Hooses Rationalism

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Proportionalism identifies the importance of reflecting on our nature to reveal to us general moral principles as a foundation for living. Proportionalism is an ethical theory that lies between consequential and deontological theories. Similarly to situation ethics, proportionalism recognises the particular demands of the situation may call for a different moral judgement. Proportionalism was a “consequentialist attempt to develop natural law, a principally roman Catholic teleological theory most strongly associated with Aquinas” (Wikipedia, 2018). Bernard Hooses’ proportionalism modifies both natural law and situation ethics surmising, “it is never right to go against a principle unless there is a proportionate reason which would justify …show more content…

Euthanasia needs to consider the views of the family and friends affected, the medical profession and the individual involved. Utilitarianism opposes individual pursuit and promotes intention to bring about the greatest good, however in some cases this does not favour a minority. Euthanasia increases the utiles of a terminally ill patient but decreases the utiles that represent the pain. Jeremy Bentham believed the “role of law was to delimit autonomy, and the creation of rights destroyed all notion of liberty” (BMJ, 2005). Euthanizing provides personal liberation and autonomy to the patient deciding when and how they die. British philosopher John Stuart Mill argued, that in matters that do not concern others, individuals should have full autonomy, maintaining their quality of life: “The only part of the conduct of anyone, for which [a citizen] is amenable to society, is that which concerns others. In the part which merely concerns himself, his independence, is of right, absolute. The individual is sovereign.” (AQA: Religious Studies, 2008). Stuart Mill argues actions are right if they promote intrinsic happiness, however utilitarianism is subjective to views of intrinsic happiness and is incalculable of numerical value or worth. Utilitarianism relies on knowledge of consequences, but predictions may be mistaken or not apparent until the future years and thus patients may be coerced into euthanizing. Once a patient is misdiagnosed and the medical profession see no means of recovery, it discourages the search for new cures and

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