FCVM1500

Life and Death

Euthanasia
Introduction to Ethical Principles
.
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and Critical Reasoning so
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In this section, you will learn:
• The moral significance
between different types of
euthanasia.
• The basic knowledge of
utilitarianism:
• The principle of utility
• The harm principle
Euthanasia (Part I):
• The basic knowledge of Introduction to
deontology:
• The Kantian conception of ethical principles
moral duty
Learning
• The concept of “person” and
the intrinsic value of person Outcomes
• How to apply utilitarianism
and deontology to the case Conto
of euthanasia. so
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In this section, you will learn:
• The basic knowledge of
Christian Ethics:
• The Sanctity of Life Principle
• The Doctrine of Double
Effect

• The basic knowledge of

Euthanasia (Part I):
virtue ethics:
• What is virtue?
Introduction to
• Virtue and Eudaimonia ethical principles
Learning
• How to apply utilitarianism,
Outcomes
deontology, Christian and
virtue ethics to the case of
euthanasia.
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 Definition of Euthanasia
• In Greek: “a gentle and easy death”

• “X intentionally kills Y, or permits Y’s death, for Y’s benefit.”

(Hope, 2004)

• “the act of deliberately ending a person’s life to relieve

suffering” (NHS, ‘Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide’)
• E.g. A physician deliberately gave an overdose of sedative or muscle
relaxant to a patient with the aim of ending his/her life.

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Assisted Dying/Suicide
• “the act of deliberately assisting another person to
kill themselves.” (NHS, ‘Euthanasia and Assisted
Suicide’)
• E.g. Knowing that the patient may take the strong
sedatives in order to kill himself/herself, the person who
provide the medicine may be accused of assisted
suicide.

• Assisted dying/suicide is illegal in Hong Kong and

United Kingdom.

• Assisted Dying may be legal in some countries.

• E.g. Death with Dignity Acts that is legalized in certain states in Conto
the U.S. so
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Types of Euthanasia
• With/without the request of the patient:
• Voluntary (with request)
• Non-voluntary (patient is incompetent and is unable to
consent)
• Involuntary (patient is competent but without consent)

• Act and Omission:

• Active (Act)
• Passive (Omission)

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Voluntary Euthanasia
• Euthanasia that is carried out at the request of the person
being killed.

• A person may make the request while they are in good

health.
• A person may make a written request that, if he ever
comes to have terminal illness and in great pain, or in
permanent coma, and by that time he is incapable of
making the decision himself, he should be killed.
• That person has re-affirmed it from time to time.
(Singer, 1993)

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Voluntary Euthanasia in Netherlands
• In Netherlands, where euthanasia is legalized,
euthanasia is defined as, “Euthanasia is
performed by the attending physician
administering a fatal dose of a suitable drug to the
patient on his or her express request.”
(https://www.government.nl/topics/euthanasia/euthanasia-assisted-suicide-and-non-resuscitation-on-request)

• “Under Dutch law, any action intended to terminate life

is in principle a criminal offence. The only exemption
from criminal liability is where a patient is experiencing
unbearable suffering with no prospect of improvement
and the attending physician fulfils the statutory due
care criteria.”
(https://www.government.nl/topics/euthanasia#:~:text=Euthanasia%20is%20the%20most%20explicit,in%20pri
nciple%20a%20criminal%20offence.)
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Non-voluntary Euthanasia
• Euthanasia that is carried out when the person being killed
is incapable of understanding the choice between life and
death (the patient is unable to consent or object).
• E.g. people who are in permanent coma (vegetative
state), incurably ill or severely disabled infants, people
who are incapable of making the decision themselves
due to illness, accident, or old age.

Person in permanent
vegetative state

(Singer, 1993) Conto

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https://www.brainline.org/article/coma-and-persistent-vegetative-state
Involuntary Euthanasia
• Euthanasia that is carried out without the voluntary
consent of the person being killed, or even against the will
of the person being killed.
• The person being killed is not being asked, and hence he
has not given his consent.
• The person being killed has been asked and chosen to
continue living, but euthanasia is carried out contrary to
his will.
• Only for the sake of reliving suffering of the person being
killed.

• Since euthanasia in this case is carried out against the will of the
person, it is condemned as murder and considered ALWAYS WRONG.
We will further look into the question “Why killing is wrong” in our Conto
next topic. so
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(Singer, 1993)
 Can Non-voluntary Euthanasia be Justified?
• Consider the following case:
• A child with spina bifida
• In severe cases, the child will be
permanently paralyzed from
the waist down and lack control
of bowels or bladders, and with
intellectual disabilities
• The child needs to undergo 40
major operations before they
can reach teenage.

Can we allow this child to die?

