Euthanasia

• Euthanasia - the painless killing of someone dying from a painful disease
• Types of Euthanasia

  Non-voluntary - determined by doctors or family e.g. comas

  Voluntary - asking for death yourself

  In-voluntary - people deciding a group of people would be better dead e.g. Hilter and Jews

  Passive - withdrawing treatment

  Active - actively administering a drug
• SANCTITY OF LIFE

  Life is sacred and only God has the right to end it "thou shalt not murder"

  Natural law follows this as a precept is to live
• QUALITY OF LIFE

  Life has to be of certain quality in order for it to be worth living
• SLIPPERY SLOPE

  Archbishop Fisher argues that as soon as it is legal for some, it will be extended to more and more people.

  Fisher further argues that the "right to die" might become the "duty to die" - the vulnerable are given the notion that some lives are worth more than others
• AUTONOMY

  People have the right over what happens with their body - Mill and Nozick argue for the harm principle (freedom so long as you dont hurt people)
• COST BENEFIT

  The medicine that would be used to keep someone alive is costly, their death could mean the money could be used in more beneficial places
• CURES

  There could be a cure in the future