Lecture IXLecture IX

Euthanasia:Euthanasia: Spiritual and Spiritual and

Religious Religious PerspectivesPerspectives

definition of euthanasia definition of euthanasia

“ “the killing of those who are the killing of those who are incurablyincurably ill and in great pain or ill and in great pain or distressdistress in order to spare them in order to spare them further suffering.” (Peter Singer, further suffering.” (Peter Singer, 1979, p.127) 1979, p.127)

Convergence of philosophy and Convergence of philosophy and medicinemedicine

Growing Medicalization of LifeGrowing Medicalization of Life-- are these medical conditions?-- are these medical conditions?

Aging Aging Gray or white hair Gray or white hair Bags under eyesBags under eyes Baldness Baldness Jet lag Jet lag Road rage Road rage Big ears Big ears Pregnancy Pregnancy

Cellulite Cellulite Freckles Freckles Childbirth Childbirth Ugliness Ugliness HangoverHangover Loneliness Loneliness Boredom Boredom UnhappinessUnhappiness

British Medical Journal

http://www.ardms.org/newswire/09202004/09202004.htm#sick

Pain and SufferingPain and Suffering-- Spiritual and Religious -- Spiritual and Religious

PerspectivesPerspectives Christianity on Christianity on

sufferingsuffering John Hick, John Hick,

Philosophy of Philosophy of ReligionReligion, 1973, , 1973, pp.41-42pp.41-42

Suppose, this world were a Suppose, this world were a hedonistic paradisehedonistic paradise

All possibility of pain and suffering All possibility of pain and suffering were excluded.were excluded.

Consequences?Consequences?

No one could ever injure anyone No one could ever injure anyone elseelse

Murderer’s knife Murderer’s knife paper paperHis bullets His bullets thin air thin airThe bank safe, robbed of a million The bank safe, robbed of a million

dollars, would miraculously become dollars, would miraculously become filled with another million dollars (yet filled with another million dollars (yet would not lead to inflation)would not lead to inflation)

Fraud, deceit, conspiracy, and treason Fraud, deceit, conspiracy, and treason would somehow always leave the would somehow always leave the fabric of society undamagedfabric of society undamaged

No one would ever be injured by No one would ever be injured by accidentaccident

The mountain climber or playing The mountain climber or playing child falling from a height would float child falling from a height would float unharmed to the groundunharmed to the ground

The reckless driver would never meet The reckless driver would never meet with disasterwith disaster

No need to workNo need to work

No harm could result from avoiding No harm could result from avoiding workwork

No call to be concerned for No call to be concerned for others in time of need or dangerothers in time of need or dangerThis is because in such a world there This is because in such a world there

could be no real needs or dangerscould be no real needs or dangers

Laws of nature would have to be Laws of nature would have to be extremely flexibleextremely flexible

Sometimes gravity would operate, Sometimes gravity would operate, sometimes notsometimes not

Sometimes an object would be hard Sometimes an object would be hard and solid, sometimes softand solid, sometimes soft

There could be no sciences, for there There could be no sciences, for there would be no enduring world structure would be no enduring world structure to investigateto investigate

Our present ethical concepts Our present ethical concepts would have no meaning in itwould have no meaning in it

No possibility of harming someone No possibility of harming someone no wrong action no wrong action no right action in no right action in distinction from wrongdistinction from wrong

CourageCourage or or fortitudefortitude would have no would have no point in an environment in which point in an environment in which there is, by definition, no danger or there is, by definition, no danger or difficultydifficulty

GenerosityGenerosity, , kindnesskindness, , unselfishnessunselfishness, , etc., could not be formedetc., could not be formed

Such a world, however well it might Such a world, however well it might promote pleasure or minimize pain, promote pleasure or minimize pain, would be very ill adapted for the would be very ill adapted for the development of the moral qualities of development of the moral qualities of human personalityhuman personality

““It would seem, then, an environment It would seem, then, an environment intended to make possible the intended to make possible the growth in free beings of the finest growth in free beings of the finest characteristics of personal life must characteristics of personal life must have a good deal in common with have a good deal in common with our present world. It must operate our present world. It must operate according to general and dependable according to general and dependable laws; and laws; and it must involve real it must involve real dangers, difficulties, problems, dangers, difficulties, problems, obstacles, and possibilities of pain, obstacles, and possibilities of pain, failure, sorrow, frustration, and failure, sorrow, frustration, and defeatdefeat.” .”

