dr Ruth Turner 2006Dr Ruth Turner 2006 Daniel James 2008Daniel James 2008 Diane Pretty 2003 (failed to get law Diane Pretty 2003 (failed to get law

changed, on appeal to European Court of changed, on appeal to European Court of Human Rights)Human Rights)

Note: on this site you can do a simulation of Note: on this site you can do a simulation of the Diane Pretty Court Case, taking the Diane Pretty Court Case, taking different roles. You can also read the different roles. You can also read the judges’ verdict.judges’ verdict.

Daniel JamesDaniel James

Rugby playerRugby player Paralysed 2007Paralysed 2007 Sept 2008 chooses euthanasia with Sept 2008 chooses euthanasia with

family’s consentfamily’s consent http://www.philosophicalinvestigations.co.uk/index.php?option=co

m_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=53&Itemid=56

Dr Ruth Turner : factsDr Ruth Turner : facts

Diagnosed with PSP in 2004 Diagnosed with PSP in 2004 Progressive Supranuclear PalsyProgressive Supranuclear Palsy

In 2006 opted to end her life at In 2006 opted to end her life at Dignitas Clinic in SwitzerlandDignitas Clinic in Switzerland

““Doctors should be permitted to help Doctors should be permitted to help people die” she saidpeople die” she said

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4625538.stm

Oregon Rules 1994: Legalised Oregon Rules 1994: Legalised Euthanasia in practiceEuthanasia in practice

You must be resident in Oregon StateYou must be resident in Oregon State Patient given a prescriptionPatient given a prescription Must be administered yourself, unaidedMust be administered yourself, unaided Two doctors confirm patient has under 6 Two doctors confirm patient has under 6

months to livemonths to live Patient must make two requests to die, Patient must make two requests to die,

15 days apart15 days apart Two people must witness the requests, Two people must witness the requests,

one cannot be a relativeone cannot be a relative

To research: the Starmer To research: the Starmer guidelinesguidelines

Keir Starmer, Director of Public Keir Starmer, Director of Public prosecutions in 2009 produced prosecutions in 2009 produced guidelines on when people were guidelines on when people were likely to be prosecuted for assisting likely to be prosecuted for assisting death.death.

Research these guidelines online. Research these guidelines online. How do they compare with the How do they compare with the Oregon rules? Are they sufficient to Oregon rules? Are they sufficient to safeguard the vulnerable?safeguard the vulnerable?

Arguments for euthanasiaArguments for euthanasia

Most loving outcome.Most loving outcome. Quality of life more important than Quality of life more important than

sanctity of life.sanctity of life. Autonomy and freedom of individual.Autonomy and freedom of individual. Doctors already do it anyway.Doctors already do it anyway.

Arguments against Arguments against EuthanasiaEuthanasia

Undue pressure on patients so “right to die Undue pressure on patients so “right to die becomes duty to die” Dr Andrew Davies becomes duty to die” Dr Andrew Davies BMA.BMA.

Sanctity of life is violated.Sanctity of life is violated. Slippery slope, affects other areas of Slippery slope, affects other areas of

medical ethics.medical ethics. Breaks Hippocratic oath and patient trust.Breaks Hippocratic oath and patient trust. ““Good things can come from the last phase Good things can come from the last phase

of a person’s life” Richard Harries Bishop of of a person’s life” Richard Harries Bishop of Oxford.Oxford.

What the Philosophers say: What the Philosophers say: Germain GrisezGermain Grisez

Natural law approach “good is to be Natural law approach “good is to be done and evil avoided”done and evil avoided”

Basic goods are violated by Basic goods are violated by euthanasia eg well being, life put euthanasia eg well being, life put second to freedom and dignity…but second to freedom and dignity…but is this right?is this right?

Grisez is following the Roman Grisez is following the Roman Catholic view, see RC Catholic view, see RC

Catechism Catechism Whatever its motives and means, direct Whatever its motives and means, direct

euthanasia consists in putting an end to the lives euthanasia consists in putting an end to the lives of handicapped, sick or dying persons. It is morally of handicapped, sick or dying persons. It is morally unacceptable.unacceptable.

