Ethical Questions

TOPICS

These are the topics on which you are to formulate an ethical question to address in your papers, along with a few example sub-topics to help you narrow things down. You should peruse the list of required and recommend readings on each topic for further ideas (the weeks containing those lists is next to the topic heading), and you might think about or do some research into specific controversies that have appeared in the news, that you have heard about, or that you may have personally encountered.

End of Life Medical Issues (Week One)

• Physician-assisted suicide

• Voluntary active euthanasia

• Non-voluntary active euthanasia (such as seriously ill infants, people with dementia or brain damage, etc.)

• Active vs. passive euthanasia

• Euthanasia and/or physician-assisted suicide for non-standard reasons, such as non-terminal conditions (pain, disability, depression, free choice, etc.)

THE REQUIRED AND RECOMMEND READINGS

Brockopp, J. E. (2008). Islam and bioethics: Beyond abortion and euthanasia. Journal of Religious Ethics, 36(1), 3-12. SEE ATTACHED FILE FOR THIS ARTICLE

Dworkin, R., Nagel, T., Nozick, R., Rawls, J., & Thomson, J., et. al. (1997, March 27). Assisted suicide: The philosophers’ brief. The New York Review of Books. Retrieved from http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/1997/mar/27/assisted-suicide-the-philosophers-brief/

Foot, P. Killing and letting die. In K. Mosser (Ed.), Understanding Philosophy [Electronic version]. Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/

See attached file Killing and letting die for this article

Ghaly, M. (2012). The beginning of human life: Islamic bioethical perspectives. Zygon: Journal of Religion & Science, 47(1), 175-213. Retrieved from http://www.ebrary.com/corp/ SEE ATTACHED FILE FOR THIS ARTICLE

John Paul II. (1995, March 25). Evangelium vitae. Retrieved from http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_25031995_evangelium-vitae_en.html

This resource is an important papal encyclical letter dealing with a number of issues of life and death, including euthanasia.

Singer, P. (2003). Voluntary euthanasia: A utilitarian perspective. Bioethics, 17(5/6), 526-541. SEE ATTACHED FILE FOR THIS ARTICLE

Velleman, J. D. (1999). A right of self‐termination? Ethics, 109(3), 606-628. Retrieved from http://www.nyu.edu/gsas/dept/philo/courses/bioethics/Papers/Velleman.htm

In a rebuttal to the “Philosophers’ Brief,” Velleman argues from a Kantian perspective that those who choose to end their lives in the face of suffering fail to respect their own dignity, at least in most cases.

Young, R. (1996, April 18). Voluntary euthanasia. In E. Zalta (Ed.), The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy(Summer 2014 Edition). Retrieved from http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/sum2014/entries/euthanasia-voluntary/

This article is an excellent starting point for research on this topic.

ForaTv. (2009, September 24). End-of-life care dilemma: Who gets booted from the ICU? [Video file].Retrieved from https://youtu.be/0XpAYPgjMYg

In this video clip, Richard Epstein analyzes the costs of providing medical care and presents an economic analysis of who deserves medical care and the policies and costs that keep hospitals trying to fill their beds

ForaTv. (2010, April 14). End-of-life care: Weighing ethics and rationing resources [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/RiTp1w48P3E

In this video, ethicists and policy makers debate the ethics of providing expensive treatments and surgeries to people who are nearing the ends of their lives or who have mental disorders.

West Virginia Public Broadcasting. (2010, December 28). The last chapter – end of life decisions [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/8jKUZ8lS9b4

This video examines the lives of multiple individuals who are battling terminal illnesses. It examines the importance of understanding end of life options, the need for advance directives, and the medical power of attorney.