Robert Latimer

An analysis of the morality of the actions of Robert Latimer, the farmer who actively euthanized his cerebral palsied daughter.

1,241 words () | 1 source | APA | 2009 United States

Paper Summary:

Robert Latimer actively euthanized his daughter when she was twelve years old by placing her in his truck and allowing the deadly carbon monoxide fumes to envelop her, which killed her. This paper discusses how his actions were no different, by any moral or philosophical view, than a relative pulling the plug (or feeding tube) that sustained a suffering patient who had not expressed his or her will to remain alive. The paper attempts to understand Latimer's action by looking at the outcome (for the utilitarian view) or the intention (for the deontological view) and contends that neither of those were simply death. The paper concludes that this case of active euthanasia is morally permissible.

Outline:
The Utilitarian View
The Deontological View
Objections from the Utilitarian View
Objections from the Deontological View

From the Paper:

"A utilitarian view certainly allows for suicide, if the suffering is greater than the overall value of the life in question. Assisted suicide (and active euthanasia) may be regarded by utilitarians as superior to prolonging one's life of pain, and it is almost certainly better than passive euthanasia by this view. Passive euthanasia, which is legally better, as there is no "action" of killing (but rather an inaction which leads to death), will generally have much more pain and suffering as someone starves to death or is debilitated further until their death. Active euthanasia gets around this, and minimizes the pain and suffering that would be at least somewhat prolonged by sustaining a life of suffering, or prolonging it for some time by passively allowing someone to die. "