preview

Smith And Jones Case Analysis

Decent Essays

Should a person with an incurable condition that is suffering be allowed to cease treatment and let die? The majority of people would answer yes, because allowing someone to die by natural causes is not seen as morally wrong however administrating a lethal injection to end suffering is seen as a cruel action and is considered inhumane. Letting someone die by not furthering treatment is called passive euthanasia, active euthanasia in contrast is consciously killing someone. But according to philosopher James Rachels, in “Active and Passive Euthanasia,” argues by using some examples, that both passive and active euthanasia should be weighed the same.
In the Smith and Jones case (Kaufman, 2010, p 131) Both Smith and Jones will receive a legacy if there six year old cousin was to die. Both men separately plan a way to kill the young boy so they can have their inheritance. In the first case Smith waits for his little cousin to take a bath, he creeps into the bathroom and drowns the little boy and then makes it seem as if it was only a mishap. In the second case Jones is planning to do the same thing as Smith did, but as he walks in the bathroom ready to drown his 6 year old cousin, the little boy slips and hits his head knocking himself …show more content…

Legally, Smith will face time in prison whereas Jones will not. But, in a moral point of view both men acted out of malicious intentions to acquire an inheritance. As far as euthanasia where doctors are involved their intentions in this practice are only humanitarian and not for personal gain. Whereas in the case of Smith and Jones their mindset was on the demise of the child even before the event of his imminent death. If you cannot find the distinction between killing and letting die convincing in the case of Smith and Jones than you should not find it valuable in the case of the doctors good intentions and

Get Access