Question 1

According to the doctrine of double effect,a doctor's giving a dying,pain-racked patient a large dose of morphine with the intention of easing her pain (while knowing the act has the side effect of expediting her death)is:

Accepted Answer

According to the doctrine of double effect, it is permissible for a doctor to give a dying, pain-racked patient a large dose of morphine with the intention of easing her pain, even if the act has the side effect of expediting her death. As long as the intention is to alleviate the patient's pain and not to cause their death, and the treatment is proportionate to the pain relief needed, this action is ethically sound.

Question 2

If you believe that there is no moral difference between killing someone and letting someone die,you might reason that:

Accepted Answer

If there is no moral difference between killing someone and letting someone die, then both active and passive euthanasia involve causing the patient's death, and are therefore morally equivalent. This view is often referred to as the "doctrine of double effect," which holds that the moral significance of an action depends solely on its consequences, not on whether it involves doing something or omitting to do something.

Question 3

If you were an American physician who accepted the active-passive distinction,you would also likely believe that:

Accepted Answer

The active-passive distinction refers to the difference between actively causing a patient's death (active euthanasia) and simply allowing them to die by withholding medical care or treatment (passive euthanasia). Accepting this distinction means that while active euthanasia is always wrong, in some cases passive euthanasia may be permissible. This does not necessarily mean that physician-assisted suicide is permissible, as that would involve actively taking steps to end a patient's life.

Question 4

In ______,others besides the patient choose euthanasia for her because she is not competent and has left no instructions regarding her end-of-life preferences.

Accepted Answer

Nonvoluntary euthanasia involves the decision to end a patient's life being made by someone other than the patient, typically because the patient is not competent to make the decision or has not left any instructions regarding their end-of-life preferences. Involuntary euthanasia, on the other hand, involves ending a patient's life against their will, while passive euthanasia involves withholding or withdrawing medical treatment in order to allow the patient to die naturally. Active euthanasia involves taking specific steps to end a patient's life, such as administering a lethal dose of medication.

Question 5

In ______,the patient requests or agrees to euthanasia.

Accepted Answer

Voluntary euthanasia occurs when the patient requests or consents to the process of euthanasia. The other options involve situations where the patient does not request or is unable to request euthanasia.

Question 6

______ is allowing someone to die by NOT doing something-by withholding or withdrawing measures necessary for sustaining life.

Accepted Answer

Passive euthanasia is the act of allowing someone to die by withholding or withdrawing measures necessary for sustaining life. This is different from active euthanasia, which involves actively ending someone's life through medical intervention. Nonvoluntary euthanasia involves ending the life of an individual without their explicit consent, and passive-active euthanasia refers to a combination of both passive and active euthanasia.

Question 7

Directly or indirectly bringing about the death of another person for that person's sake is known as:

Accepted Answer

Euthanasia is the term specifically used to describe the act of bringing about the death of another person for their benefit, typically to end their suffering from a terminal illness or debilitating condition. Other options such as suicide or sacrifice do not necessarily involve the intentions of benefiting another person. "Benign death" is not a commonly used term in this context.

Question 8

______ is the killing of a person by the person's own hand with the help of a physician.

Accepted Answer

Physician-assisted suicide is the act of a physician providing the means or information for a person to end their own life, with the person ultimately choosing to carry out the act themselves. It is a controversial topic with legal and ethical implications surrounding the right to die and medical professional responsibility.

Question 9

The idea that an individual is dead when all brain functions permanently stop is called the ______ notion of death.

Accepted Answer

The whole-brain notion of death, also known as brain death, refers to the complete and irreversible cessation of all brain functions, including those in the brainstem. This means that the person is unable to breathe on their own and cannot maintain life without medical support. This criterion is widely accepted in the medical community as the standard for determining death.

Question 10

An argument against euthanasia asserting that mercy killing would involve treating persons as mere things and of no more value than of a beast is:

Accepted Answer

This argument is based on the Kantian principle that humans should never be treated as mere means to an end, but always as ends in themselves. Euthanasia, in this view, treats human beings as mere things to be disposed of rather than as inherently valuable individuals who should never be killed intentionally.

Question 11

According to the dominant reading of natural law theory,euthanasia is wrong primarily because:

Accepted Answer

According to natural law theory, we have a moral duty to preserve life. Euthanasia, the deliberate ending of a human life, goes against this duty and is therefore considered morally wrong. While choices A and B may also be reasons why some people oppose euthanasia, the dominant reading of natural law theory emphasizes the sanctity of life as the primary reason. Choice D is not relevant to natural law theory, as this theory relies on reason and natural truths rather than religious scripture.

