Terri Schiavo A Case Study Of Euthanasia Philosophy Essay

Euthanasia is a life-terminating process with means to end pain and suffering.

1.Introduction:

Ethics: The basic concepts and fundamental principles of right human conduct. It includes study of universal values such as the essential equality of all men and women, human or natural rights, obedience to the law of land, concern for health and safety and, increasingly, also for the natural environment.

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/ethics.html

“Ethics has to do with what my feelings tell me is right or wrong.”

“Ethics has to do with my religious beliefs.”

“Being ethical is doing what the law requires.”

“Ethics consists of the standards of behaviour our society accepts.”

Ethics refers to the study and development of one’s ethical standards. As mentioned above, feelings, laws, and social norms can deviate from what is ethical. So it is necessary to constantly examine one’s standards to ensure that they are reasonable and well-founded. Ethics also means, then, the continuous effort of studying our own moral beliefs and our moral conduct, and striving to ensure that we, and the institutions we help to shape, live up to standards that are reasonable and solidly-based.

What is Ethics?

http://www.scu.edu/ethics/practicing/decision/whatisethics.html

Unethics : Unethical behaviour often falls into a gray area where people are unsure of how to react. Professional organizations, religious groups and individuals may have differing definitions of “unethical behaviour.” The law also addresses unethical behaviour, although not all actions considered unethical by an individual or a group would fall into the category of unethical behaviour. Employees and group members benefit from specific guidance on what to consider in assessing a situation, so an organization should have its own ethical standards that all staff or members agree to abide by upon being hired or joining. The Association of Authors’ Representatives provides a clear example in its Canon of Ethics, which not only serves as a guide or members but also for others in the publishing industry.

How to Report Unethical Behavior in the Workplace

 http://www.ehow.com/how_7741792_report-unethical-behavior-workplace.html#ixzz25e9aJ3Hv

2. Unethical incident: in your past working life.

………………………………

Scenario 1> explain the incident

Scenario 2> explain the incident

3.Teleological ethical theory:

Consequentialism is the idea that only consequences count. So, under this view, someone who thinks all day long about killing and violence but actually hurts nobody would not be viewed as unethical. Consequentialists favour their approach due to its focus on real-world outcomes and the fact that it does not impose moral rules on oneself or on to others. The argument is that it is a less repressive approach. The USA foreign policy since World War 2 is clearly consequentialist. The “Coalition of the Willing” believed (or claimed to believe) that the 2003 invasion of Iraq was necessary (the doctrine of the pre-emptive strike) to protect American citizens from the terrorism threat. The idea was that the benefits (to America and Americans) would exceed the costs of the death and injury toll. Clearly no deontological principle can explain the war on Iraq since the US did not intervene in the 1994 Rwandan genocide and has not intervened recently in Zimbabwe. Interestingly, the Australian philosopher Raimond Gaita (2004) argues that the doctrine of the pre-emptive strike is immoral (he favours virtue ethics) and he references the Christian New Testament verse “Do not do evil that good might result” (St Paul’s Epistle to the Romans 3:8; New International Version). The Iraq invasion can be viewed as an “evil” deliberately undertaken in the hope that “good” might later result.

Explain 4 parts with definition: Consequentialism can be further sub-divided into four types, ranging from the most selfish to the most considerate:

ethical egoism;

Belief that people should act in a way that maximizes their own good;

Effect on other people of much less consequence;

Behave in their own interest;

Generally consistent with PAT assumptions.

ethical elitism;

Behaviour should maximize the benefits to those at the top of social structure.

E.g. If the firm’s accounting is questioned then fire the Accountant to protect the Finance Director/CFO

ethical parochialism;

Behaviour should protect YOUR OWN ‘in-group’;

Group could be YOUR OWN family, football club, company, religious group, accounting profession, ethnic group, etc.

Are professional Codes of Ethics & CFs an example of ethical parochialism? Probably yes! Improve profession’s image

ethical universalism; Ethical Universalism

Ethical behaviour should be concerned with the good of all

John Stewart Mill (1806-73) – greatest happiness principle

E.g. Accounting standards to protect all of society not just shareholders

4.Teleological ethical theory to evaluate incident.

Egoism: ethical egoism;

Belief that people should act in a way that maximizes their own good;

Effect on other people of much less consequence;

Behave in their own interest;

Generally consistent with PAT assumptions.

Parochialism: ethical parochialism;

Behaviour should protect YOUR OWN ‘in-group’;

Group could be YOUR OWN family, football club, company, religious group, accounting profession, ethnic group, etc.

Are professional Codes of Ethics & CFs an example of ethical parochialism? Probably yes! Improve profession’s image

5.Deontological ethical theory: (definition + example+2 types)

Based on duties and rights

Duties – activities a person is expected to perform

Rights – behaviours a person expects of others

An accountant has the duty to look after a client’s interests while the client has the right to the accountant’s best work

This theory judges the morality of an action based on the action’s adherence to rules. Whether an action is ethical depends on the intentions behind the decisions rather than the outcomes that result.

