Examine and comment on the view that the principle of the sanctity of life should always be considered of first Importance in medical ethics

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Euthanasia Essay      

Examine and comment on the view that the principle of the sanctity of life  should always be considered of first Importance in medical ethics, with reference to the topic you have investigated…

Euthanasia is defined as the act of killing someone painlessly especially someone suffering from an incurable terminal disease either at their request. As the law stands in England, Wales and Scotland, deliberate or 'active' euthanasia will normally leave anyone assisting suicide or death liable for murder. Euthanasia has been legalised in a number of European countries, namely The Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland. Additionally, the US state of Oregon has a 'Death with Dignity Act' and Australia the Northern Territories ruling.

A recent case which caught public attention was that of Anthony Bland. Anthony Bland was a seventeen left severely brain damaged after disaster.

Anthony Bland had been in a permanent vegetative state until 1993, when his parents and the NHS from the High Court to withdraw the artificial nutrition and hydration that was keeping him alive. The High Court and the House of Lords agreed.

The Roman Catholic Church disagrees with Euthanasia and believes it is as murder. In Evangelium Vitae, Pope John Paul II said that to cause death in this way was 'a grave violation of the law of God'. Christians believe in the sanctity of life, this means that holy as it is a gift from God also human life is also sacred as they believe we were created in the nature of God.

When doses of painkillers are used to help ease a person’s suffering, and as a result of these the person ultimately dies, this is understood as ‘Doctrine of double effect’. The intention is not to kill the person, but to reduce suffering. In the same way the Church does not believe that doctors should use any ‘extraordinary treatment’ to keep people alive against the odds. They believe that a person treatment can be withdrawn if it is futile and overburden some. So sanctity of life is the most important aspect for the Catholics Church as it believes life is intrinsically valuable therefore regardless of circumstances of the human either suffering or pain there is not enough reason to take life.

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There are many ethical philosophers who have produced ethical theories about the acceptance of the practice of voluntary euthanasia. Saint Thomas Aquinas, developed the deontological argument of natural law, and that situations in our lives should conform to these absolute principles. He argues that the principle of natural law depends on establishing the purpose of human life, which Aquinas maintains is to live, reproduces, learn, worship God and order society. He believed that if everything is created for a purpose, human reason, in examining that purpose, is able to judge how to act in order to conform to that purpose, He therefore decided ...

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