1 / 27

Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide

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.

kiara
Download Presentation

Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide

  2. 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

  3. Definitions • 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

  4. Definitions Con’t • 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

  5. The Church’s Stance • 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”

  6. Dignity of Human Life • 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

  7. Misconception that Leads to Euthanasia • Judgment that life is not worth living • Arrogant view that has lead to lives being taken throughout history • Euthanasia and Suicide • Murder • Genocide

  8. Declining “extraordinary measures” • 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

  9. Ordinary vs. Extraordinary • 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 • Proper nourishment (food and water) • Ordinary medical care: • Offer reasonable hope of benefit • Are not unduly burdensome to the patient or family

  10. Declining Extraordinary Measures con’t • The person is placing himself in God’s hands and prepares to leave this life • Maintains ordinary means of health care

  11. Imminent and Inevitable Death • 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)

  12. Pain Relievers • 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

  13. Example… • 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.

  14. But isn’t it better to end suffering? • 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

  15. Suffering con’t • 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

  16. Death is NOT the end • 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

  17. Some Consequences of Euthanasia and Doctor-Assisted Suicide • 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

  18. Consequences con’t • The role of the physician and trust in him would be undermined • Palliative care would be marginalized

  19. Consequences con’t • How is suffering defined? What about the depressed, infirm, frail, etc.

  20. Consequences con’t • 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

  21. The Hippocratic Oath (350 B.C.) • “…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.”

  22. Social and Cultural Factors Affecting the Debate in the 1990s: • Secularism • Moral relativism • Radical personal autonomy • The growing AIDS epidemic • Families have fewer children • Emphasis on reducing the cost of healthcare

  23. Is euthanasia/assisted-suicide legal anywhere? • 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

  24. Won’t they regulate it? • “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

  25. Euthanasia Results in the Netherlands - Number of Cases in 1990

  26. http://www.pregnantpause.org/numbers/netheuth.htm

  27. Resources • 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

More Related