Euthanasia & The Final Exam

euthanasia (origins) “good death”

c.1600, from Greek meaning "an easy or happy death,"

from eu- "good" + thanatos "death."

Meaning today:

Also called mercy killing – the act of putting to death painlessly or allowing to die, as by withholding extreme medical measures

painless death

Passive euthanasia

In passive euthanasia death is brought about by an omission - i.e. by withdrawing or withholding treatment in order to let the person die.

Active euthanasia In active euthanasia a person directly and

deliberately causes the patient's death.

Indirect euthanasia

This means providing treatment (usually to reduce pain) that has the foreseeable side effect of causing the patient to die sooner. (Brings into play the doctrine of double-effect).

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The doctrine of double effect

This doctrine says that if doing something morally good has a morally bad side-effect it's ethically OK to do it providing the bad side-effect wasn't intended. This is true even if you foresaw that the bad effect would probably happen

The principle is used to justify the case where a doctor gives drugs to a patient to relieve distressing symptoms even though he knows doing this may shorten the patient's life This is because the doctor is not aiming directly at killing the patient - the bad result of the patient's death is a side-effect of the good result of reducing the patient's pain.

Many doctors use this doctrine to justify the use of high doses of drugs such as morphine for the purpose of relieving suffering in terminally-ill patients even though they know the drugs are likely to cause the patient to die sooner.

Ordinary vs. Extraordinary Means

Ordinary measures are those that are based on medication or treatment which is directly available and can be applied without incurring severe pain, costs or other inconveniences, … should give the patient hope for improvement.

Extraordinary measures are those that are based on medication or treatment which cannot be applied without incurring severe pain, costs or other inconveniences.

persistent vegetative state

a condition in which a medical patient is completely unresponsive to psychological and physical stimuli and displays no sign of higher brain function, being kept alive only by medical intervention

Assisted suicide occurs when someone provides an individual with the information, guidance, and means to take his or her own life with the intention that these tools and information will be used for the commission of suicide.

Physician-Assisted Suicide (PAS) occurs when a licensed physician provides the means for someone to kill himself through the use of legally prescribed drugs and instructs the person on how to use them.

What was extraordinary or even impossible in the past, is now ordinary and possible.

Modern medicine has definitely lengthened life spans. A century ago, high blood pressure, pneumonia, appendicitis, and diabetes likely meant death, often accompanied by excruciating pain. Women had shorter life expectancies than men since many died in childbirth. Antibiotics, immunizations, modern surgery and many of today’s routine therapies or medications were unknown then ...

Assignment Due May 6:

1. Summarize by bullet point outline or essay ALL points contained in pages 268 – 272 from Chapter 9 of the text

2. Discuss (1 pg minimum) the Karen Ann Quinlan case and the “It's Over Debbie” article (pgs 276 – 279)

3. Discuss (1 pg. Minimum) Dr. Kevorkian and the Assisted-Suicide movement (pgs 285 –293)

Option: Replace one of the above 3 with:

Discuss (1 pg. Minimum) Terri Schiavo: Who Decides? (pgs. 281 – 284)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HLSOB3xHcI

Additional Points for Final Exam

The nature of NDEs Raymond Moody &

how he came up with components to NDEs

4 Phases of NDEs including examples from each

Ineffable Veridical Perception

Being of light (religious?)

Life review –

True Karma but not judgement

Key points in obituary Open casket – purpose Funeral options (wake, cremation, etc.) Funeral burial vocab:

Cortège

Cremains

Embalm

Interment

Mortuary/morgue

Pall (2 meanings)

Pyre

Urn

Mausoleum

Niche

Vault

Exhumation

Casket/coffin

Columbarium

Disposition

Material from previous test: All students get a free question … students who want to

count the test toward the final will get 4 free questions.

6 Warning Signs of Suicide

How to help someone with suicidal thoughts – 5 of 7

Kubler-Ross 5 Stages

Grollman's Definition of Grief

Dealing with the dying .. 5 of 8 including bottom line (same person)

Children & Death – 3 stages of development

4 of 5 things to NOT equate death to when talking to children

Children attending wakes, funerals; family gatherings

Grief & Grief Work (3 parts)

Preparing for Grief (3 points)