SE

• diane pretty example

  diagnosed with motor neurone disease 1999, died in 2002. found it hard to communicate and if nobody understood she screamed

  • pragmatic - is euthanasia practical? it helps to free her from the suffering
  • therefore, its positivist to euthanise - most loving thing as it prevents her suffering
  • puts her needs first
  • ignores rules about euthanasia
• nigel cox example

  lillian suffered intense arthritic pain, 5 days before death she asked dr cox to end her life and he did and he was tried for murder. sons agreed the dr did the best thing

  • pragmatic, it works to put her out of her pain and suffering
  • obviously ignored rules
  • positivist - agapeic to stop suffering
  • personalism - put her needs before the hospital
• case of jim

  45 with a terminal disease, life expectancy of 8 months and will be in great pain

  • is his choice pragmatic? influenced by family? or suffering from depression which may change
  • how correct is the diagnosis
  • has his choice to die been approved?
  • if yes, relief from demoralising pain is sufficient reason
• fletcher - relief from demoralising pain is sufficient, sacredness of personality.
• fletcher - 'to prolong life uselessly is to attack the moral status of the person'