Notes on Euthanasia in accordance with the OCR Religious Studies specification. The notes provide information, scholars, ideas and quotes compiled from various resources from both within and outside of the curriculum.
Euthanasia
Sanctity of Life
- religious origins: humans being made in God’s image.
- ‘Your body is a temple of the holy spirit…You do not belong to yourself’
1 Corinthians 6:19
- distinction between weak and strong sanctity of life. Weak sanctity of life
recognises the importance of other principles, like Jesus’ emphasis on
compassion, in moral decisions
Natural Law Approach:
- importance of primary precept to preserve life
Strengths
1. Supported by the Church as Archbishop of Canterbury said in 2012, ‘every
life in every imaginable situation is infinitely precious in the sight of
God.’
Weaknesses
1. Lack of autonomy
2. Atheistic sociologists argue the notion of sanctity of life was only necessary
for medieval societies and is now outdated due to the progression of
medicine.
3. Reliance on God and the Bible also makes it seem outdated, Singer says
sanctity of life of all humans was based on ‘Christian domination of
European thought.’
Situation Ethics Approach
- Peter Singer distinguishes from humans as members of species and persons
as rational, self-conscious beings
Strengths
1. rejection of sanctity of life is better suited to a modern, secular society
Weaknesses
1. Singer argues that babies with a low quality of life due to incurable conditions
should go through non-voluntary euthanasia
Quality of Life
- secular origins: human life has to possess certain attributes in order to have
value, life itself doesn’t grant value.
Natural Law Approach
Strengths
1. Supported by the RCC who argue that value can’t be determined whether
somebody is suffering or not. A person who is dying should trust in the all-
encompassing love of God despite their suffering.
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