euthanasia and assisted suicide
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Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide. Overview. Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide is an ongoing issue around the world Fear that medical advancements no longer allow death to be a serene moment, instead prolonging death Excellent example of the effects of moral relativism. Definitions. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide is an ongoing issue around the world
Fear that medical advancements no longer allow death to be a serene moment, instead prolonging death
Excellent example of the effects of moral relativism
Active Euthanasia: Deliberate killing of someone with the intention of ending all suffering
Passive Euthanasia: withholding or withdrawing life support, nutrition, or water without a person’s consent, with the specific intention of ending that person’s life
Assisted Suicide: providing a person with the means to end his/her life
Doctor-Assisted Death: physician-assisted suicide and active euthanasia performed by a physician
Euthanasia and Doctor-Assisted Suicide is ALWAYS wrong
The good of the sanctity of human life, that life that God bestowed on us, can never be sacrificed for the sake of the good self-determination
Against the 6th Commandment, “Thou shall not kill”
Life is always good and may never be taken
“Human life is sacred because from its beginning it involves the creative action of God and it remains for ever in a special relationship with the Creator, who is its sole end. God alone is the Lord of life from its beginning until its end: no one can under any circumstance claim for himself the right directly to destroy an innocent human being.” CCC 2258
Judgment that life is not worth living◦ Arrogant view that has lead to lives being taken
throughout history Euthanasia and Suicide Murder Genocide
Euthanizing and forgoing extraordinary measures are two separate issues
Extraordinary measures: any measures that are disproportionate to the expected results OR measures that impose an excessive burden on the patient and family
Proper nourishment (food and water)
Ordinary medical care:◦ Offer reasonable
hope of benefit◦ Are not unduly
burdensome to the patient or family
Anything not primarily considered ordinary medical care
Consider these factors:◦ Degree of complexity◦ Amount of risk involved◦ Cost and accessibility◦ State of the sick person◦ His resources
The person is placing himself in God’s hands and prepares to leave this life
Maintains ordinary means of health care
One can, in good conscience, “refuse forms of treatment that would only secure a precarious and burdensome prolongation of life, so long as the normal care due to the sick person in similar cases is not interrupted” (Evangelium Viate, n65)
Pain relievers are a morally acceptable way of subduing suffering◦ Some choose not to take pain relievers
Pain relief is still acceptable even if it has the secondary, but not intended, effect of hastening the end of life
A person is dying of cancer which has metastasized throughout his body. The disease causes the man to go into a coma and he must be fed intravenously and use a respirator. His kidneys fail and it becomes clear that the situation is not reversible
Medical technology is not providing any hope of recovery or benefit at this point; it is prolonging death
The respirator has now become an extraordinary measure, so turning it off would be morally acceptable.
No one enjoys suffering, nor should anyone wish for someone to experience it
We must remember that we have been baptized into Christ’s passion, death and resurrection◦ We share in our Lord’s cross, and that may be
very painful at times◦ We are united with Christ with our suffering
It is VERY difficult to understand the purpose of suffering
But…by uniting our suffering with Christ’s, we expiate (atone—make amends) the hurt caused by our sins and help expiate the sins of others
Sometimes suffering will finally heal the wounds that have divided families
Faith in the resurrected Lord teaches us that while we live on earth, it is not our abiding home.
St. Francis of Assisi spoke of “Sister Death” as a friend who carries us from this life to the Father’s house.
We should not fear death
The vulnerable may be pressured to to seek an earlier death by third parties◦ Danger may increase as health resources
decrease or become more expensive
The role of the physician and trust in him would be undermined
Palliative care would be marginalized
How is suffering defined? What about the depressed, infirm, frail, etc.
Diminish respect for human life Erode the basic trust that human life will be
protected◦ Essential trust to have for the functioning of any
society
“…I will neither give a deadly drug to anyone if asked for it, nor will I make a suggestion to this effect…”
“First, do no harm.”
Secularism Moral relativism Radical personal autonomy The growing AIDS epidemic Families have fewer children Emphasis on reducing the cost of
healthcare
Netherlands (1984). In 1990, 9% of deaths were D.A.S. or euthanasia
Oregon: “Death with Dignity” Act (1997); Washington; Montana
Belgium: 2002 Switzerland: euth. not legalized, doctors
aren’t punished for D.A.S. Northern Territory of Australia: 2006
“Regulations” are in place, but a ‘slippery slope’ occurs◦ Records are difficult to maintain and can be
altered or not maintained◦ People argue that “suffering” is a relative term◦ When a person is unconscious, others are
responsible for his/her decision
Active Euth.
D.A.S. Morphine OD intended to kill
Total
w/ Consent 2,300 400 3,159 5,859
w/o Consent 1,000 4,941 5,941
Total 3,300 400 8,100 11,800
Total population (1991) 15,022,000
Total deaths (1991) 135,200
Euthanasia deaths 11,800
Euth. as percent of total deaths
9%
http://www.leaderu.com/orgs/tul/ott-euthanasia.html#lessons
http://www.catholicenquiry.com/life-and-death/what-is-the-churchs-position-on-euthanasia.html
http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?id=307
“Going to the House of the Father”. Ontario Conference of Catholic Bishops. April 2007
COLF pamphlet entitled: Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide: Urgent Questions!
http://www.euthanasia.com/hollchart.html