Conto
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/spina-bifida/symptoms-
sufferingshappy causes/syc-20377860 so
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Can Non-voluntary Euthanasia be Justified?
Reasons For allowing the Reasons Against allowing
baby to die: the baby to die:
• To relieve the suffering of the
⽣存
• The baby has the right to 權life, i.e.
child, it is done for the sake of the right not to be killed, because
the child. life is sacred (intrinsically valuable).

• To relieve the suffering of the • The duty of doctor is to save lives,

not to kill them.
parents, since taking care of
those children would be a great
burden to a family.
making
• To relieve the burden of Non-consequentialism: deiiion
government’s limited medical consequence
• Deontology notEasedon
resources, as those resources
can be used on other patients • Virtue Ethics/Ethics of Care
with a better hope for recovery. • Buddhist ethics
• Christian ethics
Consequentialism: Conto
so
• Utilitarianism
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Consequentialism:
Utilitarianism
-The Principle ofUtility
-The Harm Principle

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Consequentialism: Utilitarianism
Consequentialism: • E.g.
• What is morally right and • Pulling the switch / pushing
wrong depends on the the fat man can save 5
consequence(s) of the people, which is a better
action. consequence than letting
• The morally right thing them, so it is a morally right
to do is an action that thing to do.
brings about the best
consequences.
• Pushing the fat man:
• 5☺ vs. 1 ✓
• NOT pushing the fat man:
• 1☺ vs. 5
 Conto
so
• Yes! Let’s push the fat man! Pharmaceutica
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Consequentialism: Utilitarianism
The principle of utility:
• TheÒ 上BBQ best (or better) alternative is that which
morally
dementia1腦退化
produces the greatest (or greater) net utility, where utility is
mentally
defined in terms
智
retarded 障 of happiness or pleasure (hedonistic
coma昏迷
utilitarians).
• The right thing to do is what which produces the greatest
amount of happiness or pleasure for the greatest number of
people. net
• Then.no
action is done
5
on the condition that it brings happiness.
5

B 10 Ò Makehgnpg ⼼
defined in fpdwence
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• Utility can5 also be 5
terms of agent-neutral/intrinsic
good
shouldwesuch Ò
consideras freedom and health, i.e., they are valuable in

ihity
contribution
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themselves,
vs criticalwithout reference to their further consequences Conto
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or to the particular references of individuals. so
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Consequentialism: Utilitarianism
Utilitarian reasons for non-voluntary euthanasia:
• To relieve the suffering of the child, it is done for the sake of the child.
• ☺
• To relieve the suffering of the parents, since taking care of those
children would be a great burden to a family.
• ☺☺
• To relieve the burden of government’s limited medical resources, as
those resources can be used on other patients with a better hope for
recovery.
• ☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺

Conto
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 Consequentialism: Utilitarianism
• The principle of utility is • Examples:
impartial: 無偏私Idseuteutbeings • A BBQ pork that CAN feel
1 countsequally
pleasure and pain vs. A human
• The happiness or pleasure of being that cannot feel anything
all who are affected by the
BBQpork
action or practice is to be
considered equally.
• Since only happiness/pleasure is
important, all other things are
important because they have to
☺
maximize happiness/pleasure. Name VS Coma
makewoodhappier
• The pleasure of any sentient
beings (beings that are
human
啊 憑器
• According to utilitarian, which
與
capable of feeling pleasure one is more valuable to them? weare
Valuable
and pain) should be counted, • BBQ pork.
and counted equally. man Conto
• Only ☺ is valuable. we are so
mshwref
wumldhg
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 7 的 雄灧1value
bean useful
_valuable
t
traudlshormgiu
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iii absolute values
絕对
Consequentialism: Utilitarianism
• For hedonist What are intrinsic and instrumental values?
utilitarians, only
pleasure/happiness • Instrumental value:
• Intrinsic value:
has intrinsic value.
• Something is • Something is valuable
• Person has only because it is useful, and
valuable for its own
instrumental value. sake, as an end in you use it as a
• Human beings are tool/means/instrument
itself, whether it is to achieve further
valuable only as an
useful or not does purposes.
instrument to
maximize not matter. • E.g. If you think
happiness in this • E.g. If you think knowledge is because
world. knowledge is good it helps you to get a
• E.g. Letting the because it is good, good job, then
child with spina not because of knowledge has
bifida to die is using other reasons (or instrumental value.
the child as a for other purposes), (You use knowledge
means for the then knowledge to get something
happiness of the has intrinsic value. else).
parents or society. • Knowledge is an • Knowledge is a Conto
end in itself. means.
so
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Can Non-voluntary Euthanasia be Justified?
• Consider another case: 凝⾎
won'tstop
• A child with haemophilia (血友病) slightbleeding
injury
• Blood cannot clot normally, slightest
sloymeedo
injury may z_organb.la
result in
prolonged bleeding, especially internal bleeding. down

• The situation can be controlled by constant blood

transfusions or drugs. 輸⾎
• Children with haemophilia are not able to play most sports.
(Singer, 1993)

