Environmental and Medical Ethics

Environmental and Medical Ethics

1. Stewardship and the Environment

   • Christian beliefs...
     • Quotes
       • Then the Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to cultivate it and guard it. - Genesis 2:15
       • God looked at everything he had made, and he was very pleased. - Genesis 1:31
     • The responsibility to be God's stewards and to leave the earth a better place than they found it means that Christians should try to reduce pollution and preserve resources
     • Christians should show stewardship by working to share the Earth's resources more fairly and improve the standard of living in LEDCs.
     • They will be judged on their behaviour as stewards
   • Islam beliefs...
     • Muslims should show stewardship by working to share the Earth's resources more fairly and improve the standard of living in LEDCs.
     • They will be judged on their behaviour
     • Muslims should try to reduce pollution and preserve resources

2. The threat of pollution

   • Deforestation
   • Global warming
   • Acid Rain

3. Environment and Creation

   • Non-religious arguments (environment)
     • Government Action
     • Science and Technology
     • Alternative lifestyles
   • Christian teachings
     • Environment
       • It must be respected by humans because it has been made by God and it is a gift from God.
       • God created the environment as something which is good and sacred therefore Christians have a duty to preserve the environment.
     • Creation
       • Some Christians
         • Believe that Genesis accounts of creation in 6 days are scientific fact (creationists).
       • Many Christians
         • The earth and everything was made by God in the way he intended it to be.
   • Islam teachings
     • Environment
       • The universe and everything in it was created by Allah as a place perfectly suited for human life.
     • Creation
       • The whole environment must be respected because it has been made by Allah as a gift to humans
       • Allah has made a unity and balance increation, so Muslims have a duty to preserve the environment and keep the balance.
       • Muslims believe Allah created the world and everything in it, so it was good and sacred therefore it must be respected and cared for by humans.

4. Medical treatments

   • Infertility
     • Options
       • Surrogacy
       • Embryo Donation
       • IVF (In-vitro Fertilization)
       • AIH (Artificial insemination by husband)
     • Non-religious beliefs...
       • Psychological problems of the surrogate giving up their baby
       • Children not knowing their genetic parents if a donor used
     • Christians beliefs...
       • Roman Catholic
         • Life is given by God and that no-one has a right to children
       • Other Christians
         • They allow IVF and AIH
         • They have major concerns about embryo technology though. They feel it leads to problems of identity and legal problems.
     • Muslim beliefs...
       • Most Muslims accept IVF and AIH
       • Although Islamic lawyers are also against embryo technology for legal and identity reasons.
   • Transplant surgery
     • Non-religious beliefs...
       • For
         • Is an effective method of curing life-threating or disabling diseases
         • Allows people to help others after their death
         • Uses organs that would otherwise disappear
         • Brings life out of death
       • Against
         • Encourages black market sales
         • Very expensive
     • Christians beliefs...
       • Most Christians agree with transplant surgery, but would disagree with organs being brought from poor people.
         • Bible says the poor shouldn't be exploited
         • Leaving organs for others is a way of loving your neighbour.
       • Some Christians agree with transplant using organs from living people but not from dead people.
         • Transplanting organs from the dead to the living is 'playing God' which is a sin
       • Other Christians don't agree with transplant at all and will not carry a donor card
         • Believes it ignores the sanctity of life
     • Muslim beliefs...
       • Agree
         • Some Muslim lawyers have said it is allowed
         • Islam aims to do good and help people
       • Disagree
         • Shari'ah teaches that nothing should be removed from the body after death
         • Qur'an teaches that only God has the right to give and take life

5. The problem of scare natural resources

   • Renewable resources
     • Are those that replace themselves after they have been used, they won't die out so they can be used freely
   • Non-renewable resources
     • Those that will run out after they have been used e.g. oil, gas, coal, iron and tin.
   • As the population grows, we increase the rate in which we use the earth's natural resources. Which is not good!