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Killing & Letting Die
Killing & Letting DieEuthanasia
Dr. Clea F. Rees
Centre for Lifelong LearningCardiff University
Autumn 2013
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Killing & Letting DieOutline
Virtue
Vice
Moral
Imm
oral
Ethical
Unethica
lPe
rmissi
bleImpermissible
Principles & Distinctions
EuthanasiaRachels: Initial QuestionsKey Distinctions
Rachels on EuthanasiaArgumentationEvaluation
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Killing & Letting DiePrinciples & Distinctions
Virtue
Vice
Moral
Imm
oral
Ethical
Unethica
lPe
rmissi
bleImpermissible
Principles & Distinctions
The Doctrine of Double EffectP may permissibly do A, foreseeing both good and bad effects iff1:1. A is not itself morally wrong;2. P intends the good effect but not the bad effect;3. the bad effect is not the means of producing the good effect;4. the good effect is sufficiently good to compensate for the
harm of the bad effect.
1‘iff’ means ‘if, and only if’
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Killing & Letting DiePrinciples & Distinctions
Virtue
Vice
Moral
Imm
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Ethical
Unethica
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Principles & DistinctionsThe Doctrine of Double Effect
ExampleA doctor may prescribe a drug to a terminally ill patient which willboth relieve pain and hasten death iff:1. prescribing pain medication is not wrong in itself;2. she intends to relieve pain but not to hasten death;3. the patient’s death is not the means of relieving the pain;4. the good of relieving the pain compensates for the harm of
hastening death.
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Killing & Letting DiePrinciples & Distinctions
Virtue
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Imm
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Ethical
Unethica
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Principles & Distinctions
Acts vs. OmissionsA distinction between:
I acts which are actions one performs;and
I omissions which are failures to act.
Example
I Omitting to give a dying patient with pneumonia antibiotics.I Acting to bring about her death by giving her a lethal
injection for this purpose.
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Killing & Letting DiePrinciples & Distinctions
Virtue
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Principles & Distinctions
Doing vs. AllowingA distinction between:
I what one does or brings about;and
I what one (merely) allows.
Example
I Allowing somebody to go hungry when one could have fedher.
I Bringing about her hunger by blowing up her pantry.
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Killing & Letting DieEuthanasia
Rachels: Initial Questions
Virtue
Vice
Moral
Imm
oral
Ethical
Unethica
lPe
rmissi
bleImpermissible
EuthanasiaRachels: Initial Questions
What is Rachels’s main thesis or conclusion?
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Killing & Letting DieEuthanasia
Rachels: Initial Questions
Virtue
Vice
Moral
Imm
oral
Ethical
Unethica
lPe
rmissi
bleImpermissible
EuthanasiaRachels: Initial Questions
Terminology (question 2):
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Killing & Letting DieEuthanasia
Key Distinctions
Virtue
Vice
Moral
Imm
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Ethical
Unethica
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bleImpermissible
EuthanasiaKey Distinctions
Voluntary/Non-Voluntary/Involuntary Euthanasia
Voluntary: A brings about B’s death with B’s consent.Non-Voluntary: A brings about the death of B, who isunable to consent.Involuntary: A brings about B’s death against B’s wishes.
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Killing & Letting DieEuthanasia
Key Distinctions
Virtue
Vice
Moral
Imm
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Ethical
Unethica
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bleImpermissible
EuthanasiaKey Distinctions
Active/Passive Euthanasia
Active: A actively brings about B’sdeath.e.g. Beth administers a lethal injection
to David.Passive: A withholds or withdrawstreatment necessary to sustain B’slife.e.g. Ann does not call the crash team
when Jenny’s heart stops.e.g. Ann switches off Jenny’s
life-support machine.
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Killing & Letting DieEuthanasia
Key Distinctions
Virtue
Vice
Moral
Imm
oral
Ethical
Unethica
lPe
rmissi
bleImpermissible
EuthanasiaKey Distinctions
Active/Passive Euthanasia
Active: A actively brings about B’sdeath.e.g. Beth administers a lethal injection
to David.Passive: A withholds or withdrawstreatment necessary to sustain B’slife.e.g. Ann does not call the crash team
when Jenny’s heart stops.e.g. Ann switches off Jenny’s
life-support machine.
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Killing & Letting DieEuthanasia
Key Distinctions
Virtue
Vice
Moral
Imm
oral
Ethical
Unethica
lPe
rmissi
bleImpermissible
EuthanasiaKey Distinctions
Varieties of EuthanasiaVoluntary Non-Voluntary Involuntary
Active A actively ends B’s lifeB consents B cannot consent B refuses consent
Passive A ends B’s life by withholding/withdrawing treatmentB consents B cannot consent B refuses consent
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Killing & Letting DieRachels on Euthanasia
Argumentation
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Rachels on EuthanasiaArgumentation
First argument (question 3):
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Killing & Letting DieRachels on Euthanasia
Argumentation
Virtue
Vice
Moral
Imm
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Ethical
Unethica
lPe
rmissi
bleImpermissible
Rachels on EuthanasiaArgumentation
b
Killing & Letting DieRachels on Euthanasia
Argumentation
Virtue
Vice
Moral
Imm
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Ethical
Unethica
lPe
rmissi
bleImpermissible
Rachels on EuthanasiaArgumentation
Second argument (question 3):
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Killing & Letting DieRachels on Euthanasia
Argumentation
Virtue
Vice
Moral
Imm
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Ethical
Unethica
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bleImpermissible
Rachels on EuthanasiaArgumentation
Treatment DecisionsBaby has Down’s? Baby has an intestinal blockage? Baby lives?
8 8 4
8 4 4
4 8 4
4 4 8
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Killing & Letting DieRachels on Euthanasia
Argumentation
Virtue
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Moral
Imm
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Ethical
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Rachels on EuthanasiaArgumentation
Third argument (questions 3, 4):
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Killing & Letting DieRachels on Euthanasia
Argumentation
Virtue
Vice
Moral
Imm
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Ethical
Unethica
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Rachels on EuthanasiaArgumentation
What’s meant to be analogous?I The six-year old’s death.
⇒ The patient’s death.I Smith’s killing the child.
⇒ Active euthanasia.I Jones’s letting the child die.
⇒ Passive euthanasia.
Does the analogy show there is no morally relevant differencebetween killing and letting die?
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Killing & Letting DieRachels on Euthanasia
Argumentation
Virtue
Vice
Moral
Imm
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Ethical
Unethica
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bleImpermissible
Rachels on EuthanasiaArgumentation
Objections to, and defence of, the third argument (questions 5, 6):
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Killing & Letting DieRachels on Euthanasia
Argumentation
Virtue
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Rachels on EuthanasiaArgumentation
Arguments for the opposition (question 7):
Responses to those arguments (question 8):
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Killing & Letting DieRachels on Euthanasia
Evaluation
Virtue
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Imm
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Unethica
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Rachels on EuthanasiaEvaluation
How good is Rachels’s argument?
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