Can utilitarian allow child with haemophilia to undergo non-

voluntary euthanasia? Why or why not?
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Can Non-voluntary Euthanasia be Justified?
Can utilitarian allow child with haemophilia to undergo
non-voluntary euthanasia? Why or why not?
standspinalbifida
2nd haemophilia
•
3rd
NO.
healthyHighIQ
Ifonlycankeeponechild
OÜ 〇
ShouldI let anddiddie
my at least have _Nhd
• aThe
as child can
utilitarian nti live a life that is worth living. bad
Extreme

man
• The overall life of the child would haveto
wnsguaue morepusmespn
more
happiness than suffering.
• “His life can be expected to contain a positive balance of
happiness over misery.” (Singer, 1993)
• It is not too difficult to take care of child with
haemophilia (as compared to child with spina
bifida). Conto
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 Can Voluntary Euthanasia be Justified?
SCMP, 10 December 2012.
“Tang [Siu-pun] was rehearsing for
a gymnastics event in 1991 when he
fell. The accident left his spine badly
injured, paralysing him from the
neck down.
In 2003, he composed a letter to
chief executive Tung Chee-hwa,
asking for euthanasia to be
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1101608/tang-siu-pun-small-
legalised so he could end his life. measure-happiness-aft er-years-despair

Tung rejected the request, but

Tang's predicament stirred
sympathy in many Hongkongers.
His plea led to a public debate about
the morality involved in allowing
someone to die.”
• https://hk.news.appledaily.com/local/da
ily/article/20130313/18193794 Conto
https://hk.news.appledaily.com/local/realtime/article/20140722/52709323
so
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debate-euthanasia-dies
Can Voluntary Euthanasia be Justified?
ever
• Do you
you think want
what the It
others
man has done is

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morally permissible?
照 must limited
if it harms others
• Million Dollar Baby gafr
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擊情
Doithwm others
• https://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=fx0oM-
uKYqM

Conto
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0405159/ so
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Can Voluntary Euthanasia be Justified?
The Harm Principle by • Mill’s idea of an eachone式usfind
Dowhat _r.it lean
utilitarianism objectively good life: the
freedom development of
• Liberty is good for the talent
person who has it – individuality. good lie Ctostallthiughn
keep
liberty is good in itself • The development 仰⾊ 器
of a Omtdeutf
(with intrinsic value) – an person’s unique powers,
element of well-being. abilities, and talents, to
their fullest potential. desìrbk 在
• The utility of a society is ourselves
• It is achieved by critically
maximized when people
reflecting upon life’s
are free. options, choosing that
“The only purpose for which power which most suits one’s
can be rightfully exercised over any talents and capacities, and
member of a civilized community, actively pursuing those
against his will, is to prevent harm activities.
to others” (Mill, On Liberty, 1859) Conto
(Clarke, 2015) then potentialsstill good life so
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Since:
c
Can Voluntary Euthanasia be Justified?
1. People are usually the
best judges of their own
• Living with terminal illness
interests.
may lead to an increasingly
incapacitated life. 2. They are the most
• Living an increasingly motivated to ensure they
live the best lives they
incapacitated life is not living
an objectively good life. can
Therefore: • People should have the
freedom to choose when
• Living with terminal illness is and in what manner they
not living an objectively good die.
life.
• Not allowing them to die is
causing tremendous harm
to the person. (Benatar, Conto
2011) so
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 偷⼼ afraidof
Problems with utilitarianism
⾞
00000
舞有 Afnmdndh

1. Overdemanding?
0
i 出old 彬
old vs 16yrs
80yrs
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old
42yrs
drugs wheelchair plastic
s urgery

• It requires people to let go ofheart _ldnble

disease
their goals and
ymrutimimimogngnesl
dielatertin ⼝
Imagine
relationships they value greatly in order嵪 to maximise
After
get
和 Ǘi 國
money
42
outcomes for others. Soyri
soiigòo
恐 愁笑1斫 回 t
2. Justice and rights?
• It permits the interests/rights of the majority but
overrides the interests/rights of the minority.
• If resources are limited, it made result in unjust social
distributions.
• E.g. If researches suggest that the most effective way to
control hypertension is to target those who are already
receiving treatment, people who are unlikely to receive Conto
medical treatment (e.g. poor population) will be ignored. so
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 Non-consequentialism:
義務编
penmi Kantian Deontology ahhnmmiinz

Arethey áty -
of Categorical Imperative

kind -Concept of PERSONS

what -Duty of Respect (Formula of Humanity)

go.ir
-Formula of Universal Law

x outconsequence
x concern pussnufmru
you 凹 do it uewthuht
Conto
so
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 don't care consequence
Non-consequentialism:
base on 四
ǚifirnn
Kantian Deontology gketngizmoy
Non-consequentialism • E.g.
• Whether the action is right 器
• Pushing the fat note
man is
or wrong does not depend wrong because the action
on the consequences. is wrong in itself, even if
• An action is right because the action could bring
it is right. about a good
• The action is right or consequence.
wrong in itself, not for
other reasons/purposes. • Killing is always wrong.

