| Abstract [eng] |
The relevance of this topic is evident in many jurisdictions whose citizens are increasingly in favour of legalising euthanasia. The relevance is also evident in countries where the practice is already in place, where the number of people who have used the alternative of euthanasia is increasing. As biomedical technology expands, society‘s attention on moral norms and values is becoming less and less focused on, leading to a culture of death in which euthanasia is gaining public support. In today‘s society attidudes towards human life and its value are constantly changing which is why the importance of life is often underestimated. The thesis asks whether euthanasia is compatible with the Western societies‘ ethical values prevailing in the 21st century. The aim of this thesis is to analyze the main arguments of classical ethical theories in relation euthanasia in order to understand the problem of euthanasia in contemporary Western societies, by presenting the problematic context of the formation and the development of the concept of euthanasia, and by analyzing the phenomenon of euthanasia as a problem of bioethics, where the issue of the value of life in bioethics and the relationship of the natural rights of the human being with euthanasia are revealed. The thesis provides an overview of classical ethical theories in relation to the ethics of euthanasia. An analysis of the scientific literature reveals that the strongest arguments against euthanasia have been put forward by Christian ethics. The thesis consists of an introduction, which discusses the relevance of the topic, the problem, the thesis, the aim, the objectives and research methods. The thesis consists of 3 chapters: 1. The problematic context of the formation and development of the concept of euthanasia; 2. Euthanasia as a bioethical problem; 3. The position of classical ethical theories in relation to euthanasia. Conclusions and list of references. Key words: euthanasia, bioethics, life, palliative care, human dignity, classical ethical theories. |
