Unit 2: Bioethics - Abortion and Euthanasia
Examining the morality of life-ending decisions.
Table of Contents
1. Sanctity of Life vs. Quality of Life
Two fundamental principles guide bioethical decisions:
- Sanctity of Life (SoL): The view that human life is intrinsically sacred and has absolute value, regardless of its condition. It usually prohibits all forms of killing.
- Quality of Life (QoL): The view that the value of life depends on certain conditions (consciousness, lack of pain, autonomy). If a life lacks these, it may be considered "not worth living."
2. The Moral Debate on Abortion
Abortion is the deliberate termination of a pregnancy. The debate usually centers on the conflict between the rights of the fetus and the rights of the mother.
Major Positions:
- Pro-Life (Conservative): Argues that a fetus is a human being from conception and has a right to life. Abortion is seen as murder.
- Pro-Choice (Liberal): Argues that a woman has the right to bodily autonomy and that a fetus is not a "person" with full moral rights until a certain stage (e.g., viability or birth).
3. The Concept of Personhood
A key question in Unit 2 is: When does a human being become a "Person"?
Philosophers like Mary Anne Warren suggest criteria for personhood:
- Consciousness
- Reasoning
- Self-motivated activity
- Capacity to communicate
- Presence of self-concepts
If a fetus does not meet these, some argue it does not have a "right to life" in the same way an adult does.
4. Euthanasia (Mercy Killing)
Euthanasia is the practice of intentionally ending a life to relieve pain and suffering. It is classified into several types:
| Type | Definition |
|---|---|
| Voluntary | Requested by a competent patient. |
| Non-Voluntary | Patient is unable to give consent (e.g., in a coma); family decides. |
| Active | Deliberate action taken to end life (e.g., lethal injection). |
| Passive | Withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatment (e.g., turning off a ventilator). |