Conto
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 shopiiper Ǜ了yrsold 1 ⾯

justto buy one candy

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absolute
Non-consequentialism:
Kantian Deontology
Deontology:
• It is the right thing to do because it is one’s duty.
• The act itself has moral worth that does not depend on
consequences.
• Duty is an action that is done as an end in itself, not for some other
purposes or motives (such as self-interest and inclinations).
• Duty is done unconditionally.

• Duty generated by categorical imperative.

• True moral obligation is based on a universally valid rule that
determines the individual’s will and justifies the actions.
• What must be done is irrespective of our personal desires orConto
goals. so
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Non-consequentialism:
Kantian Deontology
Actions done as a means Action done as an end in itself
• If you study hard in order to • If you study simply because you
achieve a further goal (to please think it is a right thing to do, not
your parents, to earn a degree, to for further purposes, then study is
earn a lot of money), then study is an end in itself.
only a means – instrument/tool.
• Action is done unconditionally
• Action is done conditionally (does not depend on the
(depending on the consequence). consequence).
• Study (in this case) has only • Study (in this case) has intrinsic
instrumental value. value.

• Example: • Example:
• I help my mother to prepare dinner • I help my mother to prepare dinner
because she will give me pocket because I think it is the duty of a
money. daughter.
• Helping mother is only a means to • Helping mother is the end in itself,
earn money. not for other purposes. Conto
so
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Non-consequentialism:
Kantian Deontology
Deontological reasons against non-voluntary euthanasia:
• The duty of doctor is to save lives.
• The duty of doctor is to save lives means doctor saves lives simply
because it is a right thing to do (as an end in itself), but for not
other purposes or motives.
• Doctor saves lives not because it make him/her/other people happy.
• Doctor saves lives not because he/she earns money, but the action is an
end in itself.

to the ene of and_

parents duty is
Cunanònd loves

Conto
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Can Voluntary Euthanasia be Justified?
• The policeman’s dilemma (Harris, 2003)
A lorry driver is trapped in the blazing cab of his vehicle
following in accident. You are a policeman and are on the scene
and see that the driver cannot be saved before he is burned
alive.
The driver says, “please shoot me, don’t let me be burned
alive!”

• You can:
_WM
screamKlout
1. Let him be burned alive.
2. Give him a quick and relatively painless end by shooting
him in the head. Asan utilitarianism
miupanu Conto
What will you do, and WHY? 器
⽚ so
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Can Voluntary Euthanasia be Justified?
Utilitarianism Kantian Deontology
• Option 2 is better than • Option 2 is not morally
option 1. permissible.
• Minimizing suffering. • Killing is always wrong.

wptoyow
__ decision

Why killing is wrong?

rdimelfautonomous

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consequences

喈 xperson 32
ls
Nation chimpanzee
 y 1

Non-consequentialism:
Kantian Deontology
The concept of PERSON • Rational being:
• Humans are valuable not • Capable of reasons
because they are • Capable of formulating moral
laws
instruments used to
maximize happiness in this • Autonomous being:
world. • Self-governing
• Choose to follow the moral
• Humans are valuable law as an end in itself
because they are (unconditionally)
PERSONS: • Following the moral law
because it is the right thing to
• Every person is worthy of do, not because it makes one
respect because we are happy.
rational (capable of • E.g. A person choose not to
reasons) and autonomous lie because lying is always
wrong, not because lying
being (capable of acting makes another persons Conto
and choosing freely). unhappy.
so
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 Non-consequentialism:
Kantian Deontology
• PERSONS has special dignity Person (deontology) vs. Sentient
and intrinsic value. being (utilitarianism)
• “Person” is a philosophical • A person is rational and
concept. autonomous.
• A human being who is not • Intrinsic value
rational or autonomous is • Whether one is a person does
NOT a person. not depend on one’s capacity
of feeling pleasure and pain.
• E.g. babies, small infants,
people in permanent coma. • A sentient being is a being that
can feel pleasure and pain.
• Instrumental value
• Note: dignity is not about (instrument to maximize ☺ in
whether a person is this world)
dependent or receiving care, • A sentient being is not
necessarily a person.
but whether the person could
choose to follow universal • E.g. Dogs, cats, mouse, Conto
panda… so
moral laws. Pharmaceutica
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Non-consequentialism:
Kantian Deontology
Autonomy in deontology:
• People have ‘autonomy of the will’ if and only if
they knowingly act in accordance with the
universally valid moral principles that pass the
requirements of the categorical imperative.
• Dignity comes from moral self-determination.
• E.g. People act from passion, desires, personal ambition
or self-interest are not acting autonomously.
• E.g. Actions being manipulated or coerced by others are
not acting autonomously.

