Module 9 Euthanasia and PAS
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Dec 6, 2023
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Module 9: Euthanasia and PAS, Chapter 10 Reading Questions (M9A1)
Make sure you know the key terms and the answers to any review questions for the Chapter. After
reading Chapter 10, please do the following. Always use complete sentences.
A. Employing the articles at the end of the chapter and moral theories, when possible, please explain as
completely as you can at least 4 reasons for thinking that physician-assisted suicide is morally wrong.
Please number the reasons.
1. General acceptance of voluntary euthanasia results in widespread abuse
2. Possible errors and mistakes
3. The terminally ill need to feel valued and loved
4. There is a contradiction in the sanctity of life since moral values as well as religious principles are
against this
B. Employing the articles at the end of the chapter and moral theories, when possible, please explain as
completely as you can at least 4 reasons for holding that physician-assisted suicide is at least morally
permissible. Please number the reasons.
1. Able to use organs for those who truly needs and can survive.
2. Was granted permission
3. Helps end the pain
4. Choice of the patient
C. Using moral theories when you can, please explain your position on the morality of physician-assisted
suicide. Do you think it is morally permissible or not? Why or why not? Explain giving reasons for your
view.
Answer- I do not believe that physician-assisted suicide is morally permissible. I do not believe that any
sort of suicide is morally permissible as my basis, so when it comes to assisted suicide, I am strongly
against it. I believe that no person should assist in ending another person’s life even if the individual has
requested it and essentially see it as murder. With this being said though I do understand the thought
process behind it as in such cases where the person is terminally ill and there is no chance of living and
they are in insufferable pain constantly. I can sympathize with that because if I was in that position where
I knew death was certain and my last days were unbearable, I’d probably wish for it to be over as well.
D. The Chapter identifies at least 5 kinds of euthanasia.
1. active voluntary- This is where a physician assists a patient with euthanasia by providing them with the
needs to do so. I believe that this is morally wrong because it is the killing of a person.
2. active nonvoluntary- This is where euthanasia is conducted on an individual where the consent of the
individual is unavailable, for example, if they are in a vegetative state. I also see this as wrong because it
is the killing of a person and it’s not possible to know if that’s what they wanted.
3. passive voluntary- This is when a patient is left to die intentionally by withholding artificial life support.
This is again wrong because I believe that a person should be treated until there is nothing else that can
possibly be done to secure that life.
4. passive nonvoluntary- This is where the patient is left to die due to not being able to inquire consent. I
view this as morally wrong as it is still resulting in a death that could have been avoided.
5. involuntary- This is when it is performed on a person without their consent. I believe that is morally
wrong as it is done against the person's will.
For each kind of euthanasia mentioned above, explain what it is and say whether you think it is morally
permissible or not. Give reasons to defend your position on each one. (Make sure you understand the
difference between “involuntary” and “nonvoluntary.”)
E. Read Ethical Dilemma Case 1 ("Assisted Suicide or Murder?") at the end of Chapter 10. Please answer
all of the questions for that case.
Answer- No it would not be permissible because it would still be the killing of someone. I believe that
both actions are morally wrong and do not believe that just because someone is a doctor makes it right.
In my eyes the only difference between murder and assisted suicide is that one is wanted by the victim
and the other is not. I would still say that the killing is morally wrong but that the man requested it in
order to bring about allowing his daughter to survive, although the way in which he did it is technically
cheating the system.
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