Question 12

The principle of autonomy (the right of self-determination)can be used to argue for:

Accepted Answer

The principle of autonomy asserts that individuals have the right to make decisions about their own lives and bodies. This extends to end-of-life decisions, including the choice to undergo active euthanasia. Advocates of euthanasia argue that individuals should have the right to end their suffering and die with dignity, and that denying them this right infringes on their autonomy. Therefore, the principle of autonomy can be used to argue for end-of-life self-determination in the form of active euthanasia.

Question 13

______ involves taking a direct action to kill someone,to carry out a mercy killing.

Accepted Answer

Active euthanasia involves taking a direct action to end someone's life, usually with the intention of relieving suffering or carrying out a mercy killing. This differs from passive euthanasia which involves withholding or withdrawing treatment, and involuntary or nonvoluntary euthanasia which is done without the explicit consent of the patient or when the patient is not able to make their wishes known.

Question 14

______ euthanasia is mercy killing at the patient's request.

Accepted Answer

Active voluntary euthanasia is the deliberate ending of a patient's life at their request, with the intention of relieving their suffering. Involuntary euthanasia is done without the patient's consent, active nonvoluntary euthanasia is done when the patient is unable to give consent, and passive nonvoluntary euthanasia is a form of assisted dying where treatment is withheld or withdrawn.

Question 15

If someone argues that euthanasia is permissible because it maximizes happiness,she would be taking a ______ view of the matter.

Accepted Answer

Utilitarianism is a moral theory that focuses on the maximization of overall happiness and well-being. It aims to promote actions that lead to the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest number of people. In the case of euthanasia, a utilitarian would argue that it is permissible because it would relieve the suffering of the patient and increase the overall happiness of everyone involved.

Question 16

It is likely that active euthanasia would be used at least occasionally in a hospice guided by:

Accepted Answer

Act-utilitarianism evaluates the morality of an action based on its consequences for overall happiness or utility. In some cases, act-utilitarians might support active euthanasia if it is seen as reducing suffering and increasing overall happiness, which could align with the goals of a hospice focused on minimizing patient suffering.

Question 17

The principle of ______ says that if we are in a position to ease the agony of another and we can do so without excessive cost to ourselves,we should try to render aid.

Accepted Answer

The principle of beneficence emphasizes the obligation to do good and prevent or remove harm from others. It encourages individuals to actively strive to improve the well-being of others and provide aid when possible. The other options do not directly relate to this principle. Autonomy emphasizes respect for an individual's ability to make decisions for themselves, utility emphasizes maximizing overall happiness or well-being, and justice emphasizes fairness and equality.

Question 18

A key premise in the argument for active euthanasia is that the right of self-determination includes the right of competent persons to decide the manner of their dying.This premise is:

Accepted Answer

The premise that the right of self-determination includes the right of competent persons to decide the manner of their dying is controversial. While proponents of active euthanasia argue that this principle supports the legalization of assisted suicide and voluntary euthanasia, opponents argue that it goes against the sanctity of life and undermines the value of palliative care. The debate over this premise is complex, and requires a thorough examination of ethical, legal, and social considerations.

Question 19

Consider this rule-utilitarian argument against legalizing euthanasia: Passing a law to permit active voluntary euthanasia would inevitably lead to abuses such as more frequent use of nonvoluntary euthanasia and unnecessary killing; therefore,no such law should be passed.Such an argument is characterized as:

Accepted Answer

The argument is characterized as a slippery slope because it claims that legalizing active voluntary euthanasia would inevitably lead to abuses like nonvoluntary euthanasia and unnecessary killing. It is a slippery slope argument because it assumes that one action will inevitably lead to a sequence of negative outcomes, without demonstrating a causal link between them.

Question 20

Nowadays machines can keep an individual's heart and lungs functioning long after the brain permanently and completely shuts down.Thus we can have an individual whose organs are mechanically operated while he is in a coma or persistent vegetative state.To some,these facts suggest that the:

Accepted Answer

The conventional notion of death, which is generally defined as the irreversible cessation of breathing and heartbeat, is inadequate when considering the possibility of individuals being kept alive through mechanical means even after their brain function has ceased. This raises ethical questions about the definition of life and the use of such technology.

Quiz 10: Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide

According to the doctrine of double effect,a doctor's giving a dying,pain-racked patient a large dose of morphine with the intention of easing her pain (while knowing the act has the side effect of expediting her death) is: