Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Euthanasia
TEXTBOOK PP 91-99
ANTHOLOGY EXTRACT 4
You covered
this last year
We will focus
on this
a person, within
the field of medical Biological Status
Moral Status
ethics.
To know the different religious and secular approaches to medical ethics
To understand the fundamental principles that underpin approaches to medical ethics EDEXCEL A Level Ethics
To be able to evaluate each approach and form a credible conclusion Medical Ethics
The 2nd Key
Principle:
Sanctity of
Life vs
Quality of Life
personhood.
To know the different religious and secular approaches to medical ethics
To understand the fundamental principles that underpin approaches to medical ethics EDEXCEL A Level Ethics
To be able to evaluate each approach and form a credible conclusion Medical Ethics
He deals with the first question by quoting
Schopenheur:
Glover’s Challenge to “We feel this destruction [of the body] only in the
the Sanctity of Life view evils of illness or old age… for the subject, death
itself consists merely in the moment when
consciousness vanishes.”
Jonathon Glover examines the SofL view and
questions what exactly it is that is of value: In this he sides with Singer’s ‘Speciesism’ argument
Being alive (as opposed to being dead)? – that simply being a member of a particular species
is not in itself a reason to confer a value on
Being human (as opposed to being a something to say that ‘human life is precious
member of another species)? because it is human’ is simply a tautology.
Being Conscious?
Although he is careful not to offer a definitive
This has 2 implications: answer himself, Glover points out that the things we
1. If it is being conscious that is of intrinsic value, most value are linked in one way or another to
then human life is simply of instrumental value. being conscious – he asks us to consider whether
2. The Quality of Life becomes more important than being in a permanent coma is preferable to being
simply being alive. dead.
2002 2012
1993 2020:
Dianne Pretty Case Tony Nicklinson Case
65% Public Tony Bland Case 9% Public Against
Sought assurance her Sought assurance
Against Removal of life- some reform of
husband would not that doctors would
Legalisation of saving care not illegal Euthanasia Law
be prosecuted. not be prosecuted.
Euthanasia Successful Source:
Unsuccessful Unsuccessful www.politics.co.uk/
reference/euthanasia
Religious Arguments
However, Wilcockson then points out that if there was an attempt to save the baby’s life, and
then withdraw treatment, this could now be classified as active, non-voluntary euthanasia.
James Rachels
Daniel Callahan
Jonathon Glover
To know the different religious and secular approaches to medical ethics
To understand the fundamental principles that underpin approaches to medical ethics EDEXCEL A Level Ethics
To be able to evaluate each approach and form a credible conclusion Medical Ethics
Learning Checklist
Key Concepts Key Concepts Key Scholars
Personhood Double Effect Peter Singer
Catholic Teaching
Quality of Life Autonomy Michael Wilcockson
Sanctity of Life The Slippery Slope J.S. Mill
Active/Passive Argument Jonathon Glover
Euthanasia The Wedge Argument Case Studies
Act vs Omission Dianne Pretty
The Harm Principle
Tony Nicklinson
Ordinary/Extra-
Charlie Gard
ordinary Means
To know the different religious and secular approaches to medical ethics
To understand the fundamental principles that underpin approaches to medical ethics EDEXCEL A Level Ethics
To be able to evaluate each approach and form a credible conclusion Medical Ethics
Types of Euthanasia
a) Outline and clarify the different ideas presented in this passage about the wedge
or slippery slope argument (10).
b) Analyse the different implications of this passage for quality of life arguments for
the legalisation of voluntary euthanasia. (20)
To know the different religious and secular approaches to medical ethics
To understand the fundamental principles that underpin approaches to medical ethics EDEXCEL A Level Ethics
To be able to evaluate each approach and form a credible conclusion Medical Ethics
Indicative Content (Part a)