Conto
so
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Non-consequentialism:
Kantian Deontology
• If a person has intrinsic value, they cannot be used as an
instrument only.
• Using person as an instrument only is to treat them as having
only instrumental value.
The duty of respect (Formula of Humanity)
• Every person has intrinsic value that they must be respected
and must be treated as an end in itself.
“Act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own
person or in the person of another, always at the same time as an
end and never simply as a means.”
⼿段
• One cannot treat person(s) simply as a means (instrument),
but always at the same time as an end in itself.
Conto
so
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 筒 loo

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if I sign until with my 威迫
coercion

zswg wumt voluntary

回
Non-consequentialism:
Kantian Deontology
• Consider the case in • Example:
Kant’s Duty of • Is it right to make a promise that
Respect…. you know you will not keep?
• I am in need of money because my
dog is very sick.
• I want to ask you for a loan.
• However, I do not intend to pay the
money back.
• Is it morally permissible for me to lie
to you, so you will loan the money to
me?
• Why is it wrong to kill you and get
the money?
• Is it morally permissible to kill
myself to escape suffering? Conto
(suggested answer at the end of the ppt) so
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Non-consequentialism:
Kantian Deontology
The duty of respect and Consider:
voluntary consent • I signed a contract with
• Asking for voluntary CIE, which states that I
consent is respecting the have to teach 18 hours
other as person, and per week, and will get
treating them as a means paid in return. Is CIE
at the same time as an end respecting me as a
in itself. person?
• Yes.
• I have given my voluntary
consent to CIE, I have
agreed that CIE can use
me as a means to earn
money. Conto
so
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Non-consequentialism:
Kantian Deontology
The duty of respect • E.g.
• One cannot treat • If we allow a person who is
person(s) simply as a suffering from terminal illness
and tremendous pain, should
means (instrument), but we allow him/her to undergo
always at the same time euthanasia, even if he/she
as an end in itself. requests it?

• No.
• By helping him/her to die, we
are using him/her as a means
only.
• Even with voluntary consent,
deontologists still have a duty
to prevent another person to do
things that are morally wrong. Conto
so
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Non-consequentialism:
person human
Kantian Deontology beiy
• What about human beings
that are not persons?
fuou
• Example:
• Babies with spina bifida
• An “uncomfortable” are not persons and do not
consequence of this have intrinsic value.
concept of person is, • They are not rational and
human beings that are not autonomous.
persons do not have • However, they are still
intrinsic value. being protected because
• Abortion and infanticide of their parents who care
(killing very young infants)
may result! for them (babies can be
seen as the property of
• However, they still have parents), or other people
instrumental value and in the society who care for
thus should be protected. them.
property Conto
• An indirect duty tononon- 財產 so
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Non-consequentialism:
Kantian Deontology
• Since all persons are equal in their intrinsic value,
when we make moral decisions, we cannot make
exceptions in our own case – we should not
prioritize ourselves over the others.
• In other words, when we formulate a moral rule,
we have to consider whether the rule can be
universalized – a rule that everyone else can
adopt.
• Formula of Universal Law (FUL):
“Act only according to that maxim [principles of action] by
which you can at the same time will that it should become a
universal law.”
Conto
so
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Non-consequentialism:
Kantian Deontology
• Example:
• Reconsider the case • Is it right to make a promise that
you know you will not keep?
again in Formula of • I am in need of money because my
Universal Law… dog is very sick.
• I want to ask you for a loan.
other
what if evey • However, I do not intend to pay
do the sth
person
the money back.
• Is it morally permissible for me to
全宇宙dou lie lie to you, so you will loan the
money to me?
靠 lie去 借
can you • Why is it wrong to kill you and get
tothat person
will u borrow the money?
No thatpersonlieiy
• Is it morally permissible to kill
1you know myself to escape suffering?
i ⼼ moral law (suggested answer at the end of the ppt)
Conto
so
yinwhborowmmwst Pharmaceutica
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Non-consequentialism:
Kantian Deontology
• With reference to the FUL, if everyone makes
false promise/kill people/kill themselves, no
promise/killing can be made!
⾃我推翻

t.no
• The result is self-defeating (logical contradiction)!
elie anymore
Important!
• The Formula of Universal Law is NOT
consequentialism!
• It is based on the idea that all persons have equal
intrinsic value (non-consequentialism!) Conto
so
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 Non-consequentialism:
Christian Ethics
神 - The Sanctity of Life Principle
-Doctrine of Double Effect

器my
⼼⼼
saud
imam
吐 上
有
intrinsic
value
ex.ly
life
in cannot Conto
so
in Nwgtwg
US we
Gds
Pharmaceutica
pagels 44
 ge
Non-consequentialism:
The Sanctity of Life In Roman Catholic
• One of the Christian
ethical approaches is
“Divine Command
Ethics” – what is moral
consists of following
the “rules” or laws of
God. https://oncedelivered.net/2014/07/15/a-survey-of-roman-catholicism/

