PHLB09H3 Lecture 18: PHLB09 Lecture 18 Euthanasia and Physician
Document Summary
Phlb09 lecture 18 euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide chapter 10 pg. 1st argument: passive euthanasia can be less humane than active. 2nd argument: passive euthanasia sometimes decided on irrelevant grounds euthanasia (to the issue) Patient with throat cancer: active euthanasia is more humane, passive euthanasia may prolong suffering. Baby with down syndrome: congenital intestinal defect, passive euthanasia leads to dehydration, infection, active euthanasia is less cruel. Baby with down syndrome and intestinal defect: passive euthanasia is a decision taken to withdrawal intestines. Irrelevant grounds permissible: assumes defect permits passive euthanasia (believing it is morally, assumes no defect prohibits active euthanasia, but the defect isn"t truly the issue, (the parents prefer death for the child than to live with down syndrome) If mercy killing is worse than letting die smith"s act must be worse than jones". Mercy killing and letting die are both on the same moral footing. We learn of killing in different light.
