1.3 Rationality
Assessing rationality is relatively difficult, to begin with, this section will thus attempt to assess and define rationality in terms of (1) the performed actions and what makes it rational and (2) what makes an agent rational. The assessment of the act and the agent though done distinctly, are connected, and thus necessary for the wholesome analysis of rationality. A rational act might be executed by an irrational agent or an irrational act might be executed by a rational agent. Therefore, if a rational agent executed a rational act, the rationality of a specific concept can be determined.
A rational act is one that is moral and pursued/executed for the right reasons. One way to determine if a performed action is rational …show more content…
Voluntary euthanasia is the intentional termination of a terminally ill patient’s life with the patient’s consent. Most opponents of Euthanasia utilise the DDE to demonstrate the immorality of Voluntary Euthanasia. This is done by ignoring the consent of the patient, and judging the act from the perspective of the physician involved in aiding the patient. Opponents claim that with or without the patient’s/agent’s consent, the physician’s intent is to kill the patient. Since killing another person is inherently wrong , Euthanasia is thus immoral. There are two ways to argue against this claim: (A) against the claim that it is the physician’s intent to kill the patient, and (B) direct causation of death is immoral. Against claim (A), the intention behind Voluntary Euthanasia is not to kill, but rather to relieve pain and end suffering. There is nothing intrinsically immoral about this intention. Therefore, if this were to instead be considered the intention, according to the DDE, Voluntary Euthanasia is not immoral. Besides, it has been previously argued that the intent for suicide through Voluntary Euthanasia is the agents’ . This ‘intent to kill/harm’ that is continuously brought up by opponents of Euthanasia, is not the physicians’. Therefore, (A) no longer stands. Against claim (B), in the case of Voluntary Euthanasia, death is the means to ending the agent’s suffering from a terminal illness. The DDE forbids this for the means is …show more content…
As previously argued, an act is rational if the act is (i) moral, and is pursued by a (ii)rational agent for the right reasons which are consistent with his/her best self-interest, sufficiently supported, and justified by evidence and information, weighed against the value of the possible consequences, and (iii)without any emotional influence. (i) has already been addressed above. (ii) Physicians must conduct assessments on the patients to determine if they have a sound mind and if their reasons for wanting to suicide through Voluntary Euthanasia is rational. This will require the demonstration of the patient’s rationality, sensibility etc. , and confirmation that their terminal illness and suffering is irreversible, and the patient’s decision to suicide is valid and justified . (iii) When a patient approaches a physician for Voluntary Euthanasia, the suicide is not executed immediately. As mentioned some time is taken. This time gap will ensure that no emotional, impulsive decisions are made. Therefore, Voluntary Euthanasia is not only moral (and thus rational), but the involvement evaluative processes by physicians will ensure that the patient is rational and is making a rational decision. Suicide in the form of Voluntary Euthanasia is thus
Assessing rationality is relatively difficult, to begin with, this section will thus attempt to assess and define rationality in terms of (1) the performed actions and what makes it rational and (2) what makes an agent rational. The assessment of the act and the agent though done distinctly, are connected, and thus necessary for the wholesome analysis of rationality. A rational act might be executed by an irrational agent or an irrational act might be executed by a rational agent. Therefore, if a rational agent executed a rational act, the rationality of a specific concept can be determined.
A rational act is one that is moral and pursued/executed for the right reasons. One way to determine if a performed action is rational …show more content…
Voluntary euthanasia is the intentional termination of a terminally ill patient’s life with the patient’s consent. Most opponents of Euthanasia utilise the DDE to demonstrate the immorality of Voluntary Euthanasia. This is done by ignoring the consent of the patient, and judging the act from the perspective of the physician involved in aiding the patient. Opponents claim that with or without the patient’s/agent’s consent, the physician’s intent is to kill the patient. Since killing another person is inherently wrong , Euthanasia is thus immoral. There are two ways to argue against this claim: (A) against the claim that it is the physician’s intent to kill the patient, and (B) direct causation of death is immoral. Against claim (A), the intention behind Voluntary Euthanasia is not to kill, but rather to relieve pain and end suffering. There is nothing intrinsically immoral about this intention. Therefore, if this were to instead be considered the intention, according to the DDE, Voluntary Euthanasia is not immoral. Besides, it has been previously argued that the intent for suicide through Voluntary Euthanasia is the agents’ . This ‘intent to kill/harm’ that is continuously brought up by opponents of Euthanasia, is not the physicians’. Therefore, (A) no longer stands. Against claim (B), in the case of Voluntary Euthanasia, death is the means to ending the agent’s suffering from a terminal illness. The DDE forbids this for the means is …show more content…
As previously argued, an act is rational if the act is (i) moral, and is pursued by a (ii)rational agent for the right reasons which are consistent with his/her best self-interest, sufficiently supported, and justified by evidence and information, weighed against the value of the possible consequences, and (iii)without any emotional influence. (i) has already been addressed above. (ii) Physicians must conduct assessments on the patients to determine if they have a sound mind and if their reasons for wanting to suicide through Voluntary Euthanasia is rational. This will require the demonstration of the patient’s rationality, sensibility etc. , and confirmation that their terminal illness and suffering is irreversible, and the patient’s decision to suicide is valid and justified . (iii) When a patient approaches a physician for Voluntary Euthanasia, the suicide is not executed immediately. As mentioned some time is taken. This time gap will ensure that no emotional, impulsive decisions are made. Therefore, Voluntary Euthanasia is not only moral (and thus rational), but the involvement evaluative processes by physicians will ensure that the patient is rational and is making a rational decision. Suicide in the form of Voluntary Euthanasia is thus