Society turns to physicians to heal, to comfort and to alleviate suffering. As our understanding of living organisms and technology expands, so too does the role of the physicians. Quite often, controversy emerges over the ethics of these new roles. This usually leads to legal, social and professional changes. One such controversy is physician participation in capital punishment. The underlying purpose of this essay is not to provide a stance on the subject. Rather, the purpose is to question the physicians’ role in capital punishment. Through briefly stating the purpose of medicine and the purpose of capital and exploring whether an inmate is a patient during the time of lethal injection, I argue that physicians should not participate
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In doing so, Kass states that there are also “false goals for medicine” (Kass, 1975, 13). These false goals include pleasure, happiness, civic or moral virtue (e.g. the prevention of crime), and the “prolongation of life or the prevention of death” (Kass, 1975, 16). Furthermore, health is defined in terms of wholeness and working-well. While Kass offers this conception of medicine and even defines health in terms of wholeness and working-well, it is not enough. The purpose of medicine is to preserve an individual’s health when possible, to care for the ailing person as a whole always and to build positive relationships with persons. This purpose differs drastically from the purpose of capital punishment. Capital punishment is a state-authorized killing of an individual who committed a capital crime. Dating back to 1608 in the United States, capital punishment has been employed through various methods, this includes, “firing squads, hanging, electrocution, gas asphyxiation and lethal injection” (Boehnlein, 2013, 240). The purpose of capital punishment is twofold, retribution and …show more content…
Furthermore, there are four states that formally recognize physician aid in dying as legally permissible. However, what distinguishes the first three acts at the end of life from the end of life of the condemned is that the first three acts require a person to be a patient and take place within an actual healthcare setting. Although the act of physician aid in dying occurs outside of the hospital, the act is initiated by the patient and the patient must meet the criteria (which is established in each state where permissible). Lastly, it may seem obvious, but is worth bringing to attention the fact that that act is brought about for the patient’s best interests and/or preference, and the state does not become involved unless in extreme cases where disagreements cannot be resolved. Capital punishment on the other hand is a state imposed punishment for a crime committed. As I have said, the purpose of capital punishment is not to look out for the interest of the individual, but to protect society from the individual in the form of retribution and deterrence. As I see it, when a physician participates in capital punishment that physician acts “not in a medical capacity, but as an agent of the state” (Baum, 2001, 78). Yes, the act of lethal injection mimics medical practice, yes the goal
In doing so, Kass states that there are also “false goals for medicine” (Kass, 1975, 13). These false goals include pleasure, happiness, civic or moral virtue (e.g. the prevention of crime), and the “prolongation of life or the prevention of death” (Kass, 1975, 16). Furthermore, health is defined in terms of wholeness and working-well. While Kass offers this conception of medicine and even defines health in terms of wholeness and working-well, it is not enough. The purpose of medicine is to preserve an individual’s health when possible, to care for the ailing person as a whole always and to build positive relationships with persons. This purpose differs drastically from the purpose of capital punishment. Capital punishment is a state-authorized killing of an individual who committed a capital crime. Dating back to 1608 in the United States, capital punishment has been employed through various methods, this includes, “firing squads, hanging, electrocution, gas asphyxiation and lethal injection” (Boehnlein, 2013, 240). The purpose of capital punishment is twofold, retribution and …show more content…
Furthermore, there are four states that formally recognize physician aid in dying as legally permissible. However, what distinguishes the first three acts at the end of life from the end of life of the condemned is that the first three acts require a person to be a patient and take place within an actual healthcare setting. Although the act of physician aid in dying occurs outside of the hospital, the act is initiated by the patient and the patient must meet the criteria (which is established in each state where permissible). Lastly, it may seem obvious, but is worth bringing to attention the fact that that act is brought about for the patient’s best interests and/or preference, and the state does not become involved unless in extreme cases where disagreements cannot be resolved. Capital punishment on the other hand is a state imposed punishment for a crime committed. As I have said, the purpose of capital punishment is not to look out for the interest of the individual, but to protect society from the individual in the form of retribution and deterrence. As I see it, when a physician participates in capital punishment that physician acts “not in a medical capacity, but as an agent of the state” (Baum, 2001, 78). Yes, the act of lethal injection mimics medical practice, yes the goal