RELIGST 2N03 Lecture Notes - Aktion T4, Lethal Injection, Gas Chamber
17 Mar 2014
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Document Summary
The act of deliberately causing the death of another for reasons that are believed to be beneficial: dying without pain or suffering, killing someone who would otherwise suffer from incurable painful disease. Two basic types: active: actively taking steps with the intent of ending another"s life. Person is suffering greatly, has no chance of recovering. Action t4, organizer and hitler"s private physician: people killed by starvation, medication or placed in gas chamber, people were not terminally ill or in pain, no reason for them to be killed. The intentional termination of a patient"s life at his or her request by someone other than the patient: receives assistance from physician. Slippery slope argument: could pave the way for subsequent acts that could be immoral. If euthanasia permitted for people with incurable illness, it could be expanded to aged, mentally imcompetent, handicapped. Lethal drugs can be given, but patient has to take active role in taking the drug.
