Ship of Theseus

What are the main ethical principles of Christianity?

Robin Myerscough — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 21:51:13 +0000

Bible background and influence of the New TestamentOld Testament is Jewish scripture even so many Christians do hold great store by the Ten Commandments. As a code they dwell on service and attitude to God, relationship with one’s parents and basic rules of society, such as no murder, no stealing and no adultery.

Some specific commands from Jesus may well be rooted in the Old Testament, loving one’s neighbour as one loves oneself. Other commands from Jesus are original and not found in contemporary Judaism. “Love your enemies”, “Lust is as bad as adultery” and “anger is as bad a murder.” Many of these difficult principles are found in St Matthew’s version of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.

St Paul Paul who tried to bring Christianity into line with the Roman world was responsible for many tried and tested ethical principles. He stressed the importance of life in the spirit as opposed to life in the flesh. He calls on Christians to imitate the virtues of Christ, which he described as fruits of the spirit.
Paul is also remembered for his emphasis on the importance of Christian love (1 Corinthians 13).

Some Christian denominations place emphasis on one ethical theory above the others.

Roman Catholic Church They value highly the work of Thomas Aquinas and his theory of Natural Law. For an authoritarian church of world-wide dimensions, Natural law, with its deontological approach to moral problems, seems to be well suited to the many different cultures where the church proliferates.

Anglican ChurchThe Church of England and the Anglican communion world-wide, find that the principle of agape, finding the most loving solution to an ethical problem is a way of being sensitive to contemporary needs. This teleological approach is felt by some Christians to be sensitive to circumstances, considering what is the best for everyone involved in an ethical dilemma.

Protestant Evangelical ChurchSome Christians feel that rules are rules and that rules from God should be obeyed. Many of these Christians have a fundamentalist approach to scripture, accepting that the Bible is literally the “word of God”. For these people the Divine Command Theory seems the best way round a moral problem. Philosophers such as Duns Scotus, William of Ockham and Rene Descartes followed this line of thinking.
This may also raise questions about the Euthyphro Dilemma.

Explain the strengths of Kant’s theory of ethics

Robin Myerscough — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 21:47:23 +0000

1.Strong set of moral principles that prohibit acts that would commonly be considered as wrong. Eg Theft, murder, violence, sex abuse etc.
Kant does not base his theory upon existing laws of God and does not refer to a power beyond the universe as a source of authority.
His system judges the act itself – deontological. He believed that humans seek the summum bonum and this led them to act correctly They act out of a sense of duty.
Explain about what Kant called the Categorical imperative.

2.They show respect for lifeInto all this Kant constructed three checks to ensure that actions were well motivated. These he called the three formulations of the categorical imperative.
Say what they are and what they mean.
Kant considered that people were important in themselves and should not be used as means to ends.

3.He makes the distinction between duty and inclination. We may be inclined to do what benefits us individually. But for Kant, morality is more than personal preference.
Kant would not have known about Situation ethics and the concept of agape. But he would never have agreed to such a nebulous term being used as a means of determining right from wrong. Nor would he have been impressed by Bentham’s insistence on happiness.

4.He argues against consequentialism. He disliked the idea that some suffering might be all right if it promoted happiness for the majority. Kant would say that you cannot promote happiness by undermining someone else’s happiness. The moral value of an action comes from its intrinsic worth. In other words he is against any system which tries to predict the future from uncertain consequences.
The difference between Kan’t’s deontological system and that of Aquinas is that Aquinas’ ideas are very fixed and based upon an understanding of God. Kant does not believe that humans can know anything about God but he does trust his own inclinations and his own sense of duty.

5.Humans have intrinsic worth. Humans can only ever be treated as ends in themselves. They must never be a means to an end. In this respect he was against exploitation or slavery. Equally so he would be against prostitution or child labour.
On the other hand though there are those who feel he would have been against stem cell research of genetic engineering.

Explain the concept of relativist morality.

Robin Myerscough — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 21:43:17 +0000

Subjective approach to morality which tries to predict the consequences of an action as a means of determining right and wrong.
In relativism there are no absolute rules.
Relativism clearly reflects opinion of the people concerned. If enough people think that a course of action is right and acceptable then it may well become the norm.

Example relationships Marriage versus living together.
50 years ago in the UK unmarried men and women would not have lived together
Today it is socially acceptable to have a partner of either sex.

