Deck 10: Euthanasia

Question 1

A "Durable Power of Attorney" is substantially the same as a living will, for they both are documents designed to enable one to write in advance what treatment one wants and what one doesn't want when dying and unable to speak.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Nonvoluntary euthanasia means causing death in violation of the patient's consent.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

According to a broad definition of euthanasia, only so-called active euthanasia or mercy killing should be called euthanasia.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

To give pain medication in order to relieve pain, knowing that there is also a chance that the patient might be so weakened as to die from the medication, is generally considered a case of active euthanasia.

Question 5

Physician-assisted suicide is suicide that results from a physician's prescription of lethal medication.

Question 6

According to Rachels, if the motive is morally appropriate,

A)passive euthanasia is not morally worse than active euthanasia.
B)active euthanasia is not morally worse than passive euthanasia.
C)the action itself is inconsequential.
D)physician-assisted suicide is ethical.

Question 7

Mercy Killing is the same as euthanasia.

A)Passive voluntary
B)Passive involuntary
C)Active voluntary
D)Active involuntary

Question 8

Administering a lethal dose to a person who requests it is termed voluntary active euthanasia.

Question 9

Label as types of euthanasia : Voluntary Active (VA), Voluntary Passive withholding Ordinary Measures (VPO), Voluntary Passive withholding Extraordinary Measures (VPEx), or (using the same names with NV for non-voluntary)Non-voluntary Active (NVA), Non-voluntary Passive withholding Ordinary Measures (NVPO), Non-voluntary Passive withholding Extraordinary Measures (NVPEx).
A dying patient asks that no more chemotherapy be given because it is doing nothing but prolonging her death, which is inevitable in a short time anyway.

Question 10

Terri Schiavo's medical condition in 2005 can best be described as

A)Brain dead.
B)Unconscious.
C)Permanent vegetative state.
D)Coma.

Question 11

Which of the following is a nonconsequentialist consideration for active voluntary euthanasia.

A)Effect on family
B)Autonomy
C)Family finances
D)Shortage of medical facilities

Question 12

If a person asks to be disconnected from certain life support equipment, and this is done, this would be a case of voluntary active euthanasia.

Question 13

What is the condition the American Medical Association has defined as dead?

A)The spirit leaves the body.
B)Heart has stopped beating.
C)Whole brain death has occurred.
D)Person has lost all mental function.

Question 14

Removing a person from a respirator after he has been declared dead according to whole brain death criteria is a case of passive euthanasia.

Question 15

All the following are recognized as legal grounds for withdrawing life support except

A)Living will.
B)Verbal request by adult patient.
C)Request of responsible family member.
D)Written request by minor patient.

Question 16

Label as types of euthanasia : Voluntary Active (VA), Voluntary Passive withholding Ordinary Measures (VPO), Voluntary Passive withholding Extraordinary Measures (VPEx), or (using the same names with NV for non-voluntary)Non-voluntary Active (NVA), Non-voluntary Passive withholding Ordinary Measures (NVPO), Non-voluntary Passive withholding Extraordinary Measures (NVPEx).
A person who has serious lung problems and has been temporarily placed on a respirator asks that she be removed from a respirator that is causing her great discomfort.

Question 17

Which of the following terms refers to the administering of medication with good intended effect but bad foreseen effect?

A)Active euthanasia
B)Double effect
C)Overdose
D)Physician error

Question 18

Some laws in the United States allow for nonvoluntary passive euthanasia.

Question 19

Label as types of euthanasia : Voluntary Active (VA), Voluntary Passive withholding Ordinary Measures (VPO), Voluntary Passive withholding Extraordinary Measures (VPEx), or (using the same names with NV for non-voluntary)Non-voluntary Active (NVA), Non-voluntary Passive withholding Ordinary Measures (NVPO), Non-voluntary Passive withholding Extraordinary Measures (NVPEx).
A person who has terminal cancer takes an overdose of sleeping pills so that he will be able to die when and how he wishes.

Question 20

Relatively common or standard measures of life support are always to be considered ordinary means of life support.

Question 21

Give a consequentialist argument for legalizing active euthanasia and a consequentialist argument against it.

Question 22

Give a deontological argument for legalizing active euthanasia and a deontological argument against it.

Question 23

James Rachels employs a thought experiment involving two men, Smith and Jones, who Rachels suggests demonstrate that killing someone is not necessarily morally worse than letting someone die. Describe Rachels' thought experiment and explain how it is supposed to relate to the morality of passive and active euthanasia. What conclusions does Rachels draw about the moral significance of the distinction between active and passive euthanasia?

Question 24

Label as types of euthanasia : Voluntary Active (VA), Voluntary Passive withholding Ordinary Measures (VPO), Voluntary Passive withholding Extraordinary Measures (VPEx), or (using the same names with NV for non-voluntary)Non-voluntary Active (NVA), Non-voluntary Passive withholding Ordinary Measures (NVPO), Non-voluntary Passive withholding Extraordinary Measures (NVPEx).
Parents of a newborn who is dying no matter what is done ask that doctors not do anything else to prolong its life.

Question 25

Critics of the distinction between ordinary versus extraordinary measures have complained that the idea of what counts as extraordinary is:

A)immoral
B)heroic
C)vain
D)vague

Question 26

Which of the following considerations determines whether a measure is ordinary or extraordinary?

A)whether the measure is likely to benefit the patient
B)whether the measure represents common medical practice
C)whether the treatment is voluntary
D)whether the treatment is legal