Euthanasia: A Persons-In-Relations Perspective
by David Treanor
The demographic
profile of many western democratic nations has altered significantly and trends
that have emerged in Australia are a pertinent example of the life expectancy
of the ordinary person. Death is a universal human experience regardless of our
longevity and at some point in time any person may receive a diagnosis of a
terminal illness regardless of their capabilities, gender, ethnicity,
chronological age or geographical location. What occurs for a person when s/he
receives a diagnosis of a terminal illness? It might depend upon the nature of
the diagnosis and how much pain and suffering the person might experience, it
might depend upon the advice of medical professionals, of our views of death
and belief or indeed what health care resources are available and if they are
available to the person.
One aspect of our lives that might be capable of competing with this
all-pervasive information is our philiai.
This chapter explores the persons-in-relation personalism of John Macmurray
through an end of life narrative that challenges the preference utilitarian’s
focus on interest orientated decision-making emphasising instead humanness, philia and value as more important
criteria. A phenomenological hermeneutic approach is taken to challenge
contemporary thinking around issues of humanness and value. It focuses on two
key characteristics of philia –
goodwill and reciprocity and exams their symbiotic interaction with virtues
like: generosity, graciousness, gentleness and kindness as an alternative
portrait to humanness. This chapter concludes by suggesting the dimension that
most appropriately gives value to a human life is the sphere of personal
relations: how we mutually care, regard, interact with each other, where people
belong, contribute and flourish as a human community.
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