Summary Of End Of Life By James Rachels
What is Morality.
James Rachels is a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Alabama and author of several books dating back to his first book End of Life: Euthanasia and Morality(1986). In Rachels essay “What is Morality- The Elements of Moral Philosophy”, Rachels believes that “minimum conception”(14) of morality is, at the very least, the effort to guide one’s conduct by reason while considering others who will be affected by it as well. This “minimum conception”(Rachels,1) he urges, is a core every moral theory should have. Rachels illustrates some recent moral controversies, all having to do with handicapped children, to teach us about morality from our consideration of these examples. Even though Rachels seems to be cherry picking his controversies, it works out well enough to attract the audience’s attention since it comprises of sensitive issues that most will be able to feel connected to.
Rachels …show more content…
He was given a lenient sentence by the trial court, which was opposed by many handicapped people who believed it was an act of discrimination. Rachels argues that “some circumstances can allow the handicapped to be treated differently”(9). Mr. Latimer, the father of the victim, urged that he did what he had to as an act of mercy to end all the suffering she went through during and after her surgeries. Eventually the Supreme Court of Canada stepped in and imposed a 25 year mandatory sentence. The sentence was backed up by the ideal that if we accept any sort of mercy killing, we will have stepped onto a slippery slope in which all life will be held cheap. Rachels refuses this ideal by stating when the future is unknown, it can be difficult to determine whether such an argument is sound. It’s because this kind of ideal can be easily abused; somebody opposing something without a good reason could easily make up implausible
James Rachels is a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Alabama and author of several books dating back to his first book End of Life: Euthanasia and Morality(1986). In Rachels essay “What is Morality- The Elements of Moral Philosophy”, Rachels believes that “minimum conception”(14) of morality is, at the very least, the effort to guide one’s conduct by reason while considering others who will be affected by it as well. This “minimum conception”(Rachels,1) he urges, is a core every moral theory should have. Rachels illustrates some recent moral controversies, all having to do with handicapped children, to teach us about morality from our consideration of these examples. Even though Rachels seems to be cherry picking his controversies, it works out well enough to attract the audience’s attention since it comprises of sensitive issues that most will be able to feel connected to.
Rachels …show more content…
He was given a lenient sentence by the trial court, which was opposed by many handicapped people who believed it was an act of discrimination. Rachels argues that “some circumstances can allow the handicapped to be treated differently”(9). Mr. Latimer, the father of the victim, urged that he did what he had to as an act of mercy to end all the suffering she went through during and after her surgeries. Eventually the Supreme Court of Canada stepped in and imposed a 25 year mandatory sentence. The sentence was backed up by the ideal that if we accept any sort of mercy killing, we will have stepped onto a slippery slope in which all life will be held cheap. Rachels refuses this ideal by stating when the future is unknown, it can be difficult to determine whether such an argument is sound. It’s because this kind of ideal can be easily abused; somebody opposing something without a good reason could easily make up implausible