““It is to understand that this world, It is to understand that this world, with all its ‘heartaches and the with all its ‘heartaches and the thousand natural shocks that flesh is thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to,’ heir to,’ an environment so an environment so manifestly not designed for the manifestly not designed for the maximization of human pleasure and maximization of human pleasure and the minimization of human painthe minimization of human pain, may , may nevertheless be rather well adapted nevertheless be rather well adapted to the quite different purpose of ‘to the quite different purpose of ‘soul soul makingmaking’.” (p.42)’.” (p.42)

““tragedy, though truly tragic, may tragedy, though truly tragic, may nevertheless be turned, through a nevertheless be turned, through a man’s man’s reactionreaction to it, from a cause of to it, from a cause of despair and alienation from God to a despair and alienation from God to a stage in the fulfillment of God’s loving stage in the fulfillment of God’s loving purpose for that individual.” (p.42)purpose for that individual.” (p.42)

““so the Christian response to calamity so the Christian response to calamity is to accept the adversities, pains, is to accept the adversities, pains, and afflictions which life brings, in and afflictions which life brings, in order that they can be order that they can be turnedturned to a to a positive spiritual use.” (p.43)positive spiritual use.” (p.43)

A sparring partnerA sparring partner

““No pain, no gain.”No pain, no gain.” (English Proverb)(English Proverb)

““Learn without pain”? Learn without pain”? 無痛學習法 無痛學習法 vs.vs. 苦讀、苦練、勤苦讀、苦練、勤

苦苦良藥苦口良藥苦口吃得苦中苦吃得苦中苦 , , 方為人上人 方為人上人 苦盡甘來苦盡甘來

Buddhism on sufferingBuddhism on suffering

四聖諦 四聖諦 八苦 八苦 十二因缘十二因缘 Suffering motivates us to seek nirvana Suffering motivates us to seek nirvana

孟子孟子故天將降大任於是人也，必先若其心志，故天將降大任於是人也，必先若其心志，

勞其筋骨，餓其體膚，空乏其身，行勞其筋骨，餓其體膚，空乏其身，行拂亂其所為，所以動心忍性，曾益其拂亂其所為，所以動心忍性，曾益其所不能。人恒過，然後能改；困于心，所不能。人恒過，然後能改；困于心，衡於慮，而後作；徵于色，發於聲，衡於慮，而後作；徵于色，發於聲，而後喻。入則無法家拂士，出則無敵而後喻。入則無法家拂士，出則無敵國外患者，國恒亡。然後知國外患者，國恒亡。然後知生於憂患生於憂患，，而而死于安樂死于安樂也也。。 ((孟子孟子··告子下告子下 ))

「「外體外體雖然毀壞，雖然毀壞，內心內心卻一天新似卻一天新似一天。」（林後一天。」（林後4:164:16 ））雖然我們外在的身軀漸漸衰敗，我們內在的生命卻日日更新。（現代中文譯本）

““Once you learn how to die, you Once you learn how to die, you learn how to live.”learn how to live.”

Lessons of “Gattaca”Lessons of “Gattaca”Proper Perspectives in the Genetic Proper Perspectives in the Genetic

AgeAgeGenetic determinism is wrongGenetic determinism is wrongThe The triumph of the human spirittriumph of the human spirit in in

those who are genetically “inferior”those who are genetically “inferior”What is lacking in Nature is more than What is lacking in Nature is more than

made up for by sufficient Nurturemade up for by sufficient Nurture““There is no gene for the human spirit”There is no gene for the human spirit”

Physical health is certainly not a Physical health is certainly not a sufficientsufficient condition for a good life; it condition for a good life; it might not even be a might not even be a necessarynecessary condition for a good life.condition for a good life.

There should not be prejudice There should not be prejudice against the “unhealthy”against the “unhealthy”

Brett EastbumBrett Eastbum born without arms and born without arms and

legs. legs. One would think this One would think this

would restrict Brett's life would restrict Brett's life greatly. Brett apparently greatly. Brett apparently doesn't realize this. doesn't realize this. (Maybe he doesn't know (Maybe he doesn't know he's supposed to have he's supposed to have arms and legs). arms and legs).

The words, "The words, "I can'tI can't", are not in Brett's ", are not in Brett's vocabulary. vocabulary.

If there is anything he has not yet If there is anything he has not yet accomplished, it's only because he has not accomplished, it's only because he has not yet tried. yet tried.

This is evidenced by the fact he is an This is evidenced by the fact he is an accomplished swimmer, has played accomplished swimmer, has played basketball, has played baseball, has played basketball, has played baseball, has played football, and is currently a member of his high football, and is currently a member of his high school varsity wrestling team. He also placed school varsity wrestling team. He also placed 4th in the AAU (Amateur Athletic Union), 4th in the AAU (Amateur Athletic Union), national wrestling competition in 1988. national wrestling competition in 1988.

In addition to his athletic accomplishments, In addition to his athletic accomplishments, he is a talented artist. he is a talented artist.

Brett was born with no arms and Brett was born with no arms and no legs, but more importantly, he no legs, but more importantly, he truly believes that he was also truly believes that he was also born with no handicaps! born with no handicaps!

Brett believes you're a success Brett believes you're a success only if you choose to be. only if you choose to be.

He also believes you are He also believes you are handicapped only if you allow handicapped only if you allow yourself to be. yourself to be.

Brett considers his body a very Brett considers his body a very special gift to be used to inspire special gift to be used to inspire others to be the best they can be!others to be the best they can be!