Disability Studies 2072F/G Lecture 9: EUTHANASIA & MAID

• School: Western University
• Department: Disability Studies
• Course: Disability Studies 2072F/G
• Professor: John Heng

Document Summary

Ability to distinguish between euthanasia vs. ethically permissible death. Suffering at end of life: helps in the understanding of euthanasia. Allowing to die : ambiguous, see chart of difference between terminating life" and allowing to die", approximate cause & authorization, agent themselves, act, end/outcome, circumstances around the decision, active act (maid) or passive omission (allowing to die) Agent: maid vs. allowing to die, allowing to die. Intention can be ambiguous: remove extraordinary interventions", refusing interventions or removing certain interventions, authorization. Intention is not to die: euthanasia: only the person who"s life is ended can request this, allowing to die: *requesting vs. refusing is a significance ethical distinction. Why does this distinction matter: sanctity of life doctrine (see handout) Pain vs. suffering: pain = localized, simply an experience, suffering = psychosomatic, whole person, awareness of the pain experience and the loss that it entails. We need to understand the nature of suffering in order to address/help/judge it.