Consequentialist Theory Of Euthanasia

Written Assignment Unit 7
Yuki Ueno
University of the People Euthanasia is one of the biggest medical issues being considered in my country. It is against the low to euthanize humans here, however, some doctors believe that some people need it and sometimes they give euthanasia when they are asked by their patients, and get arrested. Today, Medications are developed enough to control humans’ lives. Though we need to consider again what is the right thing to do. The issue here is, is euthanasia acceptable or not in under any reasons. We can think about this issue from 3 different views. Consequentialism is the philosophy which emphasizes the consequences (Fieser, p 9). In consequentialism, if an action ends with a right consequence, the action is morally right. We have to be clear what a good consequence is and what a bad consequence is when we think about an issue in consequentialism. The purpose of euthanasia is to kill someone without any pain. Therefore, if you success to kill someone without pain, the action is morally right according to the consequentialists.

In regard to consequentialism, deontological ethic does not follow consequences. The most important thing in deontological ethic is that we follow the obligations we have as a human being. Samuel Pufendorf, 17th century German philosopher, classified our duties specifically. According to him, one of the duties we have is that duties of the body. He says that duties of the body involve not harming our bodies, as we might through gluttony or drunkenness, and not to kill ourselves (Fieser, p 10). It makes clear that euthanasia is forbidden in deontological ethic. For deontological ethicists, euthanasia is wrong because it is against our duties of the