End of Life (WJEC Eduqas GCSE Religious Studies): Revision Note

Sanctity and quality of life

• The sanctity of life is the belief that all human life is sacred because it comes from God

  • Life should always be valued and protected, no matter its condition or circumstances

• The quality of life refers to how far a person can live with comfort, dignity and happiness

• Quality of life measures how worthwhile life is for an individual, rather than seeing all life as automatically sacred

  • A good quality of life usually means that someone experiences more happiness and freedom than pain or suffering

  • A poor quality of life is when pain, distress or lack of control outweigh the positive aspects of life

• It is difficult to measure quality of life because everyone experiences pain, happiness and satisfaction differently

• Doctors and scientists sometimes use “quality of life indicators” to help assess a person’s well-being

• These might include:

  • Levels of pain or suffering

  • The ability to move, eat or care for oneself

  • Mental health and emotional well-being

  • Opportunities for social contact and enjoyment

• People may consider quality of life when discussing moral issues, such as abortion or euthanasia

  • They might think that someone’s quality of life is more important than simply being alive

  • If a person is suffering greatly, they might believe they should have the right to end that suffering

Peter Singer and the quality of life

• Peter Singer is a modern atheist philosopher who rejects the sanctity of life principle

  • He argues that life should be valued for its quality, not simply because it is human

• Singer believes that people should decide for themselves whether their life is worth continuing, especially if they are suffering

• He calls religious ideas about the sanctity of life outdated, since he does not believe humans are made in God’s image

• Singer also criticises speciesism, the belief that humans are more valuable than animals

  • He says what really matters is sentience, the ability to feel pain or pleasure

• The Catholic Church rejects Singer’s ideas, teaching that all human life is sacred and uniquely made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27)

What is euthanasia?

• Euthanasia, from the Greek eu (good) thanatos (death), literally means “good death” or “easy death”

• Euthanasia is the deliberate administering of life-ending medication by a third party to relieve suffering

  • It is sometimes known as “assisted dying” or “mercy killing”

• There are two main types of euthanasia

  • Voluntary euthanasia — when a person’s life is ended deliberately for them at their own request

  • Non-voluntary euthanasia — this is ending a person’s life deliberately and painlessly for them when they are unable to ask, but there are good reasons to think that this is what they would want

• Active euthanasia is a deliberate act by someone to end the life of another. For example, administering a lethal injection

  • This is illegal in the UK

• Passive euthanasia is when doctors decide to withdraw medical intervention or treatment from a person

• This occurs when the medical intervention is all that is keeping the person alive and medical professionals believe the person will not recover

  • These actions are known by medical professionals as non-treatment decisions

  • This is legal in certain cases

• Assisted suicide is when a person who is seriously ill takes their own life with the assistance of a third party

  • Assisted suicide is not euthanasia

• Both active euthanasia and assisted suicide are illegal in the UK

  • Helping someone to die can result in a prison sentence of up to 14 years under the Suicide Act (1961)

• Involuntary euthanasia is when someone is killed against their wishes, for example, during genocide or ethnic cleansing

  • This is illegal and condemned by all religions

The right to die

• The right to die is the belief that people should be free to choose when and how they die

  • This is especially true if a person is suffering from an incurable or painful illness

• Supporters say that forcing someone to stay alive when they are in constant pain or have lost all quality of life is cruel and denies their dignity and freedom

• People who might consider the right to die include people living with:

  • A terminal or degenerative disease, such as cancer or motor neurone disease

  • Severe, unmanageable pain

  • The loss of independence, communication or control over their bodies

• Supporters of the right to die believe that choosing to die peacefully can be an act of compassion and should be a personal right

• Some people make their wishes clear through a living will

  • This is a legal document explaining what medical treatment they would or would not want if they became unable to communicate

  • A do not resuscitate (DNR) order is one example

    • It tells doctors not to attempt to restart the heart or use artificial life support if there is no chance of recovery

  • These decisions are often made for quality-of-life reasons or because a person wishes to die naturally, without unnecessary medical intervention

• Although active euthanasia and assisted suicide remain illegal in the UK, each case is judged individually

• The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) may decide not to prosecute someone who helped another person to die if:

  • The person made a voluntary and informed choice, and

  • The helper acted wholly out of compassion

• The right to die raises difficult moral questions

  • Should personal freedom allow someone to end their own life?

  • Should life be protected at all costs because it is sacred?

• Many religious believers reject the right to die because it conflicts with the sanctity of life, the belief that only God has the authority to give and take life

Case studies: The right to die

• The famous British scientist Stephen Hawking (1942–2018) lived for decades with motor neurone disease

• Although Hawking chose to continue living and working, he supported open discussion about assisted dying

  • He questioned why society allows animals to be put out of suffering but not humans

  • Hawkins suggested that people should have the freedom to make that choice for themselves

• Daniel James (1985–2008) was a young rugby player who was paralysed from the neck down after a training accident

  • James lived in constant pain and depended on others for all his care 

  • Because he felt he had lost his independence and dignity, he chose to travel to the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland

    •  Assisted dying is legal in Switzerland

  • Daniel James died there aged 23 

    • His parents supported his decision

    • They were investigated by UK authorities but not prosecuted

Concerns and ethical challenges

• Opponents of the right to die argue that legalising euthanasia could lead to serious risks

• Some people fear that vulnerable people might feel pressured to end their lives to avoid being a burden

  • This is known as the “slippery slope” argument: practices that are currently seen as unacceptable (voluntary euthanasia) will, over time, become acceptable and could lead to worse practices (involuntary euthanasia) in the future

  • Therefore, some people believe it is important not to take the first step

• Other people worry that it could undermine trust in doctors or reduce motivation to improve end-of-life care

• High-profile cases such as that of Dr Harold Shipman, a British doctor convicted of murdering his patients, highlight the potential danger of giving medical professionals power over life and death

• Many people who oppose euthanasia instead support hospices and palliative care

  • This allows patients to die with dignity while respecting the sanctity of life