Euthanasia and business ethics revision
Euthanasia – Natural Law. (Plenty of links and arguments about the Primary
Precepts to be made whilst secondary precepts would work to fit the new world
as primary precepts were made without the hindsight of euthanasia e.g
preservation of life goes against but right to live in a civilised society goes
against it if you count quality of life as significant in this regard. Don’t forget the
DoDE argument and morphine example. Important to take into account the
Catholic Church’s direct opposition to euthanasia as Natural law directly
influenced the church. There are also questions raised about what is natural and
whether it doesn’t matter as God gave us free will and autonomy for a reason).
Euthanasia – Situation Ethics. (Argues that if love is better served going against
human rules or laws then that is moral – interesting as active euthanasia is still
illegal in uk but passive technically isn’t. Also bear in mind Fletcher’s 12 step list
for qualifications for being a person when judging the right to die for people in
persistent vegetative state. Important to remember in this topic area).
Euthanasia- argue for Natural Law
Business Ethics- Kant
Sexual ethics-
Active euthanasia- A deliberate act performed by a third party to kill a person, eg. By
lethal injection. Illegal in UK.
Passive euthanasia (Non Treatment Decision)- Removing food or water. Legal in UK.
Sanctity of life- the idea that life is intrinsically sacred and god-given and has such
worth that it is not considered within the power of a human being to take it away. In
Genesis, God makes humanity ‘imago dei’ (in his image), which gave us divine features
such as the capacity for reason and compassion. Reaffirming this belief is the
Commandment: ‘Thou shalt not kill.’ (Exodus)
The Doctrine of Double effect- The Doctrine is often invoked to explain the
permissibility of actions that cause serious harm, on the grounds that it was an
inadvertent side-effect of doing something good. This is usually attributed to Thomas
Aquinas (1225-74), who introduced it in his work ‘Summa Theologica’
Quality of life- a way of weighing the extrinsic experience of life.
Autonomy- a person being able to make their own decisions.
Voluntary euthanasia- when a person’s life is ended painlessly by someone else at his
or her own request.
Non-voluntary euthanasia- when a person is unable to express their wish to die and
so someone else makes the decision and ends their life.
Euthanasia – Natural Law. (Plenty of links and arguments about the Primary
Precepts to be made whilst secondary precepts would work to fit the new world
as primary precepts were made without the hindsight of euthanasia e.g
preservation of life goes against but right to live in a civilised society goes
against it if you count quality of life as significant in this regard. Don’t forget the
DoDE argument and morphine example. Important to take into account the
Catholic Church’s direct opposition to euthanasia as Natural law directly
influenced the church. There are also questions raised about what is natural and
whether it doesn’t matter as God gave us free will and autonomy for a reason).
Euthanasia – Situation Ethics. (Argues that if love is better served going against
human rules or laws then that is moral – interesting as active euthanasia is still
illegal in uk but passive technically isn’t. Also bear in mind Fletcher’s 12 step list
for qualifications for being a person when judging the right to die for people in
persistent vegetative state. Important to remember in this topic area).
Euthanasia- argue for Natural Law
Business Ethics- Kant
Sexual ethics-
Active euthanasia- A deliberate act performed by a third party to kill a person, eg. By
lethal injection. Illegal in UK.
Passive euthanasia (Non Treatment Decision)- Removing food or water. Legal in UK.
Sanctity of life- the idea that life is intrinsically sacred and god-given and has such
worth that it is not considered within the power of a human being to take it away. In
Genesis, God makes humanity ‘imago dei’ (in his image), which gave us divine features
such as the capacity for reason and compassion. Reaffirming this belief is the
Commandment: ‘Thou shalt not kill.’ (Exodus)
The Doctrine of Double effect- The Doctrine is often invoked to explain the
permissibility of actions that cause serious harm, on the grounds that it was an
inadvertent side-effect of doing something good. This is usually attributed to Thomas
Aquinas (1225-74), who introduced it in his work ‘Summa Theologica’
Quality of life- a way of weighing the extrinsic experience of life.
Autonomy- a person being able to make their own decisions.
Voluntary euthanasia- when a person’s life is ended painlessly by someone else at his
or her own request.
Non-voluntary euthanasia- when a person is unable to express their wish to die and
so someone else makes the decision and ends their life.
