Mercy Killing: Life Saving?
You might wonder how can mercy killing save life when it's initially killing one. Well, a moral dilemma has aroused as soon as 2-week-old Siamese twins named Jodie and Mary needed to undergo a trial. One has to be killed in order to save the other. The question is, "Is it morally right?".
In this discussion, we will be using Scott Rae's 7-Step Moral Reasoning as a means to analyse wether mercy killing is the right way to save an innocent life. I still haven't discussed this kind of tool in knowing what's the best decision to make amidst a moral dilemma to you yet, but you'll somehow understand later how this effectively works.
FACTS
On August 8, 2000, a transfer magnetic resonance imaging have shown significant problems with the pregnancy of a woman.
She has a 2-week-old Siamese twins named Jodie and Mary who were ischiopagus tetrapus conjoined twins linked at the pelvis with fused spines and spinal cords, with four legs. Jodie is healthier than Mary who was severely abnormal.
A British judge named Robert Johnson ruled that the conjoined twins should be separated despite a greater possibility that one might die during the process with all the doctors support about the decision but the parents opposed.
The parents are both devoted religious people which made them believed that their daughters' destiny must remain in God's hands and they could not agree to a procedure that would result in the death of one of their children for the survival of the other.
The parents raised the question, "If everyone has a right to live, how they sanction the killing of one of their daughters to enable the survival of the other, when both babies have the same rights to life?"
ETHICAL ISSUES
The competing interests in this controversial issue starts with those of the British judge, Mr. Robert Johnson as well as the doctors who will take on the procedure, and the parents who are responsible of the outcome no matter what. The judge and the doctors are looking at what's best for the twins since it is rare and in medical view, it is better to terminate Mary in order to save Jodie. She was only living a borrowed time, all of which was borrowed from Jodie. They won't last longer as well if left unseparated. Thus, even though the process of separating the two is indeed risky, they only wanted what would be beneficial for the twin.
On a different circumstance, every one has the right to live and that also applies with Jodie and Mary who are still innocent and pure. Their parents believed that the process is very unreasonable because only God has the right to judge the destiny of the two. It implies an extreme immorality to kill one of them in order to save the other. The conflict could be summarized by the need to terminate Mary's life to save Jodie versus their rights to life.
PRINCIPLES BEARING ON THE CASE
The ethical standards that apply to this instance are derived from the way the ethical issue is expressed. This case revolves around the medical judgment of Robert Johnson with all the doctors' support and conflict of rights to life which includes justice and fairness from the parents towards the situation of the twins Jodie and Mary.
Firstly, the medical standard of the conjoined twins is either surgical separation or maintaining the best possible comfort and quality of life if separation is not attempted or possible. Mary and Jodie's case is not applicable for the given option given that Mary has severe complications. She was not capable of independent survival. Annas in a 1987 essay described the prospects for this category of twins as nearly “hopeless”. At that time, if left attached, no twins with conjoined hearts survived for longer than nine months. The doctors are only giving the one who is more likely to survive the chance to be free as well as experience a normal life that mostly are enjoying. For Judge Robert Johnson, the unseparation would make the two remain in a pitiable state. The few remaining months of life “would not simply be worth nothing to her. They would be hurtful."
On the other hand, killing is an extreme sin and disobedience to God. In the Old Testament, it is God's law even here on earth nowadays. The prohibition to kill is part of the 10 commandments which Jesus Christ strengthened in the New Testament through loving your neighbors as you love yourself. Love speaks for it, thus, terminating the life of the other just to save the other one is shameful and immoral. Only God has the right take one's life whoever it is especially your own. Parents cannot also put their children in jeopardy, thus, they surrender them to God and leave their destiny to Him.
ALTERNATIVES
This case is extremely sensitive and heartbreaking no matter what angle we face. With this, there is only one alternative that would compromise on the two competing interests while there are two alternatives that would reflect which of the said principles weigh more.
Emergency Separation
Considering how Mary is weak and borrows time from Jodie, the prognosis would be drastically diminished in Mary's death or Jodie's cardiac arrest, with a 60% chance of Jodie dying and a 100% chance of Mary dying. Thus, there is no need to kill Mary here.
Permanent Union
This will do in the parents' perspective. The twins will be left unseparated until the two will die on the right time God will appoint considering His thoughts are not our thoughts. He can make all the impossibilities possible. Yet in medical view, the estimation is only 3-6 months or best, a few years.
Elective Separation
This will lead to Mary's death since she has the riskier complications but give Jodie the opportunity of a separate good quality normal life. Utilitarian approach is evident in this alternative as it is an ethical choice that will produce the greatest good for the greatest number. Since both will die sooner if left unseparated, it is the greatest good to just save one of them.
ALTERNATIVES VERSUS PRINCIPLES
Alternative Number 1-Emergency Separation
Mary will have her right to life and her destiny is up to God on how long will she handle the situation since she is on a complicated situation.
Alternative Number 2-Permanent Union
This goes against the medical standard on the conjoined twins that needs to be surgically separated because the other is killing the other one.
Alternative Number 3-Elective Separation
This goes against the law of God in the 10 commandments as well as its inclusion on the command in New Testament which is to love your neighbors as you love yourself.
CONSEQUENCES
In the first alternative, which is the emergency separation, the likely consequences are the following:
The conjoined twins can have their rights to life that must never be taken. The moment Mary's health gives up and affect Jodie's, that is the time separation is urgent in order to save Jodie's life. Mercy killing is not needed and it won't oppose the religious beliefs of the parents.
Jodie's life is also at risk. The urgency must be taken care right away to avoid an even more drastic complications that Jodie can get through it.
But if the alternative of permanent union be taken, the following may be taken as the likely consequence:
They can still have their rights to life but both twins probably die within 3-6 months or at best in a few year.
They will encounter a lot of sociological problems specifically bullying and their day-to-day living as well would be harder because their situation is not normal.
Lastly, if the alternative of elective separation is taken, the following are likely the consequences:
In the hospital's view this would lead to Mary's death but give Jodie the opportunity of a “separate good quality life”. There was a 5%-6% chance of death at separation. Separation would allow Jodie “to participate in normal life activities appropriate to her age and development”.
DECISION
Urgent separation is the most weighty and viable one in my own perspective. It is creative enough that won't oppose on the values and principles on the line. Mercy killing someone in order to save the other one is indeed immoral while letting them be conjoined and wait for their death is heartbreaking. It's much worse because the two of them died rather than killing one but still, inhumane.
Thanks a ton!
