EUTHANASIA

o PASSIVE - no positive means is employed to end the

o Greek word “eu”- easy and “thanatos”- Death
o “Easy Death”
o Means painless, peaceful death
o It is deliberate putting to death, in an easy, painless way,
of an individual suffering from an incurable an agonizing
disease.
o AKA “Mercy Killing”
o It is the art or practice of painlessly putting to death a
person suffering from a deformity or from an unbearable
and distressing disease.
o A theory which affirms an individual’s right to die in a
painless and peaceful manner.
patient’s life.
o Non-Voluntary - other person make moral decision to
terminate the patient’s life
CONDITIONS of the OPTIONS for
EUTHANASIA
o Patient is terminally ill or incurably sick
o Patient experiences unbearable pain
o Patient makes a voluntary decision
o Patient’s life is deemed to be not anymore worth living

Arguments Invoked by Pro-Euthanasia

TYPES OF EUTHANASIA o An act of mercy
1. Active (Positive) Euthanasia o Prolong suffering of a dying patient is act of cruelty
o a terminally ill patient will deliberately, directly o A dignified death
terminate his life by employing painless methods o Euthanasia serves the best interest of the patient, relatives
o AKA Euthanasia by Commission and the HCP
o Euthanasia is in accordance with Golden Rule
2. Passive (Negative) Euthanasia
o AKA Euthanasia by Omission
o One allows oneself to die without taking any medicine
or by refusing medical treatment. Problem Of Human Dignity
o A measure necessary to sustain life of a suffering Positive side
person is omitted or withdrawn. o aims to preserve human dignity until death.
o One has the duty to die with dignity.

Negative side
CATEGORIES OF EUTHANASIA o erodes human dignity
1. Active and Voluntary Euthanasia
o Is one in which either a physician, spouse, or a friend
of the patient will terminate the latter’s life upon the IS EUTHANASIA MORAL?
latter’s request. o Violation of the Natural Moral Law
o It is Voluntary - it is requested by the patient o Contrary to the Ultimate Author of LIFE
o It is Active - positive means is used to terminate the
patients life.

2. Active and Non-Voluntary Euthanasia DIFFERENT VIEWS

o the physician, spouse, close friend, or relative who
decides that the life of the terminally ill patient should
be terminated.
o Active - positive method is utilized to terminate the
patient’s life
o Non-voluntary - the termination of the patient’s life is
decided by an individual other than the patient
T. Gary Williams
o Considered euthanasia to be morally wrong firstly because
it is an intentional killing and opposes the Natural Moral
Laws
o Euthanasia maybe performed for purposes of self-interest
or other consequences.

3. Passive and Voluntary Euthanasia James Rachel

o Is one in which a terminally ill patient is simply
allowed to die by the physician, spouse, or an
immediate relative, upon the patient’s request.
o Passive - no positive method is employed
o Voluntary - insofar as this is done upon the patient’s
request
o Opts for euthanasia insofar as it allows suffering to be
brought to an speedy end.
o Depends on the motives and circumstances under which it
takes place.
o If the intentions and situations are of a certain kind, then
active euthanasia can be deemed morally right.

