The issue of euthanasia brings up the question of whether the preservation of life or the liberty or freedom to do what one pleases with his/her own body is most important. Euthanasia from its Greek origins meant ‘good death’. Killing somebody actively (active euthanasia) is illegal everywhere in the world and is different from letting someone die which is passive euthanasia. The following paragraphs takes an ethical view of euthanasia from the view of the consequentialist, deontologist and virtue ethicist.
A consequentialist debates that the moral value of an act rests in the effect that act eventually has. One widespread form of consequentialism is utilitarianism; the notion that an act is morally acceptable just in case it yields the greatest …show more content…
Generally speaking, deontologists argue that the moral value of an act is intrinsic in the act itself. For a deontologist therefore, the root of any moral judgement is in the 'will' or 'intent' of the agent who acts, and not in the consequences that follow from it. However, it is important to note that while these two theories seem opposed to each other, they can be consistent in the moral judgements they make (Velasquez et al, 1988). A typical example is a consequentialist would debate that rape is not moral due to the harm it does to the victim and to society as a whole immeasurably outweighs the pleasure that the rapist gains from the act. On the other hand, a deontologist would also judge rape as immoral, but for different reasons. In committing rape, a deontologist would argue, the rapist intends to cause harm and is acting in a way that violates various moral …show more content…
So with regards to euthanasia, it would not be audacious to assume that people suffering from great pain and sickness would not be living the eudaimon life that Aristotle referred to (Velasquez et al, 1988). A patient considering euthanasia could ponder on the implications of Aristotle’s virtue of courage. The ‘right’ thing to do however can be open to analysis. You could argue that euthanasia would be the courageous act by facing death and having the strength to free those who love you from the emotional, heartbreaking burden of looking after a terminally ill family member. From another perspective, euthanasia can viewed as a cowardly act that lacks perseverance, courage and takes away the preservation of
A consequentialist debates that the moral value of an act rests in the effect that act eventually has. One widespread form of consequentialism is utilitarianism; the notion that an act is morally acceptable just in case it yields the greatest …show more content…
Generally speaking, deontologists argue that the moral value of an act is intrinsic in the act itself. For a deontologist therefore, the root of any moral judgement is in the 'will' or 'intent' of the agent who acts, and not in the consequences that follow from it. However, it is important to note that while these two theories seem opposed to each other, they can be consistent in the moral judgements they make (Velasquez et al, 1988). A typical example is a consequentialist would debate that rape is not moral due to the harm it does to the victim and to society as a whole immeasurably outweighs the pleasure that the rapist gains from the act. On the other hand, a deontologist would also judge rape as immoral, but for different reasons. In committing rape, a deontologist would argue, the rapist intends to cause harm and is acting in a way that violates various moral …show more content…
So with regards to euthanasia, it would not be audacious to assume that people suffering from great pain and sickness would not be living the eudaimon life that Aristotle referred to (Velasquez et al, 1988). A patient considering euthanasia could ponder on the implications of Aristotle’s virtue of courage. The ‘right’ thing to do however can be open to analysis. You could argue that euthanasia would be the courageous act by facing death and having the strength to free those who love you from the emotional, heartbreaking burden of looking after a terminally ill family member. From another perspective, euthanasia can viewed as a cowardly act that lacks perseverance, courage and takes away the preservation of