Lecture IX

1. Lecture IX Euthanasia: Spiritual and Religious Perspectives

2. definition of euthanasia • “the killing of those who are incurably ill and in great pain or distress in order to spare them further suffering.” (Peter Singer, 1979, p.127) • Convergence of philosophy and medicine

3. maximize Pleasure Minimize pain

4. Aging Gray or white hair Bags under eyes Baldness Jet lag Road rage Big ears Pregnancy Cellulite Freckles Childbirth Ugliness Hangover Loneliness Boredom Unhappiness Growing Medicalization of Life-- are these medical conditions? British Medical Journal http://www.ardms.org/newswire/09202004/09202004.htm#sick

5. Pain and Suffering-- Spiritual and Religious Perspectives • Christianity on suffering • John Hick, Philosophy of Religion, 1973, pp.41-42

6. Suppose, this world were a hedonistic paradise • All possibility of pain and suffering were excluded. • Consequences?

7. No one could ever injure anyone else • Murderer’s knife  paper • His bullets  thin air • The bank safe, robbed of a million dollars, would miraculously become filled with another million dollars (yet would not lead to inflation) • Fraud, deceit, conspiracy, and treason would somehow always leave the fabric of society undamaged

8. No one would ever be injured by accident • The mountain climber or playing child falling from a height would float unharmed to the ground • The reckless driver would never meet with disaster

9. No need to work • No harm could result from avoiding work

10. No call to be concerned for others in time of need or danger • This is because in such a world there could be no real needs or dangers

11. Laws of nature would have to be extremely flexible • Sometimes gravity would operate, sometimes not • Sometimes an object would be hard and solid, sometimes soft • There could be no sciences, for there would be no enduring world structure to investigate

12. Our present ethical concepts would have no meaning in it • No possibility of harming someone  no wrong action  no right action in distinction from wrong • Courage or fortitude would have no point in an environment in which there is, by definition, no danger or difficulty • Generosity, kindness, unselfishness, etc., could not be formed

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

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

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

16. “tragedy, though truly tragic, may nevertheless be turned, through a man’s reaction to it, from a cause of despair and alienation from God to a stage in the fulfillment of God’s loving purpose for that individual.” (p.42) • “so the Christian response to calamity is to accept the adversities, pains, and afflictions which life brings, in order that they can be turned to a positive spiritual use.” (p.43)

17. A sparring partner

19. “No pain, no gain.”(English Proverb) • “Learn without pain”? • 無痛學習法 vs.苦讀、苦練、勤苦 • 良藥苦口 • 吃得苦中苦, 方為人上人 • 苦盡甘來

24. Buddhism on suffering • 四聖諦 • 八苦 • 十二因缘 • Suffering motivates us to seek nirvana

25. 孟子 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，衡於慮，而後作；徵于色，發於聲，而後喻。入則無法家拂士，出則無敵國外患者，國恒亡。然後知生於憂患，而死于安樂也。(孟子·告子下)

26. 「外體雖然毀壞，內心卻一天新似一天。」（林後4:16）「外體雖然毀壞，內心卻一天新似一天。」（林後4:16） 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）

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

30. Lessons of “Gattaca” Proper Perspectives in the Genetic Age • Genetic determinism is wrong • The triumph of the human spirit in those who are genetically “inferior” • What is lacking in Nature is more than made up for by sufficient Nurture • “There is no gene for the human spirit”

31. Physical health is certainly not a sufficient condition for a good life; it might not even be a necessary condition for a good life. • There should not be prejudice against the “unhealthy”

32. Brett Eastbum • born without arms and legs. • One would think this would restrict Brett's life greatly. Brett apparently doesn't realize this. (Maybe he doesn't know he's supposed to have arms and legs).

33. The words, "I can't", are not in Brett's vocabulary. • If there is anything he has not yet accomplished, it's only because he has not yet tried. • This is evidenced by the fact he is an accomplished swimmer, has played basketball, has played baseball, has played football, and is currently a member of his high school varsity wrestling team. He also placed 4th in the AAU (Amateur Athletic Union), national wrestling competition in 1988. • In addition to his athletic accomplishments, he is a talented artist.

35. Brett was born with no arms and no legs, but more importantly, he truly believes that he was also born with no handicaps! • Brett believes you're a success only if you choose to be. • He also believes you are handicapped only if you allow yourself to be. • Brett considers his body a very special gift to be used to inspire others to be the best they can be!