May 24, 2006

How Do You Want to Die?

How do you want to die? That was the question in a film we watched in my Ethics of Death and Dying class.

Did you know that for many that are dying, the use of ever larger doses of morphine to control pain, expedites their death.

A basic principle of ethical reasoning is that like situations should be considered alike.

So consider two similar situations in which a drug is administered to alleviate suffering that eventually causes death. One is called morphine, the other is called physician assisted suicide.

Now yes I know about "double effect" and "unintended consequenses" and other viable arguments, but that's beside the point. The question is "how do you want to die?"

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow. U have a subject on Ethics of Death and Dying? What course are u in?

Oh im just a random stranger who stumbled upon ur blog. Have a nice day :)

-sarah

David Best said...

I'm majoring in theology, in preperation for... (it's complicated)

See, What am I doing at Fuller, under Post's of Note.

wennejunk said...

Umm. I want to die in a place where people expect me to die. I can't help it, but every time some (older) geezer moves into the pew behind me in church, I'm afraid he'll pitch over in the middle of the sermon, his wife will scream and I'll have to do something.

I'd hate to have that happen to someone in front of me, although I admit, my attention will likely be focused elsewhere at that moment.

Not very Christ-like and very self centered, I know. But it keeps popping into my head and you asked.