Ethics Brittany Lauren Maynard was an American woman born in California. She was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme, a form of brain cancer at age 29. Her doctors gave her only 6 months to live. Maynard made headlines when she decided to end her own life through physician assisted suicide. Maynard moved from California to Oregon to meet her intention of dying under Oregon’s death with dignity act. She said that dying with dignity deemed to be the only best option for her and her close family. Maynard partnered with an advocate group, compassion & choices, and created the Brittany Maynard Fund. The fund seeks to legalize aid in dying in other states. Maynard ended her life on November 1 2014 at her home in Oregon, surrounded by her family
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An answer given by John Stuart Mill in his essay, utilitarianism good consequence, is pleasure and freedom; which is happiness. Most people would argue that euthanasia is right. They would argue that continued living of the person causes more pain than pleasure both to them and those close to them. They also argue that the resources used in supporting their existence could have been used elsewhere to cause happiness. In the case of the Brittany Maynard, continued existence of her would have caused a lot of pain, given that she had started experiencing strokes that lasted several hours. She was terminally ill and the doctors had predicted her death to be 6 months, this means that she would have died …show more content…
According to Kant, a person who takes his own life violates the moral law. Killing is wrong and so euthanasia is wrong. When considering euthanasia, Kant is not interested in the suffering of the patient or relatives. He was strongly against suicide and so would not have endorsed euthanasia.
Brittany Maynard decided to apply for a physician assisted suicide. According to Kant, this is unacceptable.
Natural law Natural law deals in moral absolute- precepts that are secondary and cannot be broken in whatever situation. The end never justifies the means; an evil act cannot be justified by any amount of suffering according to the natural law.
Virtue ethics Aristotle believed that we should aim for happiness, but the happiness that result from life in perfect balance. It results from the person developing habits of courage, temperance, patience etc. the perfection of this virtues ensure that we are perfectly happy. Patient suffering from terminally illness would not be living this kind of life (Sullivan 56). Aristotle might have hoped that a person facing this kind of situation will have courage to accept their fortune. It is however not clear whether Aristotle expected someone to have patience and cope with their condition or have courage and end their
An answer given by John Stuart Mill in his essay, utilitarianism good consequence, is pleasure and freedom; which is happiness. Most people would argue that euthanasia is right. They would argue that continued living of the person causes more pain than pleasure both to them and those close to them. They also argue that the resources used in supporting their existence could have been used elsewhere to cause happiness. In the case of the Brittany Maynard, continued existence of her would have caused a lot of pain, given that she had started experiencing strokes that lasted several hours. She was terminally ill and the doctors had predicted her death to be 6 months, this means that she would have died …show more content…
According to Kant, a person who takes his own life violates the moral law. Killing is wrong and so euthanasia is wrong. When considering euthanasia, Kant is not interested in the suffering of the patient or relatives. He was strongly against suicide and so would not have endorsed euthanasia.
Brittany Maynard decided to apply for a physician assisted suicide. According to Kant, this is unacceptable.
Natural law Natural law deals in moral absolute- precepts that are secondary and cannot be broken in whatever situation. The end never justifies the means; an evil act cannot be justified by any amount of suffering according to the natural law.
Virtue ethics Aristotle believed that we should aim for happiness, but the happiness that result from life in perfect balance. It results from the person developing habits of courage, temperance, patience etc. the perfection of this virtues ensure that we are perfectly happy. Patient suffering from terminally illness would not be living this kind of life (Sullivan 56). Aristotle might have hoped that a person facing this kind of situation will have courage to accept their fortune. It is however not clear whether Aristotle expected someone to have patience and cope with their condition or have courage and end their