Fixed ideas, definite principles such as the ten commandments or laws have no place in relativism.
Decisions about right and wrong may differ from one culture to another.
Example marriage in Europe is between one man and one woman, anything else is regarded as bigamy.
In Muslim countries one man may have up to three wives.
Under relativism, both of these decisions could be acceptable
This is an example of cultural relativism.

Ethical theories which reflect relativism

Utilitarianism
Bentham’s version of Utilitarianism is based in the principle of maximising happiness and avoiding pain.
Subject to certain safeguards now described as the Hedonic calculus. It is the assumed outcome of an action which determines whether the action is right or wrong

JS Mill had a variation of this which essentially is a relativist ethic. He felt that the outcome of some actions were more worthy than others and spoke of higher and lower principles. Even so these might be subject to change over a period of time.

Situation Ethics
Once again the outcome of the action is what determines whether something is right or wrong. Here the decision is based on agape and asks the question “What is the most loving thing to do?”
Situation Ethics was outlined by Joseph Fletcher an Anglican priest who was reacting against the rigid absolutist principles of Roman Catholicism.

New Guidelines on Assisted Suicide September 2009

Robin Myerscough — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 16:25:16 +0000

In response to the Law Lords’ ruling in the Debbie Purdy case. The Director of Public Prosecutions has now clarified the law on assisted dying.
Since 1961 it has not been agaisnt the law to commit suicide, but it has been against the law to assist a person to commit suicide. This has affected not only the actions of doctors and carers but also those who accompanied friends or relatives to the Dignitas Clinic in Zurich. To date over 100 people have travelled to the Dignitas clinic from the UK in order to end their lives. Invariably those who accompanied them on the journey have been questioned by Police on their return to this country. Despite this no one has yet been prosecuted for assisting in the death of a friend or relative.
In July of this year Debbie Purdy asked for a clarification of the existing law. She fears that one day she will have to travel to Switzerland to end her life and does not want her husband, jazz musician, Omar, to be questioned or arrested by the British Police for assisting her.

Keir Starmer, the Dirctor of Public Prosecutions has now published guideline for England and Wales. Key considerations spelled out in the guidelines include deciding whether someone is acting “on compassionate grounds”, whether the friend or relative assisting stands to financially benefit from the death and whether the person was in a fit enough state to make the decision to die.
Writing in a letter to The Telegraph ahead of the publication of the guidelines today, Mr Starmer said: “It is not easy and there are lots of factors that have to be taken into account.

“The basic approach we have taken is to try to bring some clarity, but at the same time to protect the vulnerable.”

Debbie Purdy

Robin Myerscough — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 16:02:45 +0000

Debbie Purdy was born in 1963. She is married to Omar Puente a Cuban Jazz musician. Origianlly from Bradford, Debbie Purdy has lived and worked in Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, Norway and the US, writing music, selling jewellery and working as a waitress and dancer. In 1995 she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

As the illness progresses Debbie Purdy admits that she is finding life more difficult. She wants to be able to choose the moment when she can end her life, but admits that she will not be able to do so without assistance. her intention is to one day go, accompanied by her husband to the Swiss suicide clinic Dignitas. However she is afraid that on Omar’s return to Britain he could be arrested and sent to jail for up to 14 years for assisting a person to commit suicide.

On 30th July 2009 Debbie Purdy won a landmark ruling. The Law Lords agreed that the Director of Public Prosecutions should draw up a policy that would spell out when prosecutions would and would not be pursued.

“I am eagerly awaiting the DPP’s policy publication so that we can make an informed decision to make sure what we do does not risk prosecution. I feel like I have my life back,” she said. “I want to live my life to the full, but I don’t want to suffer unnecessarily at the end of my life. This decision means that I can make an informed choice, with Omar, about whether he travels abroad with me to end my life because we will know exactly where we stand.”
Guardian Newspaper
Debbie Purdy profile
Situation on assisted suicide

Sir Edward & Lady Joan Downes

Robin Myerscough — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 10:51:37 +0000

Sir Edward Downes, a former conductor of the BBC Philharmonic orchestra and his wife Lady Joan Downes ended their lives together at the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland.
Sir Edward, who was 85, had become virtually blind and was deaf. His wife. Lady Joan, was suffering from cancer. She had been a ballet dancer and a choreographer.
Their deaths were announced by their children Caractacus and Boudicca “After 54 happy years together they decided to end their own lives rather than struggle with serious health problems.”
Police are investigating their deaths.
It is claimed that over 800 people in the UK are members of Dignitas and at least 115 have travelled to Switzerland to die.
Telegraph
Times
Sunday Observer

