EuthanasiaEuthanasia

Questions and GuidelinesQuestions and Guidelines

Essential QuestionsEssential Questions

1) How is euthanasia different from 1) How is euthanasia different from palliative care?palliative care?

2) How have advances in medicine 2) How have advances in medicine affected the traditional distinction between affected the traditional distinction between euthanasia and palliative care?euthanasia and palliative care?

3) What is the difference between 3) What is the difference between prolonging life and postponing death?prolonging life and postponing death?

4) Do we have the moral and legal right to 4) Do we have the moral and legal right to chose to die?chose to die?

Some DefinitionsSome Definitions

EuthanasiaEuthanasia: Deliberately taking steps to : Deliberately taking steps to bring about a person’s death for the bring about a person’s death for the purpose of eliminating sufferingpurpose of eliminating suffering

Direct (Active) Euthanasia: Direct (Active) Euthanasia: taking taking deliberate steps to end the life of a suffering deliberate steps to end the life of a suffering and incurably ill personand incurably ill person

Indirect (Passive) Euthanasia: Indirect (Passive) Euthanasia: Deliberately not taking steps to prevent a sick Deliberately not taking steps to prevent a sick person’s death, precisely with the desire and person’s death, precisely with the desire and intention that this “withholding” will lead to or intention that this “withholding” will lead to or cause deathcause death

*None are acceptable according to Church*None are acceptable according to Church

Definitions contDefinitions cont

Palliative Care: Palliative Care: – medical care to lessen suffering during medical care to lessen suffering during

terminal illness, especially with regards to pain terminal illness, especially with regards to pain medicationmedication

– Death is not willed or directly sought but may Death is not willed or directly sought but may be hastened by carebe hastened by care

– *acceptable by Church*acceptable by Church Physician Assisted Suicide:Physician Assisted Suicide:

– A person who is incurably ill killing him/herself A person who is incurably ill killing him/herself with the help of a physicianwith the help of a physician

– *Not acceptable by Church*Not acceptable by Church

1) How is euthanasia different from 1) How is euthanasia different from palliative care that might shorten palliative care that might shorten one’s life?one’s life?– Euthanasia seeks the deliberate ending Euthanasia seeks the deliberate ending

of one’s life to end sufferingof one’s life to end suffering– Palliative care seeks the lessening of Palliative care seeks the lessening of

suffering due to terminal illnesssuffering due to terminal illness

Essential Question #2Essential Question #2

2) How have advances in medicine 2) How have advances in medicine affected the traditional distinction affected the traditional distinction between euthanasia and palliative between euthanasia and palliative care?care?– Has blurred meanings of eachHas blurred meanings of each– Moved past mysterious boundary Moved past mysterious boundary

separating prolonging life and health separating prolonging life and health from simply postponing deathfrom simply postponing death

– Challenging us to re-examine or moral Challenging us to re-examine or moral and ethical reasoningand ethical reasoning

Essential Question #3Essential Question #3

What is the difference between What is the difference between prolonging life and postponing prolonging life and postponing death?death?– Prolonging life a clear virtue: honors the Prolonging life a clear virtue: honors the

sacredness of lifesacredness of life– Postponing death less clear virtue: can Postponing death less clear virtue: can

keep bodies alive but at what cost?keep bodies alive but at what cost?– Is the dignity and sacredness of life Is the dignity and sacredness of life

strengthened or weakened through strengthened or weakened through medical science? Dependsmedical science? Depends

Essential Question #4Essential Question #4

Do we have the moral and legal right Do we have the moral and legal right to chose to die?to chose to die?

A Catholic Response:A Catholic Response: The Catechism: 2278: discontinuing The Catechism: 2278: discontinuing

burdensome medical procedures that burdensome medical procedures that are extraordinary and burdensome is are extraordinary and burdensome is legitimate. Key point, action cannot legitimate. Key point, action cannot directly cause death; must be due to directly cause death; must be due to disease or conditiondisease or condition

Answer Essential Question #4Answer Essential Question #4

Life celebrated as gift of loving GodLife celebrated as gift of loving God Each life in image and likeness of Each life in image and likeness of

GodGod Individuals have right to make own Individuals have right to make own

healthcare decisions and appoint a healthcare decisions and appoint a proxy proxy

Physical life is sacred but ultimate Physical life is sacred but ultimate goal is everlasting life w/God; death goal is everlasting life w/God; death need not be avoided at all costsneed not be avoided at all costs

Suffering understood as fact of Suffering understood as fact of human life and has special human life and has special significance for Christian: opportunity significance for Christian: opportunity to share in Christ’s redemptive to share in Christ’s redemptive sufferingsuffering

Still, nothing wrong with trying to Still, nothing wrong with trying to relieve someone’s sufferingrelieve someone’s suffering

Euthanasia; seen as an attack on Euthanasia; seen as an attack on human life human life