• The decision made does

not depend on
consequence – non-
consequentialism.

iqi Conto
so
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https://hk.news.appledaily.com/local/realtime/article/20140722/52709323
 Non-consequentialism:
The Sanctity of Life In Roman Catholic
• Life is sacred. Life begins at fertilization. 受精
• Human life has intrinsic value because they are created in God’s image.
(Gen. 1:26-27 NASB)
• Life has been given by God, and people are only the caretaker, rather
than owners, of their own bodies.
• Life is a gift from God and it is to be cherished.
we went cantorof
• They are responsible to take care of their own bodies for thelife
God.s we take
we of
our body
“From the moment of conception, the life of every human being is to be respected in
an absolute way because man is the only creature on earth that God has "wished for
himself " (16) and the spiritual soul of each man is "immediately created" by God; (17)
his whole being bears the image of the Creator. Human life is sacred because from its
beginning it involves "the creative action of God" (18) and it remains forever in a
special relationship with the Creator, who is its sole end.(19) God alone is the Lord of
life from its beginning until its end: no one can, in any circumstance, claim for himself
the right to destroy directly an innocent human being. (20)” (Donum Vitae)
Conto
so
(Markwell, 2005) Pharmaceutica
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Non-consequentialism:
The Sanctity of Life In Roman Catholic
• Euthanasia is always wrong in Roman Catholic:
• “You shall not kill.” (the fifth commandment)
• Euthanasia is intentionally killing another person.
• “All human beings are to be valued, irrespective of age,
sex, race, religion, social status or their potential for
achievement.”
• To allow a person to undergo euthanasia is to deem their
life less valuable than ours, which violates the sanctity of
life principle. PNSMe Gain
• Pain and suffering (the quality p of life) is irrelevant to the
life is still valuable
sanctity of life.
poor ok but my
q
• Life with pain and suffering is equally valuable to others.
Conto
so
wtetmggod (Keown and Keown, 1995)
Pharmaceutica
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Non-consequentialism:
The Sanctity of Life In Roman Catholic
• “Euthanasia must be called a false mercy. True
compassion leads to sharingotanother’s pain; it
does not kill the patient whose suffering we
cannot bear.” (John Paul II)

蠿 to the
• Christian ethics is not insensitive
iǜad
簽suffering
of patients, and people who uphold the sanctity of
life principle might be prepared to provide pain
relief even at the risk of precipitating death.
However, they will not intentionally perform
euthanasia to shorten the life of the patients. Conto
ǚtention killing so
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 Is y
Active and Passive Euthanasia:
Arguments against active euthanasia
Back to the lorry driver case, some may argue that there is
a moral difference between option (1) and (2):

• Option 1: Letting him • Option 2: shooting him in

burned alive head
• “I didn’t cause his death! I • ”I caused his death! I killed
just don’t save him.” him!”

soon
• Letting die • Killing
cos
Option 2 is morally worse than option 1.
Conto
so
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Active and Passive Euthanasia:
Arguments against active euthanasia
• Option 1: Letting die • Option 2: Killing
X uol.ca
Passive euthanasia dik Active euthanasia
• Refraining from doing • Taking some positive
anything to keep the action designed to kill the
patient alive, the patient patients.
died naturally as a result. • E.g. lethal injection
• E.g. withholding lifedon'ttreat
sustaining treatment; hem
refraining from performing
surgery • Hastening death through
• Hastening death through act:
omission: • The intention of the act is
• If the omission is in the the death of the person,
best interests or wishes of Conto
which is morally so
the patients, it is not Pharmaceutica
equivalent to murder. 50
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wrong.
Active and Passive Euthanasia:
Arguments against active euthanasia
fans consequence
对utilitarian only
• The Doctrine of Double Effect is used to justify the moral
difference between passive and active euthanasia.
• This doctrine is widely held among Roman Catholic moral
theologians and moral philosophers.

• One action has two effects:

• The directly intended effect ntsouthiy you went
可預⾒ effect)
• The unintended (but foreseeable

• As long as the directly intended effect is a beneficial

action that does not violate an absolute moral rule, the
action is morally permissible. Conto
so
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(Singer, 1993)
Active and Passive Euthanasia: give painkillers
Arguments against active euthanasia
intendedrelieve suffering
Doctrine of Double Effect unintended patient
Passive Euthanasia Active Euthanasia result die
nethdinjeil
4
• Action: • Action:
• Withholding life sustaining • Lethal injection with voluntary

Xviohte
treatment with voluntary consent consent
• The directly intended effect: • The directly intended effect:
• To relieve the suffering of the • Death of the patient rulth
patient
• The unintended (but foreseeable)
• The unintended (but foreseeable) effect:
effect:
• Death of the patient
did • To relieve the suffering of the
patient
Ynteulion
intention
• The directly intended effect does • The directly intended effect
not violate an absolute moral rule. violates an absolute moral rule:
killing is always wrong.
• Passive euthanasia is morally Conto
permissible. • Active euthanasia is morally so
Pharmaceutica
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Active and Passive Euthanasia:
Arguments against active euthanasia
• Doctrine of Double Effect is a non-consequentialist
principle.
• Intentionally killing is wrong in itself.