Thus an act or omission which, of itself or by Thus an act or omission which, of itself or by intention, causes death in order to eliminate intention, causes death in order to eliminate suffering constitutes a murder gravely contrary to suffering constitutes a murder gravely contrary to the dignity of the human person and to the respect the dignity of the human person and to the respect due to the living God, his Creator. The error of due to the living God, his Creator. The error of judgement into which one can fall in good faith judgement into which one can fall in good faith does not change the nature of this murderous act, does not change the nature of this murderous act, which must always be forbidden and excluded.which must always be forbidden and excluded.

RC Catechism 2277RC Catechism 2277

What the Philosophers say: What the Philosophers say: Daniel MaguireDaniel Maguire

Argues for proportionalityArgues for proportionality Life is not an absolute goodLife is not an absolute good We don’t “belong to God”We don’t “belong to God” When proportional benefit of death When proportional benefit of death

outweighs that of life, euthanasia outweighs that of life, euthanasia justifiedjustified

Death by Choice, New York, Image Books 1984Death by Choice, New York, Image Books 1984

What the Philosophers say: What the Philosophers say: Peter SingerPeter Singer

Quality of Life is key ideaQuality of Life is key idea What makes us human is our What makes us human is our

autonomy and self-awareness. Take autonomy and self-awareness. Take these away and moral question these away and moral question changeschanges

Individualistic focus: family and Individualistic focus: family and community not considered by Singercommunity not considered by Singer

Rethinking Life and Death, OUP, 1994Rethinking Life and Death, OUP, 1994

What the Philosopher say:What the Philosopher say:James RachelsJames Rachels

There’s no difference between active There’s no difference between active and passive euthanasiaand passive euthanasia

Doctors regularly end life Doctors regularly end life prematurely and mercifully by prematurely and mercifully by increasing drugsincreasing drugs

““No harm was done to any other No harm was done to any other member of society, and it is none of member of society, and it is none of their business” Rachels p96their business” Rachels p96

The Elements of Moral Philosophy, New York, McGraw-Hill 2007The Elements of Moral Philosophy, New York, McGraw-Hill 2007

What would Utilitarians What would Utilitarians say?say?

ConsequentialistConsequentialist Empirical: balancing of likely good and Empirical: balancing of likely good and

bad effects (problem – do we know bad effects (problem – do we know them?)them?)

Personal dimension – my happiness or Personal dimension – my happiness or pleasure (Bentham) and social pleasure (Bentham) and social dimension- effects on society of having dimension- effects on society of having this rule (Mill)this rule (Mill)

James Rachels discusses this on page 93-6James Rachels discusses this on page 93-6

What would natural law What would natural law theorists say?theorists say?

Roman Catholic catechism (statement of belief) says:Roman Catholic catechism (statement of belief) says:

Whatever its motives and means, direct euthanasia Whatever its motives and means, direct euthanasia consists in putting an end to the lives of handicapped, consists in putting an end to the lives of handicapped, sick or dying persons. It is sick or dying persons. It is morally unacceptablemorally unacceptable..

Thus an act or omission which, of itself or by Thus an act or omission which, of itself or by intention, causes death in order to eliminate suffering intention, causes death in order to eliminate suffering constitutes a murder gravely contrary to the dignity constitutes a murder gravely contrary to the dignity of the human person and to the respect due to the of the human person and to the respect due to the living God, his Creator. The error of judgment into living God, his Creator. The error of judgment into which one can fall in good faith does not change the which one can fall in good faith does not change the nature of this nature of this murderous actmurderous act, which must always be , which must always be forbidden and excluded.forbidden and excluded.

RC Catechism 2277RC Catechism 2277

What would Kantian say?What would Kantian say?

CP 1 CP 1 UniversaliseUniversalise it: would you want right it: would you want right to die in Dr Ruth Turner’s situation?to die in Dr Ruth Turner’s situation?

CP 2 Treat people as CP 2 Treat people as endsends not just as not just as means. Should people have choice to die means. Should people have choice to die when they want?when they want?

CP3 Moral parliament: 63% of doctors CP3 Moral parliament: 63% of doctors oppose euthanasia. But how would you oppose euthanasia. But how would you vote if voting hypothetically in a vote if voting hypothetically in a moral moral parliamentparliament when you don’t know how your when you don’t know how your life will turn out?life will turn out?

Evaluate the arguments for and against euthanasia. Which do you find most powerful and why?