Here is an answer written in the actual June 2018 exam that secured full marks. I have added comments to demonstrate what is good and not so good about this answer. You don’t have to write a perfect answer to gain full marks. Read my comments in italics and see if you agree. PB
Natural Law is a religious ethical theory that puts reason at the centre of moral thought and decisions. Euthanasia is a modern practice where a person/persons can be killed on their own terms, whether passively (switching of a life machine) or actively (lethal injection). In terms of the practices of euthanasia and whether it should be accepted, natural law is of no help and instead situation ethics should be adopted to the issue of euthanasia.
There are a number of good things about this opening paragraph: it has a clear thesis – situation ethics is to be preferred, although the candidate might have briefly hinted as to why. The opening emphasises reason, a point many candidates miss. And there is a clear definition of two types of euthanasia, with good issue of brackets for economy. Ia m not sure that euthanasia itself is an issue – there are issues involved in the moral debate such as slippery slope arguments or sanctity of life arguments. These might also have been hinted at rather than taking a broad approach.
Euthanasia is being widely adopted in modern western cultures as secularism is becoming more popular. There is more emphasis being placed on the quality of life rather then sanctity of life. Natural Law theory places special emphasis on the sanctity of life arguing that only God should have the power to take away a life.
Natural Law is an ancient theory deriving from the Greeks and particularly Aristotle. Aquinas took Aristotle and attempted to reconcile his theory of ethics with Christianity. So what the candidate is talking about here is Aquinas’ version of natural law which has been a dominant moral theory in the west, as it informs the moral theology of the Catholic Church. Note the synoptic link to the Christian Thought paper and secularism.
Natural Law is focused on the primary precepts and upholding its main components; worship God, live in an ordered society, reproduce, to learn and to defend the innocent. Euthanasia goes against possibly three of these primary precepts, and is therefore forbidden under natural law. The secondary precepts would argue that euthanasia is wrong as it goes against the precepts of defending the innocent. Killing someone voluntarily or non-voluntarily and worshipping God as only God should be able to take life away. In a period where quality of life is emphasised, natural law is incompatible with modern culture. Natural Law upholds the sanctity of life and any practice taking away life is wrong – in a society which allows this natural law is outdated. Aquinas lived when the church dominated society and culture and now the church and state are separate, showing now natural law should be adapted.
Aquinas finally gets a mention. The word ‘adapted’ is interesting as secondary precepts are meant to be adaptable, so Aquinas argues. Secondary precepts are ‘proximate conclusions of reason’. The candidate hasn’t really explored the tantalising hint in the first paragraph that natural law is a theory of human reason. I like the mention of three precepts here: for example, candidates often miss the implications that might exist for an ordered society if euthanasia was adopted (rise in court cases for example as relatives argue about whether passive euthanasia should be applied!).
Natural law also prohibits euthanasia on the grounds of real and apparent goods. Killing someone passively is an apparent good because it does not achieve long-term gratification as the person would be dead. However this view can be criticised as a person’s suffering would be cut shirt so best for the long-term – there is no more suffering. Many agree with natural law also b saying that euthanasia sets a dangerous precedent and makes a possibility of a ‘slippery slope’ when killing becomes natural. This is against human nature.
There seems to be a misunderstanding here about what a real and apparent good is. According to Aquinas, we cannot willingly and rationally do evil because we are by nature orientated towards the good. So if we objectively do evil it is because we subjectively believe through a defect of our reason that we are actually doing good. Because of a lack of clarity this paragraph doesn’t take the argument forward and could easily have been deleted in its entirety.
kylesophiaquiao
Natural Law is a religious ethical theory that puts reason at the centre of moral thought and decisions. Euthanasia is a modern practice where a person/persons can be killed on their own terms, whether passively (switching of a life machine) or actively (lethal injection). In terms of the practices of euthanasia and whether it should be accepted, natural law is of no help and instead situation ethics should be adopted to the issue of euthanasia.
Answers & Comments
Answer:
Here is an answer written in the actual June 2018 exam that secured full marks. I have added comments to demonstrate what is good and not so good about this answer. You don’t have to write a perfect answer to gain full marks. Read my comments in italics and see if you agree. PB
Natural Law is a religious ethical theory that puts reason at the centre of moral thought and decisions. Euthanasia is a modern practice where a person/persons can be killed on their own terms, whether passively (switching of a life machine) or actively (lethal injection). In terms of the practices of euthanasia and whether it should be accepted, natural law is of no help and instead situation ethics should be adopted to the issue of euthanasia.
There are a number of good things about this opening paragraph: it has a clear thesis – situation ethics is to be preferred, although the candidate might have briefly hinted as to why. The opening emphasises reason, a point many candidates miss. And there is a clear definition of two types of euthanasia, with good issue of brackets for economy. Ia m not sure that euthanasia itself is an issue – there are issues involved in the moral debate such as slippery slope arguments or sanctity of life arguments. These might also have been hinted at rather than taking a broad approach.
Euthanasia is being widely adopted in modern western cultures as secularism is becoming more popular. There is more emphasis being placed on the quality of life rather then sanctity of life. Natural Law theory places special emphasis on the sanctity of life arguing that only God should have the power to take away a life.
Natural Law is an ancient theory deriving from the Greeks and particularly Aristotle. Aquinas took Aristotle and attempted to reconcile his theory of ethics with Christianity. So what the candidate is talking about here is Aquinas’ version of natural law which has been a dominant moral theory in the west, as it informs the moral theology of the Catholic Church. Note the synoptic link to the Christian Thought paper and secularism.
Natural Law is focused on the primary precepts and upholding its main components; worship God, live in an ordered society, reproduce, to learn and to defend the innocent. Euthanasia goes against possibly three of these primary precepts, and is therefore forbidden under natural law. The secondary precepts would argue that euthanasia is wrong as it goes against the precepts of defending the innocent. Killing someone voluntarily or non-voluntarily and worshipping God as only God should be able to take life away. In a period where quality of life is emphasised, natural law is incompatible with modern culture. Natural Law upholds the sanctity of life and any practice taking away life is wrong – in a society which allows this natural law is outdated. Aquinas lived when the church dominated society and culture and now the church and state are separate, showing now natural law should be adapted.
Aquinas finally gets a mention. The word ‘adapted’ is interesting as secondary precepts are meant to be adaptable, so Aquinas argues. Secondary precepts are ‘proximate conclusions of reason’. The candidate hasn’t really explored the tantalising hint in the first paragraph that natural law is a theory of human reason. I like the mention of three precepts here: for example, candidates often miss the implications that might exist for an ordered society if euthanasia was adopted (rise in court cases for example as relatives argue about whether passive euthanasia should be applied!).
Natural law also prohibits euthanasia on the grounds of real and apparent goods. Killing someone passively is an apparent good because it does not achieve long-term gratification as the person would be dead. However this view can be criticised as a person’s suffering would be cut shirt so best for the long-term – there is no more suffering. Many agree with natural law also b saying that euthanasia sets a dangerous precedent and makes a possibility of a ‘slippery slope’ when killing becomes natural. This is against human nature.
There seems to be a misunderstanding here about what a real and apparent good is. According to Aquinas, we cannot willingly and rationally do evil because we are by nature orientated towards the good. So if we objectively do evil it is because we subjectively believe through a defect of our reason that we are actually doing good. Because of a lack of clarity this paragraph doesn’t take the argument forward and could easily have been deleted in its entirety.
Explanation:
Hope it helps and happy to help everyone
#Carry on learning