Critically compare the sanctity of life with autonomy as principles for judging the issue of euthanasia.
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Course
3. Applied Ethics a) Euthanasia (H573)
Institution
OCR
Bullet-point essay revision plan written by a student aiming for top grades. Discusses the statement 'Critically compare the sanctity of life with autonomy as principles for judging the issue of euthanasia'. Includes scholars such as Lantantius/Dworkin/Hans Küng/Aquinas/Fletcher/Kant/Singer/Glove...
Critically compare the sanctity of life with autonomy as principles for judging the issue of
euthanasia.
Intro:
• Sanctity of Life - intrinsic value of human life
> central to Catholicism
> Strong SofL - life must be preserved at all costs
> Weak SofL - life is a gift, not a burden
• Contrast to Quality of Life principles
> focus on autonomy
Thesis:
• Principles of autonomy are more convincing/logical approaches to judging the issue of
euthanasia
> We cultivate our own lives - should not be held responsible to some external higher
power
> that is not compassionate/omnibenevolent of any God
• Principles of autonomy can be supported by theists - compatible with weak SofL
principles
> life is a gift - not a burden
> SE - shows agape love towards yourself and others
• Absolutist moral laws such as NL that campaign for SofL principles neglect the true
reality + complexities of individual medical situations
> can lead to more harm than good
Sanctity of Life:
• Protection = prerequisite to life
> life is a gift from God - blasphemous to deny the gift
> must be protected at all costs
> God created life - only God can end life
> once life is gone - all other gifts are lost
• Central to Catholicism
> there is a closeness between God + humanity
> special covenants
> imagio dei - special purpose
• Early Christian thinker - Lantantius
> God made humans a sacred species - humans have sanctity/divinity
• However - principles of autonomy do not deny the intrinsic value/dignity of human life
> Actually - it reinforces it
> Dworkin - life has value but also quality
> euthanasia can be a way of reaffirming life’s eudamonic quality
> allowing someone to experience immense suffering undermines a person’s dignity to
live a life of quality
> certainly - humans are sacred beings in the sense that medical attempts to reduce
suffering should be made
> however - it is not our duty to endure suffering
> Catholics can agree with this
Natural Law:
• Aquinas - ‘Summa Theologica’
> outlines his deontological/absolutist NL that reinforces SofL principle
> rejects euthanasia unless absolute final resort
> a threat to society - a sign that society has failed some of its members
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