• Would a utilitarian agree with the doctrine of double

effect? Why or why not?
(suggested answer at the end of the ppt)

• Would a utilitarian think active euthanasia is morally

worse that passive euthanasia? Why or why not?
(suggested answer at the end of the ppt) Conto
so
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 Activity: What Will You Do?
The case of Jodie and Mary
• Mary and Jodie were conjoined twins.連 䑍
Their spines
willdie were fused,
t.su my and they had
one heart and
one pair of
lungs between
them. Jodie,⼀些品品川
the stronger
one, was
providing
blood for her Contoso
sister. Pharmaceutica
ls
http://siamesetwins4i.blogspot.hk/2009_06_01_archive.html
 Utilitarianism Kantian
action right
lwmp
Do the operation
rate them opevatim se.pe
Jodie survive
II
Doitw Love duty to
save live

蕊鎏Maximise

betterthan bothdied of repent

May is 叫 a penon
so does ud violate duty
base on ⼀ Do 叫 do mention
Action consequence
good duty of respect
n using a
Manyas survive
mean
only for Jodie's
violate duty of respect
Action 7 done as a
means

enhg iiii.im
operation means killing
My
action
ad's
in line with
command
And killing is wrong
away life
god can take
Guy

iii
gain donate to sue and
donateorgan
f
knit using person as mean

iii
you an sink I am ymvfds.Icome tovisitym
iiiaibutstill
wrong
Activity:
• The doctors said that without intervention the
girls would die within six months. The only hope
was an operation to separate them. This would
save Jodie, but Mary would die immediately.

Discuss: If you were the parents, would you

separate Jodie and Mary? Why and why not?

Conto
so
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Before we start,
imagine the following situation…
• A philanthropist (a person who donate a lot of money for
good cause) who donated half of his monthly salary
to Medecins San Frontieres (MSF) in order to gain public
praise to promote his own company.

• A friend of yours visited you while you were sick in the

hospital because he/she thinks it is his/her duty. He/she
doesn’t really care about your feelings and pain.

• Are they performing the right actions?

• Are they ’good’ person? What do you think
about their moral characters?
Conto
so
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 7virtues
characters
美德 Non-consequentialism:
fnl
Virtue Ethics
衡 -MoralVirtues

wawtyygotpeummldo
psm origta.im Conto
so
xavwu Pharmaceutica
page
ls 57
Donate out of compassion
4 ǚtǜ
㾈thing
唞
savelives right action

parents purpose of parent

raise child
virtue to achieve
moral cwa

_caving
out of caning ⼆ lirhes person
patience
Unconditional love

Honesty

pmmeofmnsiian
af music
L.ve
I
musical instrument
My
bchucdertubemefwdmsic
puti.eu H
punctual
creativity
cooperation
Honesty
become a good human being
purpose of hb live a good life
euudimonia A
whet you need
Human i Social animals
time1
What kind of do maths rightlung
moral virtues need
lehwcch
compassion to trpeon
society cooperation
Non-consequentialism:
Virtue Ethics
• While utilitarianism and deontology focus on doing the right
action (evaluating actions), virtue ethics and the ethics of
care put an emphasis on moral characters (evaluating
agent/person).

• Besides actions, we care morally about people’s motives,

and we care especially about their characters, motives and
dispositions

• Moral virtue:
• Disposition traits of character that is morally valuable
and reliably present
Conto
so
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Non-consequentialism:
Virtue Ethics
• Virtue Ethics:
• ‘An action is right if and only if it is what an agent with a
virtuous character would do in the circumstances.’
(Oakley, 2007)

• For example:
• It is right to save a wounded stranger by the roadside,
and a person with the virtue of beneficence would do
so.
• It is right to keep a promise made to someone on their
deathbed, even breaking so would benefit those who
are alive. It is because keeping promise is a person with
the virtues of justice and honesty will do.
Conto
so
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Non-consequentialism:
Virtue Ethics
• In ordinary life, the character traits that counts as virtues
are given by their connection to Eudaimonia (a flourishing
life) - the goal of a human life.​
fd1 在
• Aristotle identified 12 virtues necessary for Eudaimonia:

Courage 勇氣 6 temperance節制
liberality 自由 magnificence高尚
magnanimity寬宏大量 pride 自尊
patience 堅忍 truthfulness誠實
wittiness機智 friendliness親切
modesty 謙虛 just 公義 Conto
so
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Courage

ÒI slooks

but I
kind
run
7lounge
bad 是
shomywmge
Non-consequentialism:
Virtue Ethics
• Which character traits would count as virtues may also
depends on various professional contexts – the goal of the
professions.