Craig Ewert & Sky Television

Robin Myerscough — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:19:22 +0000

Wednesday December 17th 2008

The case of Craig Ewert has pushed the debate about Assisted Suicide to new levels. He allowed his visit to the Dignitas Clinic in Switzerland, where he was helped to end his life, to be filmed. The film was shown on Sky Television on Wednesday 10th December 2008.
Television watchdogs expressed concern that the programme, Right to Die, shown on Sky Real Lives, would promote euthanasia.
Mr Ewert, who suffered from motor neurone disease (MND), was filmed as he passed away, comforted by Mary, his wife of 37 years, at the Dignitas clinic in Zurich in September 2006.
The screening of the documentary caused a great deal of controversy among the usual groups but on this occasion repercussions were felt even in the House of Commons.
At Prime Minister’s Question Time Gordon Brown made clear his own opposition to assisted suicide, saying: “I believe that it is necessary to ensure that there is never a case in this country where a sick or elderly person feels under pressure to agree to an assisted death or somehow feels it is the expected thing to do. That is why I have always opposed legislation for assisted deaths.’”
Information about the programme Telegraph

Ewert’s wife explains his hopes about the film. Telegraph

Comment on the programme Telegraph

Legacy Margo MacDonald a Scottish MP on the “right to die”. Telegraph.

Sunday Times on Assisted Suicide

No Prosecution for Daniel James’ parents over Assisted Suicide

Robin Myerscough — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:14:53 +0000

Wednesday December 17th 2008

At the same time as the Craig Ewert incident was being reported, news was released that the parents of Daniel James would not be prosecuted by the Crown Prosecution Service for accompanying their son to the Dignitas Clinic in September 2008. This was something of a landmark decision. Daniel was the only person from the UK who had chosen to end his life in this way even though his condition was not terminal.
Telegraph
Guardian
Mirror

Daniel James

Robin Myerscough — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:11:50 +0000

Sunday October 26th 2008

A rugby injury in March 2007 left a young man, Daniel James, paralysed for life. The student was left paralysed from the chest down after his spine was dislocated when a scrum collapsed during training with Nuneaton Rugby Club. Despite several operations and a period of convalescence at a private health clinic, Daniel’s condition failed to improve. He made several attempt to end his own life, but these failed. In accordance with his wishes he was taken by his parents to the Dignitas Clinic in Zurich, Switzerland, where his life was ended.
Daniel had been an enthusiastic rugby player. He had played for England Schoolboys and was not able to adapt to what he described as “a second-class existence”.
This incident seems to be unprecedented. It is the first time that a person from the UK has travelled to the Dignitas Clinic with a condition that was not essentially terminal.
Daniel’s story Times Newspapers
Sunday Times Comment
Guardian Mary Warnock
BBC BBC report on the Police enquiry.

Dr Anne Turner

Robin Myerscough — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:01:40 +0000

Thursday, January 26, 2006

Dr Anne Turner ends her own life

Dr Anne Turner aged 66 had been suffering from an incurable terminal brain disease called “progressive supranuclear palsy” (PSP).
She was a widow with three grown up children. Some years ago she watched her husband Jack die from a degenerative illness and was determined that she would not suffer the same fate.
She decided therefore to end her life in her own time. “Everyone” she said “has the right to die with dignity.”
Sadly for her the government, most doctors and leading churchmen in the UK do not agree and “Assisted Suicide” is illegal.
Dr Turner began discussions with an organization called Dignitas. In Switzerland assisted suicide is not illegal. Last Wednesday Dr Turner and her family made her final journey to Zurich.
In Zurich she was joined by a representative from Dignitas. The party went to an apartment where Dr Turner, still surrounded by her family, received a lethal dose of barbiturates. Within five minutes she was asleep and a few moments later she died.
On her final journey to Zurich Dr Turner was accompanied by members of the press who had been invited. She wished to publicize the plight of suffers of PSP and she hoped to influence those who have the power to alter the law on euthanasia.
Dignitas is an organization founded by a Swiss lawyer, Ludwig Minelli in 1998. Its aim is to help people with chronic terminal illnesses to die a quick and painless death.

British Press Links News Telegraph
Guardian Unlimited
The Independent
Times