Euthanasia

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Euthanasia

• Comparative Ethics and Law

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What is Euthanasia?

• granting painless death to a hopelessly ill
  patient with a non-curable disease.
• Distinction between euthanasia and murder

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Types of Euthanasia

• Passive
• Voluntary
• Involuntary
• Active

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Historical Review

• Before the Twentieth Century
• Socrates
• Plato
• Aristotle
• Sixth Commandment
• Hippocratic Oath
• Dr. Charles Goddard

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1930s

• Euthanasia Society
• Voluntary Euthanasia Bill

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1940s

• Judge Earengey of England
• Geneva version of Oath

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1950s

• Dr. Joseph Fletcher
• society is willing to oppose death but not
  permit it

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1960s

• Living Will
• Euthanasia Educational Fund

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1970s

• Natural death laws
• Case of Karen Ann Quinlan

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Movement for Euthanasia

• Derek Humphry
• Jeans Way
• Hemlock Society
• Dr. Jack Kevorkian
• Nancy Cruzan

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Opinions on Euthanasia

• Dr. Charles Dougherty
• - legalizing euthanasia would harm society
• William Carr
• - people will want the comfort of knowing
  that if they choose, a physician will be ready,
  willing, and able to help themby offering a
  death with dignity

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• Dr. Timothy Quill
• - important goals are not about assisted
  suicide but about good care for dying people
• Dr. Arthur Caplan
• - assisted suicide is going to become and
  attractive solution

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Ethical Standpoint

• Religious Beliefs (Roman Catholic)
• Ronald Otremba- active euthanasia is never
  morally justified
• Derek Humphry- decisions about dying are highly
  personal and that euthanasia should not be denied
  to those who choose it

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• Hospice programs as an alternative

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Euthanasia and Public Policy

• Current Legislation
• Oregon legalizing euthanasia (Death with Dignity
  Act)
• Legislation of euthanasia in other countries

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As of Now

• Derek Humphry today
• 1999 sentence of Jack Kevorkian
• Pain Relief Promotion Act
• Still a debatable subject and will continue to
  be.

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