Assignment task:
When regarding Religion, Ethics and its role in the democratic public sphere, there are a number of public issues that are affected by our religious views. One such issue is Euthanasia, the termination of a very sick person's life, to end their suffering. Euthanasia raises a number of agonizing moral dilemmas. Using knowledge of ethics respond to the following:
Is it ever right to end the life of a terminally ill patient who is undergoing severe pain and suffering? Under what circumstances can euthanasia be justifiable, if at all?
Most religions suggest that taking a life under any circumstances is unacceptable.
Richard Rorty, has argued that harm is done when people use religion to excuse cruelty. Is euthanasia a case of using religion to excuse the cruelty involved in keeping a suffering person alive? Please explain.
Rorty suggests that as citizens of a democracy, we should try to put off invoking conversation-stoppers as long as possible. Give an example where a statement about Euthanasia that is a conversation-stopper can be changed into one that keeps the conversation going.