American Medical Association’s (AMA) policy
“The intentional termination of the life of one human being by another – mercy killing – is contrary to that for which the medical profession stands and is contrary to the policy of the
American Medical Association […] The cessation of employment of extraordinary means to prolong the life of the body when there is irrefutable evidence that biological death is immanent is the decision of the patient and/or immediate family.” (AMA, Opinions of Judicial Council, 1973)

“The State has reaffirmed the line between and ‘letting die’ ”
‘killing’
-U.S. Supreme Court, Vacco v. Quill

James Rachels, “Active and Passive
Euthanasia”
Objective of article:
•
To refute the Difference Thesis
•
To argue that there is moral difference between active and passive euthanasia

James Rachels, “Active and Passive
Euthanasia”
Point #1: Active vs. Passive Euthanasia
•
Patient with throat cancer
•
Rachels’s point o
Active euthanasia is sometimes preferable to passive euthanasia

James Rachels, “Active and Passive
Euthanasia”
Point #2: No moral difference between killing and letting die
•
Smith and Jones example
•
Rachels’s point o
Difference Thesis is false

Winston Nesbitt, “Is Killing No
Worse Than Letting Die?”
Objective of article:
•
To refute the examples presented by Rachels that presume to show that the Difference Thesis is false

Winston Nesbitt, “Is Killing No
Worse Than Letting Die?”
Revisiting Rachel’s Example:
•
Nesbitt concedes that we both Smith and Jones equally reprehensible
•
Nesbitt asks, “What are the grounds for judging Smith and Jones as reprehensible”

Grounds for judging
Smith
He killed his nephew for personal gain
Images from: www.typetoken.com/140/140_Class8.ppt
Grounds for judging
Jones
He was prepared to kill his nephew, and would have done so if necessary

Winston Nesbitt, “Is Killing No
Worse Than Letting Die?”
•
Nesbitt’s revised example – Jones slips and hits his head
•
In revised example, Jones is just as reprehensible as
Smith
•
What makes each equally morally reprehensible is that each was fully prepared to kill for motives of personal gain – NOT because killing and letting die are morally equivalent.

Winston Nesbitt, “Is Killing No
Worse Than Letting Die?”
•
Nesbitt’s second revised example – Jones draws the line at killing

Lewis Vaughn. “Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide”, in
Contemporary Moral Arguments, 2 nd edition, Oxford,
(2013), 264-268
“Is Euthanasia Wrong III”. Retrieved from:
<www.typetoken.com/140/140_Class8.ppt>