Euthanasia

1
Euthanasia

• By Michelle Arguelles, Jill Flannery, Sarah
  Lopez Low, Yvette Labiaga, and Alex Ohanessian

2
Goals

• To understand terms associated with euthanasia
• To understand controversy behind euthanasia
• To be able to argue both sides
• To become aware of the Churchs view
• To understand national and international stances

3
Ethical Questions

• How does society decide when life ends?
• How does society determine which lives have
  value?
• What role should technology/medicine play in
  sustaining life?

4
Definitions

• Euthanasia - intentional killing by act or
  omission of a dependent human being for his or
  her alleged benefit
• Voluntary patient killed requested to be killed
• Involuntary patient killed made a specific
  request not to be killed

5
Definitions (ctd.)

• Assisted Suicide - Providing an individual with
  the information, guidance, and means to take his
  or her own life with the intention that they will
  be used for this purpose.

6
General Information

• Different cultures have practiced it throughout
  history
• Idea that euthanasia is morally permissible goes
  back to Socrates, Plato, and the Stoics
• Practiced in Nazi Germany under T-4 Euthanasia
  program
• First euthanasia society formed in London,
  England in 1935
• 1940 Catholic Church officially condemned
  euthanasia to a person w/ physical or mental
  defects

7
Differing Views Right To Die

• Patients may be suffering unbearable pain
  (physical or mental) which euthanasia can relieve
  them from
• Patients should have right to die with dignity
• Individuals have the right to decide about their
  lives and deaths
• Living Wills make patients treatments decisions
  known ahead of time

8
Right to Die (ctd.)

• People should not be forced to stay alive
• Death postponement against patients will is
  contrary to law and practice
• Reasonable laws can be constructed which prevent
  abuse and still protect the value of human life
  (Ex Oregon)

9
Differing Views Right to Life

• Euthanasia would not only be for people who are
  "terminally ill"
• Anyone w/ suicidal impulse would have access to
  euthanasia
• Possibility of mistaken diagnosis, a new cure, or
  spontaneous remission.
• We cannot be sure consent is voluntary
• Emotional/Psychological pressures may affect
  patients decision

10
Right to Life (ctd.)

• Active euthanasia would lead to a slippery
  slope toward abuses
• Attitudes toward assisted suicide and euthanasia
  will loosen to the point that anyone can commit
  suicide acceptably
• A rejection of the importance and value of human
  life

National Right to Life Committee Logo
11
Video Clip Churchs View

• http//video.cgi.cbsnews.com/video/video.pl?url/m
  edia/2005/03/27/video683365.wmvsiddartnews.vid
  eo3
• Alternate Link here

12
Churchs View on Euthanasia

• All human life is sacred. There are only a few
  exceptions where life might be taken
  deliberately.
• Morally wrong to commit suicide and help others
  commit suicide
• Popes Encyclical Letter Evangelium Vitae (March
  1995) stresses the incomparable value of every
  human person
• Violation of the 5th Commandment (Thou shalt not
  murder)
• God alone is the Lord of life from its beginning
  until its end..."

13
Churchs View (ctd.)

• Deliberate murder is contrary to human dignity,
  the golden rule, and the holiness of the creator
• Does not accept humans have a right to die
• "The life which God offers to man is a gift by
  which God shares something of himself with his
  creature."
• Morally acceptable to refuse extraordinary and
  aggressive medical means to preserve life.
• Extraordinary means do not offer reasonable
  hope of benefit and may be a burden to family or
  patient (ex accepting an artificial heart)

14
International Situations

• Netherlands Termination of Life on Request and
  Assisted Suicide Act passed in April 2002
• Legalizes euthanasia and assisted suicide under
  certain conditions (ex patient requested
  repeatedly and must be at least 12 years old)
• Netherlands (2003) 1626 reported cases of
  physician causing death
• Belgium Parliament legalized euthanasia in
  September 2002 in hopes that illegal practices
  cease
• Other countries also made movements toward
  legalization of euthanasia or assisted suicide,
  but neither have been made legal yet

15
National Situation

• 1990 Death with Dignity Act introduced in
  Oregon legislature, but it failed
• 1994 Act is approved by voters 59 to 41
• Act makes it legal for doctors to prescribe
  lethal drug overdoses to patients who wish to die
• Doctors granted immunity from prosecution
• Did not go into effect until October 1997
• Oregon, 2003 42 reported cases of
  physician-assisted suicide

16
Agreement With Euthanasia
17
Poll
18
Ethical Questions Revisited

• How does society decide when life ends?
• How does society determine which lives have
  value?
• What role should technology/medicine play in
  sustaining life?

19
Bibliography

• Euthanasia Definitions. Euthanasia.com. Online.
  Internet. 25 September 2005. http//www.euthanasia
  .com/definitions.html
• Arguments for Euthanasia. Euthanasia.com.
  Online. Internet. 25 September 2005.
  http//www.euthanasia.com/argumentsforteuthanasia.
  html
• Arguments against Euthansia. Euthanasia.com
  Online. Internet. 25 September 2005.
  http//www.euthanasia.com/argumentsagainsteuthanas
  ia.html
• Euthanasia the Debate Continues Institue of
  Practical Philosophy. Online. Internet. 25
  September 2005. http//www.mala.bc.ca/www/ipp/eut
  hanas.htm
• euthanasia. Encyclopaedia Britannica
  Micropaedia. 2001 ed.
• Ethics. Encyclopaedia Britannica Macropaedia.
  2001 ed
• Euthanasia. Wikipedia Online. Online. Internet.
  25 Septmember 2005. lt http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki
  /Euthanasiagt
• Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide FAQs
  International Task force. Online. Internet. 25
  September 2005. http//www.internationaltaskforce.
  org/faq.htm
• Physician Assisted Suicide. BalancedPolitics,org
  . Online. Internet. 25 September 2005.
  http//www.balancedpolitics.org/assisted_suicide.h
  tm
• Religion and Ethics Euthansia BBC Online,
  Online. Internet. 1 October 2005.
  lthttp//www.bbc.co.uk/religion/ethics/euthanasia/r
  catholic.shtmlgt
• Article 5 The Fifth Commandment U.S Catholic
  Bishops. Online. Internet. 1 October 2005.
  lthttp//www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt3sect2chpt2
  art5.htmgt