Unit 12 - Medical ethics: beginning and end of life issues
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Summary A level Religious Studies Edexcel: Medical Ethics
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Unit 12 - Medical ethics: beginning and end of life issues
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PEARSON (PEARSON)
These notes helped me achieve an A* and summarises the following:
- Issues in medical ethics
- What a 'person' means
- Sanctity of life vs quality of life
- Christian perspective vs secular perspective
- Personhood
- Beginning of life
- Abortion
- Euthanasia
- Strengths and weaknesses
Unit 12 - Medical ethics: beginning and end of life issues
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Medical Ethics
Essay Link for 30 marker: Christianity, Secularisation: an increase
in secular ideas has moved us away from sanctity of life argument
towards quality of life as people are putting more value on a
hedonistic way of life.
Could link to meta ethics as it appears that people have a non-cognitivist approach that
is very emotional. Abortion and euthanasia are not wrong in the sense that it is a fact,
but rather they are wrong because of the emotional response we get from killing people.
Where does that emotional response come from however? (Note: link must be from
Philosophy or Christianity content for the marks but this could be an extra link)
What is the main issue in medical ethics?
Distinguishing between a person and a human
There is a range of definitions, highlighting the complexity of it
Gottlob Frege argued that a term such as ‘individual’ can have both a meaning
and a reference. Therefore, ‘a person’ and ‘a human being’ may refer to the same
group of individuals but mean different things.
What does a ‘person’ mean?
Someone with a particular characteristic, such as personality, self-awareness, the
ability to use language, rationality etc.
Explain the sanctity of life argument and how it is challenged
The traditional view that human life is sacred and has a God-given purpose.
Peter Singer rejects SOL as absolutist and dependent on an outdated Christian
view of ethics.
Singer also rejects the idea that humans are a ‘special’ form of life. In Practical
Ethics, he defines the idea of sanctity ‘to be no more than a way of saying that
human life has some special value, a value quite distinct from the value of the lives
of other living things’
This view is being challenged in modern times as medical technology has blurred
the boundaries between life and death and so people are able to live longer and
Medical Ethics 1
, overcome disabilities and illnesses that would have previously caused death.
What Bible quotes and ethical theory support SOL?
“Let us make man in our image” - Genesis
“Thou shall not kill” - Exodus
Natural Law- 2 primary precepts to preserve life and procreate
Why might SOL not be relevant in modern times?
We have new modern religious approaches e.g. situation ethics which undermines
SOL
Scientific and medical advances have rendered Biblical teachings irrelevant as
there are no direct teachings when considering modern medical issues, leading to
hermeneutical issues
Developments in medicine have created states where people are neither alive nor
dead
Biblical teachings were created in a time where there was less medical capability
What are the criticisms of SOL?
Albert Schweitzer- ‘Reverence of life’ means holding high value for life as all forms
of life have a desire to carry on living. We should avoid killing anything, including
animals.
Mary Anne Warren- Argued against Schweitzer suggesting ‘will’ is based upon the
capacity to think, which many life forms don't have. We are genetically built to
promote survival
Peter Singer- Argues against speciesism seen in SOL; compares it to racism. Feels
Christians views are outdated and we need to reassess our beliefs in a more
secular society. Also values personhood- worse to kill a chimpanzee than a human
who has a profound intellectual ability.
Explain the quality of life argument
Increasing view of liberal societies that the overall wellbeing of an individual is a
significant factor in making life or death decisions.
Why do Christians reject QOL?
Medical Ethics 2
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