• For example:
• Health is the central goal of practicing
medicine, medical beneficence and honesty that focus
on the patient’s own interests would be a desirable trait
possessed by healthcare professionals, as they have
to promote the health of patients.

• Justice would be a virtue that should be possessed

by lawyers for they aim to promote justice in this Conto
world. so
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Non-consequentialism:
Virtue Ethics
• Virtue is “the mean by reference to two vices”.

• For examples:
• Wittiness is virtue for conversation. You will
avoid starting a conversation with somebody, while
you may enjoy having a conversation with others.
• If you want to have a good conversation, you need the
virtue Wittiness.

Conto
so
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Non-consequentialism:
Virtue Ethics
• Being virtuous is to “feel them
[fear, confidence, appetite,
anger, pity, pleasure and
pain] at the right times,
with reference to the
right objects, towards
the right people, with
the right move, and in
the right
way.” (Aristotle, The Nicomach
ean Ethics Book II: 6)
Aristotle
Conto
so
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Non-consequentialism:
Virtue Ethics
_consistent
action
• Virtues are character dispositions or personality traits
developed through habituations.
• Habituations: if you do a virtuous thing many times,
it willi become part of your character.

• Learning to become virtuous is a kind of

practical knowledge/wisdom, which must be learned
through experience and practice, and following
moral exemplars. 以
号器 仁義禮制
道德模範 ⼀
y
Jesus 孔⼦
• A virtuous person is said to manifest virtues effortlessly.
Conto
so
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Non-consequentialism: Hoeustn
Virtue Ethics patient
exem own

o ii
• Every virtue generates a positive instruction:​
• E.g. act justly, kindly, courageously, honestly, etc..​

should not de
ele si
• Every vice generates a prohibition:​
• E.g. do not act unjustly, cruelly, like a coward, dishonestly,
etc..​

• When trying to decide what to do, the person asks: “If I were
to do such and such now, would I be acting justly or unjustly
(or neither), kindly or unkindly [and so on]?”
lies 善意 to parents
White
intention get them
utilītwimi if
i
Conto
kinds to peey so
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 free rider is it word to be free video

與 怎
笸
a
If 4ppl are freerider _usygrpwtes as
one is not mean only
Action is cheating
Youyymo.yvwgrm.fiMiss as a means

扣 your grade

i .ugiyiswoylntlevivtu .nu

being cooperative sntn virtue

The Ending of Jodie and Mary
• The parents were devout Catholics, they refused
permission for the operation on the grounds that
it would hasten Mary’s death.

• The hospital, hoping to save at least one of the

infants, petitioned the courts for permission to
separate the twins over the parents’ objection.

• The courts granted permission, and the operation

was performed. As expected, Jodie lived and Mary
died.
Conto
so
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Suggested Answer
• Slide 26:
• In both cases (lying or killing), I am using you (myself) as a means
only for my own purposes/happiness.

• Slide 37:
• Although the unintended outcome is not what one wants, it is still
foreseeable (i.e., one knows that it is going to happen). Therefore,
whether it is intended or unintended, the ultimate consequences for
active and passive euthanasia are the same – the patient died. So
utilitarian would disagree with the Doctrine of Double Effect.
• As the consequences for active and passive euthanasia are the same,
they are morally equivalent according to utilitarian.
• Active euthanasia may be even more desirable since it could end the
suffering of the patient immediately.
Conto
so
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Reference:
1. Beauchamp, Tom L. and James F. Childress. Principles of Biomedical
Ethics. New York: Oxford University Press, 2019.
2. Benatar, David. “A Legal Right To Die: Responding to Slippery Slope and
Abuse Arguments”. Current Oncology 18 (2011): 206-207.
3. Clarke, Simon. “Mill, Liberty and Euthanasia”. Philosophy Now 110 (2015).
4. Harris, John. “Consent and End of Life Decisions”. Journal of Medical
Ethics 29 (2003): 10-15.
5. Hope, Tony. Medical Ethics: A Very Short Introduction. New York: Oxford
University Press, 2004.
6. Keown, Damien and John Keown. “Killing, Karma and Caring: Euthanasia
in Buddhism and Christianity”. Journal of Medical Ethics 21 (1995):265-
269.
7. Markwell, Hazel. “End-of-life: a Catholic View”. Lancet 36 (2005): 1132-35.
8. Oakley, Justin. ‘Virtue Theory’. In Health Care Ethics edited by Richard E.
Ashcroft et al.. England: John Wiley and Sons Ltd., 2007.
9. Singer, Peter. “Taking Life: Humans”. In Practical Ethics. New York: Conto
so
Cambridge University Press, 1993. Pharmaceutica
pagels 69