This ethical theory is based on the work of Immanuel Kant. All individual actions should be done, as if they could become universal law (i.e. categorical imperative). Among the various formulations of the categorical imperative, two are particularly worth noting:

Always act in such a way that you can also resolve that the maxim of your action should become a universal law (categorical imperative)

Act so that you treat humanity, both in your own person and in that of another, always as an end and never merely as a means (principle of ends)

Deontology does not look primarily at consequences of actions, but examines a situation for the essential moral worth of the intention of act, or rightness or wrongness of the act. Many religious traditions are based upon deontology.

Example: Individuals would examine their intentions to determine the ethics of their actions. For example, we have begun not to use restraints on older people for their safety and to think of other measures. We do this because restraining someone against his or her will could not be considered a universal law.

Ethical theories that maintain that the moral rightness or wrongness of an action depends on its intrinsic qualities, and not (as in consequentialism) on the nature of its consequences. Deontological ethics holds that at least some acts are morally wrong in themselves (e.g., lying, breaking a promise, punishing the innocent, murder). It often finds expression in slogans such as “Duty for duty’s sake.” Deontological theories are often formulated in such a way that the rightness of an action consists in its conformity to a moral rule or command, such as “Do not bear false witness.” The most important exponent of deontological ethics is Immanuel Kant. See also categorical imperative

http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/deontological+ethics

“Theological Ethics”

Relies on religion

Rules are set down by religious literature, e.g. Koran or Bible or Dao or Confucius.

Bible: “Do to others what you would have them do to you” (the Christian Golden Rule in St Matthew 7:12) and “Love your neighbour as yourself” (St Luke 10:27). But self-centred human nature says: “Who is my neighbour?”

“Social Contract” Theory – or “Licence to operate”

Assumes a “social contract” between the individual and society and corporation and society.

Unwritten agreement based on custom.

Failure to comply with “contract” results in unethical behaviour and penalties imposed by society.

Normative basis of Legitimacy and Stakeholder Theories covered in Week 8. Society’s expectations can change over time, e.g. now more demanding toward companies regarding environmental damage. Society can boycott a company/country e.g. apartheid regime in South Africa.

6.Deontological ethical theory to evaluate incident:

……..

Social contract: “Social Contract” Theory – or “Licence to operate”

Assumes a “social contract” between the individual and society and corporation and society.

Unwritten agreement based on custom.

Failure to comply with “contract” results in unethical behaviour and penalties imposed by society.

Normative basis of Legitimacy and Stakeholder Theories covered in Week 8. Society’s expectations can change over time, e.g. now more demanding toward companies regarding environmental damage. Society can boycott a company/country e.g. apartheid regime in South Africa.

7. Unethical conduct: Many employees find that discovering unethical behaviour among co-workers actually tests their own values and ethical behaviours. After all, unethical behaviour that is not illegal frequently falls in a grey area between right and wrong that make it difficult to decide what to do when it is encountered. Furthermore, different people have different views regarding what is ethical and what is unethical. For example, some people feel that it is alright to tell a little “white lie”, or to make one long distance call on the company’s nickel, as long as they can justify it in their mind.

When employees discover other employees doing something that they know is wrong by the company’s standards, their own sense of what is right and what is wrong instantly comes into question. That employee needs to consider how s/he feels about that particular activity, as well as informing about that activity, or turning a blind eye.

Unethical Behavior

Unethical Behavior – It’s Impact on Today’s Workplace

http://www.anonymousemployee.com/csssite/sidelinks/unethical_behavior.php

8. Conclusion: re view about ethics and unthics +make prediction

However, sometimes the way euthanasia is performed can be painful in itself. Terri Schiavo’s case was a very high-profile one for many reasons, one of them being because of this particular issue. She was 26 years old when she collapsed in her home in Florida in 1990 from what seemed to be lack of oxygen. She was in a coma for two and half months before entering a vegetative state. What came after would prolong into a 15-year dispute between Schiavo’s husband and her family in trying to figure out what would be the most ethical thing to do.

After Terri Schiavo entered the vegetative state, there were two different paths she could have continued onto. The first being death through euthanasia, while the second being living life and surviving with constant assistance and through artificial means. According to Diana Lynne in her article at http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=29516, however, the path to euthanasia was absolutely unnecessary. Schiavo was not drooling, which meant she was able to control her saliva and therefore would not need feeding tubes. She was not in a PVS, or a persistent vegetative state, because she very well recognized her environment and was able to interact with it. Nurses reportedly could distinguish her words through her difficulty to speak as she would say ‘help me’ and ‘Mommy.’

