Monday, December 6, 2010 ---The Edwards' Family made an announcement that I found personally disturbing. The wife of the former presidential candidate has decided to cease treatment for her cancer. Instead, she has opted to rest at home with friends and family. Also mentioned, she was comfortable and experiencing no pain. At that, the doctrine of double effect immediately came to mind.
The doctrine of double effect is used to justify the case where a doctor administers drugs to relieve extreme pain fully aware that this may hasten the patients' death.
Having done some research on euthanasia, the doctrine of double effect has become particularly fascinating to me. This principle closely resembles euthanasia also otherwise known as "mercy killing" with only one single detail differentiating the two: Intent.
Intent abolishes any doctor of any wrong doing which can be considered euthanasia---- or worst, murder. Apparently, one single word can determine the difference between being kind or being "Kevorkian", of being morally wrong or of being a Samaritan.
Elizabeth Edwards, estranged wife of John Edwards and mother of four, had succumbed to breast cancer the next day---Tuesday December 7, 2010.
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Friday, December 10, 2010
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