Euthanasia
The Ethical Dilemma of
Euthanasia
Dianna Lambert
BHS 1340 WA
Dr Holder
July 27, 2012
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Euthanasia
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The Ethical Dilemma of
Euthanasia
Euthanasia, also known as mercy killing, is a very controversial issue. Many people feel they
have the right to end their life when they view the quality is no longer worthwhile. While others
feel is unjust to choose their own time of death, leaving a detrimental effect on loved ones.
Egoism and utilitarianism are two moral theories that apply to euthanasia. The two theories can
be used to both support and oppose the moral dilemma of euthanasia.
Egoism
In egoism, a person contends that they act in a way that is best for their own well-being. They
do things to avoid as much pain as possible. Supporting data by Margaret P Battin appeared in a
book (cited in Euthanasia: Opposing Viewpoints, 2000), “The moral right for self-determination
is the right to live one’s life as one sees fit, subject only to the constraint that this not involve
harm to others” (p. 52). Egoists believe that dying will be a benefit and an end to their
sufferings. They do not take into consideration the grief and sorrow that it will bring to their
loved ones. They only consider their own interests and disregard the effects on family and
friends; they feel no harm is being done to them. Under the first amendment, a person has the
right to privacy, which many egoists feel is the right to choose their time to die. And blogger
Michael Laughlin (2005) writes that the Declaration of Independence also grants people the right
to choose:
We hold these truths to be self-evident: That all men are created equal; that they are
endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty,
and the pursuit of happiness;…. ‘(United States Declaration of Independence). This quote
sets in motion the argument that each person has the right to decide what type of life is best
for them. A death with dignity may be preferred to a life of pain and suffering. (¶ 4)
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On the contrary, some egoists may be against euthanasia. They may see euthanasia as a time
when someone else has control over their well-being; a time when they have lost control over the
decisions for their life. For someone else to have the power to make the choice to “pull the plug”
would not be acceptable because they have no control of their own destiny and happiness. In
The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Robert Shaver (2010) writes, “G.E. Moore argued that
ethical egoism is self-contradictory. If I am an egoist, I hold that I ought to maximize my good. I
deny that others ought to maximize my good (they should maximize their own goods)” (Ethical
Egoism ¶ 17).
Utilitarianism
In utilitarianism, the patient’s mind assesses the consequences of an action. The morally
correct course of action consists in the greatest good for the greatest number. They weigh the
pros and cons of their actions. The pros they may assess in euthanasia are, the family will be
free of worrying about the patient, they are saving money for the family by not having the cost of
medication, doctor visits, hospital or skilled nursing facility charges and more. When committing
euthanasia, it will allow the hospital, doctors and nurses to have the room and time to do good
for more, such as helping and healing other patients. A utilitarian who is suffering with a
terminal illness and has knowledge of his/her impending death may view the quality of life they
had prior to their illness as the greatest good for the greatest number; they may possibly feel that
prolonging their sickness would be morally wrong. Dr. Elizabeth Telfer writes in her paper,
Philosophical Approaches to the Dilemma of Death with Dignity:
The Hedonistic Utilitarian would say that situations often arise in which a person’s continued
existence brings more pain than pleasure both to them and to all those who are distressed by
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their suffering – not to speak of the resources which are being spent on keeping them alive
and which would produce more happiness if used in other ways. (¶ 7)
Some utilitarians view euthanasia as the polar opposite of doing the greatest good for the
greatest number. They may argue that not only does the action of euthanasia affect many family
members and friends; they fear it will encourage the “slippery slope” effect. The “slippery
slope” effect is killing people who are thought to be undesirable, which may undermine
professionals in the healthcare field, making them less committed to saving lives. They may fear
that the “slippery slope” could lead to eventual involuntary euthanasia and doctors having less
regard for the fundamental principles for the preservation of life. Doctor’s may give up quicker
on terminally ill patients, which would mean a great decline in care for those near the end of
their lives. Supporting data by John Shelby Spong appeared in a book (cited in Euthanasia:
Opposing Viewpoints, 2000), “Convenience and greed, in cooperation with a few unscrupulous
members of the medical profession, have the potential to create a world of horrors for many
people” (p. 44).
Conclusion
The ethical dilemma of euthanasia has been and I think will always be a hot topic of
controversy. It seems that whether you are an egoist or utilitarian, the moral theories don’t
change but an individual’s view of an ethical dilemma can be argued in very different ways.
Choices that seem right in some societies are found to be completely wrong in others. I’ve
learned that egoists and utilitarians can view moral issues in a positive or negative light (I’m sure
that all of the moral theories have this same way of viewing things, either as a pro or a con). In
my thinking, I thought that both egoists and utilitarians would only see the pros in euthanasia.
Euthanasia
References
Laughlin, M. (2005, November 21). Ethics of euthanasia: Life or death: Whose decision is it?
Retrieved July 20, 2012, from http://voices.yahoo.com/ethics-euthanasia11185.html?cat=70
Shaver, R. (Winter 2010). The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy online. Retrieved from
http://plato.standford.edu/archives/win2010/entries/egoism/
Telfer, E. (n.d.). Philosophical approaches to the dilemma of death with dignity. Retrieved
July 20, 2012, from http://www.euthanasia.cc/telfer.html
Torr, J. D. (Ed). (2000) Euthanasia: Opposing viewpoints. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press
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