Ethics: Theory and Practice

Jacques P. Thiroux Keith W. Krasemann

Copyright 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Chapter Six
Freedom Versus Determinism

Chapter Ten
Allowing Someone to Die, Mercy Death, and Mercy Killing

Copyright 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Meaning of Determinism

Determinism means the same thing as universal causation; that is, for every effect, event, or occurrence in reality, a cause or causes exists
There is no such thing as an uncaused event

Copyright 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Determinism
Determinism holds serious implications for morality:
How can we tell people what they should or ought to do if they are programmed or predetermined to act in the ways they do? How can we praise, blame, reward, and punish if people cannot help acting in the ways they do?

Copyright 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Types and Theories of Determinism

Religious Physical Biological and genetic Historical Economic Psychological

Copyright 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Fatalism
Fatalism is the belief that all events are irrevocably fixed and predetermined so that human beings cannot alter them in any way
Sometimes events are outside of our control, but it does not make sense to act as if all events were outside of human control This is an impractical theory by which few people, if any, really attempt to life their lives

Copyright 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Hard Determinism
Hard determinism is the theory that all events are caused but that some events and causes originate with human beings The hard determinist criticizes the soft determinist by questioning how human beings can be said to originate any events when, if one traces causes back far enough, they end up being outside of the control of human beings
Copyright 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Soft Determinism
Soft determinism maintains that there is universal causation, but, unlike hard determinists, they believe that some of this causation originates with human beings, thus giving meaning to the phrase human freedom

Copyright 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Indeterminism
Indeterminists maintain that there is a certain amount of chance and freedom in the world and that not everything is caused
William James says that he desires that there be novelty and spontaneity in the world, allowing human beings to be free and creative James feels that our strivings for good over the bad and our regrets over our bad deeds mean that we must be free
Copyright 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Definition of Terms
Euthanasia originally meant good death, but more recently means mercy killing Allowing someone to die involves both not starting curative treatment when no cure is possible and stopping treatment when it is no longer able to cure a dying patient
It means allowing a dying patient to die a natural death without any interference from medical science
Copyright 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Definition of Terms
Mercy death is the taking of a direct action in order to terminate a patients life because the patient has voluntarily requested it essentially an assisted suicide Mercy killing is the taking of a direct action to terminate a patients life without his or her permission

Copyright 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Current Legal Status of Mercy Death and Mercy Killing

Neither mercy death nor mercy killing is legal in the US or in most countries throughout the world Brain death occurs when a patient has a normal heartbeat and respiration but has suffered irreversible and total brain damage Persistent Vegetative State (PVS) results from damage to the cerebral cortex, which controls cognitive functions
Copyright 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Ordinary and Extraordinary Means

Extraordinary means to keep people alive are those that involve a grave burden for oneself or another, and they vary according to circumstances involving persons, places, times, and cultures
Such measures as radical surgery, radiation therapy, respirators, and heart machines probably fall in this category

Copyright 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Ordinary and Extraordinary Means

Ordinary means also are difficult to define, but for terminally ill patients, they would include controlling pain and other symptoms as opposed to performing radical surgery or using respirators or heart machines
Appropriate or inappropriate care are sometimes more suitable terms

Copyright 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.