1. Euthanasia From Greek “EU” and “Thanatos” - means “good death”
The idea is that you go out on your own terms and by your own free will

2. First Distinctions Voluntary – The person chooses it
Non-voluntary – The person is not capable of the choice
Involuntary it is against the person’s wishes

3. Second Distinctions Passive Euthanasia - “Pulling the plug”
Ending “extraordinary means,” e.g., a feeding tube or a ventilator
Active Euthanasia
- Someone must induce death
- Direct = the doctor does it
- indirect = the doctor helps the patient to do it herself.

4. Do we have a right to take our own lives?
Always? Sometimes? Never?

5. Arguments for Euthanasia
The Argument from the patient's right to choose
P1: Patients have an absolute right over their own lives
P2: Legally forbidden euthanasia denies them this right
___________________
C:Patients should be allowed euthanasia

6. The argument from mercy
P1: To force a patient to endure pointless suffering is cruel
P2: To permit a patient to end their suffering is merciful
P3: We ought to be merciful and not cruel
C: We should allow euthanasia

7. Physician Assisted Suicide

8. Against Euthanasia It's always wrong to take a life! Kant (Deontology)
P1: A Person must always be treated with absolute value
P2: To kill a person – even yourself – is not to treat a person with absolute value
C: You may not kill any innocent person, even yourself

9. A Doctor must never kill a patient for any reason

10. Killing vs “Allowing to die”

11. Dangerous precedent

12. It's God's choice not ours
P1: God is the author of life and death
P2: It is blasphemy to “play God” and take that role on ourselves
P3: In addition, God must have a reason for having us go through this pain
C: We cannot take our own lives even in the face of terminal illness and terrible pain