Herein laid the biggest argument- would Terri want to live a life like this? Her husband, Michael Schiavo, reported that Terri had stated herself that she would never want to live her life as a vegetable and would rather have someone put a stop to her suffering. There was, however, no written proof, or any at all for that matter, of this claim. Terri’s parents insisted that she would not want to be euthanized due to her religion-they said she was a devout Roman Catholic and was very religious. There was no evidence to support this claim either.

Michael Schiavo’s intentions for Terri had been questioned since he lost all hope in her survival in 1992. His intentions were also suspicious because he had claimed that her reason for collapsing that night was due to her bulimic eating disorder-an issue that no one as aware she was dealing with. Another suspicious piece of evidence from the case was the fact that Terri had neck injuries when she was brought to the hospital that night she collapsed; her parents, the Schindlers, believe that Michael tried to strangle her that night. The first time he petitioned for Terri’s food tube to be removed in 1998, Michael Schiavo was already engaged to another woman whom he had had two children with. He was still married to Terri and was legally her guardian.

The court ruled in favor of Michael Schiavo and decided to remove Terri’s feeding tube in April of 2001. Three days later the feeding tube was put back in due to appeals made by the Schindlers which led to a hold in his case. There was videotaped evidence that Terri Schiavo was indeed responding to her family’s interactions and was not brain-dead or vegetative. Unfortunately, Michael Schiavo’s consistent efforts finally came through. On March 13th of 2005, the feeding tube was removed from Terri Schiavo. This would lead to her death on March 31st, 2005 from dehydration and starvation. For 18 days Terri was parched and starving, and this is how she was killed.

I believe that Terri Schiavo was killed in a harmful, thoughtless act and there a quite a few moral theories present in ethics that can support this. In Immanuel Kant’s ethical theory, the categorical imperative states that we should not use people as a means to an end. Killing a person to put a stop to their suffering through euthanasia would be using them to another end. Also, Kant believed that what seems to be an act out of kindness could lead to a bad thing; Kant was not interested in acting through compassion but rather what were the right thing and the best thing to do for the best possible outcome. Kant also believed that the value of a human being was “above all price.” He was extremely against suicide because of this belief of the human life and its worth. Especially in this case, in which Terri Schiavo was not brain-dead and could rationalize and think, I believe Kant would agree with allowing her to continue her live and not euthanize her.

John Stuart Mill would state that euthanasia was just because he believed that as long as no other being is hurt, a person can do anything he or she pleases. However, I would interpret this utilitarianistic view as one that could go against euthanasia. I believe that the death of any being can and will hurt another. The death of Terri Schiavo devastated her family and friends. Through her starvation and dehydration, her closest loved ones were also in pain because of what she had to go through.

Another moral theory that would go against euthanasia is the natural law. This ethical theory states that the end never justifies the means. This theory is evidently against euthanasia because it clearly insinuates that doing evil is not justified simply because the outcome will be good, even if the intentions mean well. This theory would suggest that killing an innocent person is never morally right to do because the main intention of this natural law is to ‘protect and preserve the innocent.’ Natural law also insists that God gave life and it is up to him whether or not it is a person’s time for that life to end or not and he will take that life away when he pleases; natural law very much believes in the sanctity of life.

The natural law theory is very much closely related to Christian ethics which would also be against euthanasia for many of the same reasons. This portion of ethics believes that humans do not have any right to take away life because it is up to God because he gave us life. It believes that euthanasia is murder and we are not to kill. Life is sacred and is meant to be lived until the person’s natural death and is therefore taken away naturally by God.

In terms of what is just, I do not believe Polemarchus would agree with the removal of Terri Schiavo’s feeding tube or any other incident involving euthanasia for that matter because of his belief of ‘tit for tat.’ This belief of justice will overlook an act of evil if this kind of act was already done to that person committing it. This belief is also known as ‘an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.’ People in vegetative states in situations where they may be euthanized should not be if they are innocent people.

Terri Schiavo’s case involved an involuntary euthanasia which means the person is not in a position to ask whether or not they want to die; the method of euthanasia in her case was passive, although the clear intention was for Terri to die. There are two other types of euthanasia: voluntary and nonvoluntary. In a voluntary case, the person asks to die and in a nonvoluntary case, the person does not want to die. The two types of methods in which euthanasia is performed are either passive or active. A passive method of euthanasia involves the cutting off of a treatment that the patient is on for a natural type of death while an active method of euthanasia is the opposite in which something is added in order to specifically end the patient’s life. This was the wrong thing to do especially because it was involuntary and it was therefore not certain that Terri Schiavo wished to die. It is reported that Terri Schiavo did not feel any pain during her 18 years in the hospital and because of this, any argument supporting euthanasia using Terri Schiavo as an example is not reasonable. In any case, however, I believe that there is no such thing as a life not worth living. It’s evident that every person would like to die with dignity and likely does not want to spend the last years of their life in a hospital but even though it is rare, it is possible to come out of a vegetative state. Also, according to all the philosophers and moral theories mentioned above, life is too sacred to not live, no matter what the circumstances