By: Benjamin Frattini, Ken Saxton,
Karl Meissner, Anthony Collado
Period 2
Euthanasia Video
http://rt.com/news/journalist-euthanasiadisabled-newborns/
Euthanasia Definitions
• Euthanasia: the intentional killing by
act or omission of a dependent
human being for his or her alleged
benefit.
http://www.euthanasia.com/definitions.html
Euthanasia Definitions
• Voluntary euthanasia:
The person killed has
requested to be killed.
• Non-voluntary: When the person
who is killed made no request and
gave no consent.
http://www.euthanasia.com/definitions.html
Euthanasia Definitions
• Involuntary euthanasia: When the
person who is killed made an
expressed wish to the contrary.
http://www.euthanasia.com/definitions.html
Euthanasia Definitions
• Assisted suicide: Someone provides
an individual with the information,
guidance, and means to take his or
her own life.
http://www.euthanasia.com/definitions.html
Euthanasia Definitions
• Euthanasia By Action: Intentionally
causing a person's death by
performing an action such as by
giving a lethal injection.
http://www.euthanasia.com/definitions.html
Euthanasia Definitions
• Euthanasia By Omission: Intentionally
causing death by not providing
necessary and ordinary (usual and
customary) care or food and water.
http://www.euthanasia.com/definitions.html
Euthanasia Definitions
Not euthanasia unless death is intentionally
caused. Thus, some medical actions
sometimes labeled "passive euthanasia" are
not euthanasia because intention to take life is
lacking.
http://www.euthanasia.com/definitions.html
Statistics
Study in Oregon after law allowed physicianassisted suicide
Suicides almost doubled, but only about 40 out
of 10,000 deaths per year
Not common practice
http://www.euthanasia.com/deaths2003.html
Dr. Jack Kevorkian
• Assisted-suicide advocate, launched
campaign for “right to die”
• Tried for murder for his
assists, convicted in 1999
• Saw euthanasia as “helping
a suffering patient”
http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/06/03/report-dr-jack-kevorkian-dead
Dr. Jack Kevorkian
• Believed laws limiting euthanasia,
as well as limiting smoking, etc.
were infringement on rights
• Died in June 2011
http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/06/03/report-dr-jack-kevorkian-dead
Pros and Cons
PROS
• It provides a way to
relieve extreme pain
• It provides a way of
relief when a person's
quality of life is low
http://www.euthanasia.com/proscons.html
Pros and Cons
PROS
• Frees up medical
funds to help other
people
• It is another case
of freedom of choice
http://www.euthanasia.com/proscons.html
Pros and Cons
PROS
• The right to life includes the right to
die.
• Death is the opposite of life, but the
process of dying is part of life.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/euthanasia/infavour/infavour_1.shtml
Pros and Cons
CONS
• Euthanasia devalues human life
• Euthanasia can become a means
of health care cost containment
• Doctors should not be involved in
directly causing death
http://www.euthanasia.com/proscons.html
Pros and Cons
CONS
• Mercy killing is morally incorrect
and should be forbidden by law.
• Is a homicide
• Murdering another human cannot
be rationalized under any
circumstances
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/euthanasia/infavour/infavour_1.shtml
Catholic Church's Perspective
• Against Euthanasia
• Believe that life is a gift from God
• We are all made in God's image
• Morally wrong
o "Thou shall not kill"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/christianethics/euthanasia_1.shtml#h2
Catholic Church's Perspective
• The Catholic Church does not believe that
people have a right to die.
• Humans are free, but they cannot take their
own lives.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/christianethics/euthanasia_1.shtml#h2
Catholic Church's Perspective
• The Catholic Church does believe that it is
morally acceptable to refuse extraordinary
medical treatment.
• Suicide is wrong
o Assisting suicide is looked at the same way
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/christianethics/euthanasia_1.shtml#h2
Catholic Church's Perspective
"Nothing and no one can in any way permit the
killing of an innocent human being, whether a
foetus or an embryo, an infant or"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/christianethics/euthanasia_1.shtml#h2
Catholic Church's Perspective
"an adult, an old person, or one suffering from an
incurable disease, or a person who is dying."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/christianethics/euthanasia_1.shtml#h2
Catholic Church's Perspective
"A man, even if seriously sick or prevented in
the exercise of its higher functions, is and
will be always a man ..."
http://www.euthanasia.com/quotationsoneuthanasia.html
Catholic Church's Perspective
"... [he] will never become a 'vegetable' or an
'animal,'" the Pope said. "The intrinsic value
and personal dignity of every human
being..."
http://www.euthanasia.com/quotationsoneuthanasia.html
Catholic Church's Perspective
"... does not change depending on their
circumstances."
-- Pope John Paul II, 2004
http://www.euthanasia.com/quotationsoneuthanasia.html