Medical Ethics

Medical Ethics

1. Abortion

   • Removing foetus from womb before able to survive, ending pregnancy
   • Christian
     • RC church- absolutism
       • Against NML- not fulfilling primary purpose
       • Purpose of foetus: to live :. Murder is wrong
       • ‘’thou shall not murder’’ Exodus: playing God
       • ‘’go forth and multiply’’ Genesis. children are a gift from God
       • life begins when egg fertilized (ensoulment)
         • sanctity of life :. abortion against sanctity of life
       • Double doctrine effect
         • something good has bad side effect then OK providing side effect not intended
           • :. life of the mother threatened = abortion OK
     • Protestant- Church of England(COE)
       • OK if lesser of two evils ‘’love your neighbour’’- Matthew
       • OK if mother’s life is in danger, Baby serious illness, rape
     • Quakers-Relative Morality
       • abortion forbidden for reasons above
         • pacifists :.don't kill
       • Situation Ethics(SE)- Agape Love
         • more loving thing under circumstances
   • Secular
     • Pro-choice- woman has right to do whatever as foetus not independent from women :.part of her
     • J. Bentham – Utilitarianism
       • maximise happiness
     • Pro life
       • Embryo rights :.abortion murder
     • J.S Mill – Harm Principle:
       • People do whatever if not physically harm others :. abortion forbidden as physically harming baby
       • drugs acceptable

2. Fertility treatment

   • Treatment given to women artificially to help woman conceive baby
   • IVF
     • Sperm and egg mixed in test tube artificially before embryo placed inside uterus
     • Christian
       •  Christians against AID
         • sperm not from husband. purpose marriage to create family via natural sex.
           • Will of God- "Lord closed her womb’’(1 Samuel)
       • RC church
         • against NML
           • "formed you in your mother’s womb’’Jeremiah
         • spare embryos (IVF) – some get destroyed :. against sanctity of life
           • promotes adoption
       • COE - liberal - (SE – Agape love)
         • permissible brings happiness & loving way treat people who want IVF
           • ‘’Love thy neighbour’ ’Matthew
             • Creates life & preserves God’s creation
               • Disagree surrogacy (mothers embryo placed in womb of another woman – adultery) confusing for children
       •  Anglican church(AC)
         • permissible last resort +all natural means fail
         • rights embryo:14 days - people have the right to have children

3. Euthanasia

   • Ending life relieve suffering, incurable, painful diseases – ‘happy death’
     • LIB:may encourage Passive euthanasia Agape love.+loving
       • SUICIDE
         • God chooses when you die & wrong humans think know better (‘playing God)suffer for reason
           • Christians closer god by suffering ∴ suicide refusal to learn from from God
             • selfish. pains others
         • harm princip. wrong -harm others
     • murder, SoL, NML
   • Passive Euthanasia -Allowing people to die who are being preserved artificially (stop giving treatment)
   • human life sacred.not take it away ‘’do not commit murder’’- Exodus
   • Active Euthanasia (AE)-Killing to end suffering, assisting someone to commit suicide
   • NO-people pressure to die. double effect alright
     • YES-rare medicine for curable people