Jeremy Bentham theorized the moral code of utilitarianism in “An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation.” Utilitarianism says that a decision is moral if it creates more pleasure than pain for the majority of people involved. This begs the question of whether or not an individual euthanization can be moral. Each case is different and should not be over generalized, but it must be for argument’s sake. According to James Rachels in “Morality of Euthanasia,” there are cases where euthanasia can be a moral action. The moral concept of utility allows for euthanasia when the death of someone would relieve pain of the overall community.
The moral thing to do, according to Bentham’s utilitarianism, is whatever action creates the most …show more content…
Not every decision needs to have a moral calculation, but the following are the main aspects which should be considered for euthanasia. Intensity is the sum of the total pain and pleasure. Rachels notes on page 325 that terminal illness causes a type of pain that cannot be fathomed by those who have not experienced it. If the discomfort caused by the pain interferes with the person’s quality of life so much that they receive no pleasure, this would be the starting point of the decision for euthanasia. The next aspect to consider is duration, which is how long the pain from the illness or injury will last. An illness that has no cure will undoubtedly last longer than one that does, if it does not result in a quick death. Some people can mentally handle long-lasting pain better than others. For those that cannot handle unending pain Rachels argues that it is morally better to allow them to die, than force them to live with that pain. Finally, extent is the number of people affected by the illness or injury. As mentioned earlier, one cannot make a moral decision without contemplating its effect on others. If euthanasia causes the family and friends of that person more pain than the person was in, it would no longer be considered a morally correct
The moral thing to do, according to Bentham’s utilitarianism, is whatever action creates the most …show more content…
Not every decision needs to have a moral calculation, but the following are the main aspects which should be considered for euthanasia. Intensity is the sum of the total pain and pleasure. Rachels notes on page 325 that terminal illness causes a type of pain that cannot be fathomed by those who have not experienced it. If the discomfort caused by the pain interferes with the person’s quality of life so much that they receive no pleasure, this would be the starting point of the decision for euthanasia. The next aspect to consider is duration, which is how long the pain from the illness or injury will last. An illness that has no cure will undoubtedly last longer than one that does, if it does not result in a quick death. Some people can mentally handle long-lasting pain better than others. For those that cannot handle unending pain Rachels argues that it is morally better to allow them to die, than force them to live with that pain. Finally, extent is the number of people affected by the illness or injury. As mentioned earlier, one cannot make a moral decision without contemplating its effect on others. If euthanasia causes the family and friends of that person more pain than the person was in, it would no longer be considered a morally correct