4. Passive and Non-Voluntary Euthanasia

o Is one in which a terminally ill patient is simply allow Philippa Foot
to die, as requested by immediate family members, o Endorses both active and passive euthanasia if the patient
(spouse or parents) or the attending physician. gives CONSENT.
o Both active and passive voluntary euthanasia can be
endorsed and regarded as legitimate and justified.
Richard Brandt
o Applies Ross’s notion of prima facie duty not to injure
others
o If someone is in an irreversible coma, the patient is
considered to be beyond injury
o Not to follow such a wish would be remiss in our prima
facie obligation to keep others from further harm or more
pain.
APPLICATION OF ETHICAL
THEORIES
Natural Law Ethics
o Condemns mercy killing
o Is intrinsically wrong it implies direct, and deliberate
killing of individual hence it is MURDER
Principle of Stewardship/ Inviolability
o Disregard Mercy killing, we have the duty to take care
of our self
Principle of Double effect
o Maybe legitimate under certain circumstance
o To give the relief of pain (direct outcome), indirect
outcome of the medication is shorten the patient’s life
may be MORALLY PERMITTED.
KANT’S ETHICS
o Speaks of human dignity of an autonomous rational
being and we have duty to preserve our life
o Once it becomes comatose and unknowing because
of injury, he loses his AUTONOMOUS status and its
not clear whether there still duty to maintain one’s life.
PRAGMATISM
o Justify euthanasia in general
o Moral to make to put such a useless life to an end
PRINCIPLE OF UTILITY
o One can opt for possible donation once individual has
lapse into irreversible consciousness
ROSS ETHICS
o One may find a more stringent prima facie duty
o Depending upon the motive
o Realized one’s prima facie duty which has the
greatest balance of goodness and badness
RAWLS CONCEPT OF JUSTICE
o If a person’s inviolability demands that his dignity be
preserved and justice be serve if and when his death
would be painless and non-violent
o To let him live and suffer, needless pain and agony is
INJUSTICE than JUSTICE, more HARM than GOOD.
ORTHOTHANASIA
o Refers to the mere allowing and acceptance of natural
death in its definitely inescapable occurrence in due time
as the final moment of one’s early life.
What is the Difference between Euthanasia by
Omission and Orthothanasia?
o In Euthanasia by Omission, the Extraordinary means
and Ordinary means of care of the patient are
withdrawn
o In Orthothanasia, only the extraordinary means are
withheld.
DYSTHANASIA
o Refers to undue prolongation of life and delay the
occurrence of natural death that lengthens the suffering of
the person.
UNDUE PROLONGATION OF LIFE & DELAY OF
NATURAL DEATH
o Indicates the use of artificial and medical means which
does not truly sustain life but rather delays the occurrence
of irrevocable death.
Means Of Medical Care
1. Ordinary Means
o Refers to health care which is proportionate to its
expected outcome.
o provision of health care that benefit and for goodness
of the patient in meeting her needs.
o Belongs to basic human rights that should never be
alienated
o Withdrawal of such means will result to euthanasia
by omission
Examples of Ordinary Medical Means:
o Nutrition, hydration, oxygenation and medications
o Provision of personal hygiene, cleanliness and warmth
o Emotional and spiritual care
o Prevention of complications and bedsore
o Monitoring and recording of vital and clinical signs
2. Extraordinary Means of Care
o Refers to heath care which is disproportionate to its
expected outcome.
o Do not offer a reasonable hope of benefit
o It cause bearable pain and suffering
 o When the outcome for which the treatment employed
cannot significantly attained. St. Thomas Aquinas
o Suicide is against the natural law
o A person who kills himself will deprive the community
Is Dysthanasia Moral? o Suicide is a usurpation of God’s function.
o Against Natural Law
o An insult to the sovereign master of life and death
o Contrary to Human Dignity

SUICIDE
o Is the direct, willful, destruction of one’s own life.
o Direct - as the primary object of the act itself is the killing Pros of Suicide
of oneself MICHEL DE MONTAIGNE
o Willful - it is deliberate, voluntary, and intentional. o If and when individual reaches a point where all he
o Destructive - the means of terminating one’s own life. feels is terrible pain, agony, and misery, the suicide is
excusable or permissible.

Difference JOHN DONNE

SUICIDE o A means of liberating one self from exploitation and
o Take for granted one’s healthy physical condition. oppression, the prohibition of suicide is surreptitious
o The individual who commits suicide for nonmedical way of preventing the masses from escaping the task
reasons is solely responsible for his or her own death.

EUTHANASIA DAVID HUME (1711-1776)

o presupposes incurable ailment or terminal condition. o The removal of misery makes suicide morally
justifiable and permissible

CAUSES OF SUICIDE
Personal Reasons
Application of Ethical Theories
o Misfortune and frustration in love or marriage NATURAL LAW ETHICS and Principle of
o Making one victim of a broken home or marriage Stewardship/Inviolability of Life
o Parental indifference or apathy towards one’s o Suicide is self-murder
boyfriend or girlfriend o An individual has no right to murder himself/ has no
o In-law problems right to murder someone else.
o Failure in examination o A person is only a steward/ caretaker at most
o Loss of honor and dignity
o Nervous breakdown doe to one’s inability to cope with
UTILITARIAN’s Principle of Utility
life’s problem
o It may deliberately terminate his own life if and when
suffering becomes too much to bear.
Financial Causes
o When one becomes financially burden and liability
o Poverty and impoverishment
due to prolonged incurable disease, then an appeal to
o Great loss of money or collapse in business venture
“the greatest happiness for the greatest number” this
is justifiable.
Social and Political Reason
o Protest against man’s inhumanity to man

CONS of SUICIDE
St. AGUSTINE
o Suicide is a greater sin than any or other sins that
could be avoided by committing it.
o Self-murder is against the fifth commandment
(“Though shall Not Kill”)
o Suicide deprives one of the opportunity to repent
o It is an ignoble act which one attempts to escape the
ill of life