Question

PHI 201: Introduction to Ethics: Case Analysis Assignment Please analyze this case through the following ethical theories: · Egoism · Utilitarianism · Natural Law Theory · Kant’s Categorical Imperative · Rawls’ Max-Min Principle of Justice as Fairness Case: John, a 32 year-old lawyer, had worried for several years about developing Huntington's chorea, a neurological disorder that appears in a person's 30s or 40s, resulting in uncontrollable twitching and contractions and progressive, irreversible dementia. It typically leads to death in about 10 years. John's mother died from this disease. Huntington's is autosomal dominant and children of an affected person have a 50% chance of inheriting the condition. John had indicated to many people that he would prefer to die rather than endure the progression of the illness. He was anxious, drank heavily, and had intermittent depression, for which he saw a psychiatrist. Nevertheless, he was a productive lawyer. John first noticed facial twitching 3 months ago, and 2 neurologists independently confirmed a diagnosis of Huntington's. He explained his situation to his psychiatrist and requested help committing suicide. When the psychiatrist refused, John reassured him that he did not plan to attempt suicide any time soon. But when he went home, he ingested all his antidepressant medicine after pinning a note to his shirt to explain his actions and to refuse any medical assistance that might be offered. His wife, who did not yet know about his diagnosis, found him unconscious and rushed him to the emergency room without removing the note. How much weight should John’s preferences (especially his attempt to end his life) carry in managing his emergency and subsequent clinical care? Review of Topics: Medical Indications There are 2 diagnoses/prognoses that merit consideration. The underlying chronic disease of Huntington's is incurable and symptoms progress with a bleak long term prognosis. However, there are effective treatments available for the acute diagnosis of drug overdose including gastric lavage (pumping his stomach), emetics, antidotes, and/or activated charcoal (to prevent undigested drugs from entering his blood

Answer 1

From the position of ethical egoism, which puts a moral agent's self-interest in a frontal plane as each of us is the best suited to make decisions about our life as we know or individual needs and desires better than anyone.

According to this theory, John should be allowed to commit suicide and not be revived, as it was his well thought out decision to end his life because of his incurable degenerative illness.

If we look at a utilitarian approach to analyses the situation, the needs of all of those involved should be considered as equal and the decision to revive him or not should be based in that vision. Taking this into account, John should be revived as he is a husband, a successful lawyer who serves many people and a patient amongst many other things, so allowing him to commit suicide would go against utilitarian principles.

Natural Law Theory argues that human behaviour is derivate from human nature and how humans function in the world. As such, if John’s decision was to commit suicide and he asked not to be revived, he should not be, as Natural law Theory even considers assisted suicide as a right.
Kant’s universal laws which he named categorical imperative set the rule to follow pure moral principles when making a decision.

If we take into consideration how Kant used the suicide maxim as an example of this theory and justified its immorality by saying that destroying life is contradictory to nature, John should be revived.

Rawls’ Max-Min Principle of Justice as Fairness considers justice to be comprised of liberty and equality and when making a decision we should consider the worst and best possible outcomes before choosing. If Johns decease is will bring him suffering for the rest of his life and that’s the worst possible outcome for him, he is in his own right to do as he pleases with his life and should not be revived, as per his wishes.