The sanctity-of-life argument states that all human lives are precious. Mary and Jody were twins who were conjoined. An operation was suggested that would separate them, but it would also save one of them. The parents were Catholics and decided to not accelerate the death of one their daughters. They chose to skip the operation despite knowing that one of their daughters would be killed. The case’s doctors appealed at the courts to have the procedure performed against Jody’s wishes. The doctors were granted permission to perform the operation. Mary passed away.
In this instance, Mary is the innocent victim of the sanctity-of-life argument. Mary was not actually being killed, but the doctors said that she was not going to die. Mary’s body was too weak to sustain itself. But the doctors performed the operation knowing full well that Mary was not able to survive. The question now is whether Mary was murdered or not by her doctors. To argue against the sanctity-of-life argument, one must first prove that the innocent person in question has no future. This is a sign that their quality life has been compromised. These individuals may not be capable of performing all the daily activities we do without thinking. The life society considers normal would not suit these people. This life includes working, schooling, marriage, and the acquisition of society’s existence through reproduction. A second condition must also be met. The innocent person cannot wish to stop living. If the person is in a coma or in another medical condition that makes it difficult for them to make their own decisions, this would be an indication. The third and final condition is that the person be killed in order to save others’ lives. Mary and Jody have to meet the third condition. Mary cannot live a full, normal life without Mary. Her death was justified because she wouldn’t be able continue living a full life.
Socrates asks “Is the conduct right because God commands it or does it just because it’s right?”. His second question concerns “does God’s command theory make God’s commands arbitrary?” According to the Divine Command theory, God decides what is right and wrong. Morally, actions God orders us to take are required. However, God prohibits us from doing certain actions. These commands are subjective, however. How can we know which actions God considers morally bad and right? Socrates’ second theory attempts to explain it by comparing God to an impossible parent. He doesn’t give any reason why something might be morally wrong or right, but he just says so “because I said it.”
God’s commands may be arbitrary. That is, they can be subjective. It could mean that everything we believed to be true and right might be wrong. It is essential that we blindly believe what God has decreed and written. The commands of God may be arbitrary but there is an underlying sense of morality. There is a code that has been created over time. We know what is right and what is wrong. Socrates’ second concept simply means that God could have ordered something wrong. That is why it can seem so arbitrary.
The Theory of Natural Law is based on a specific view of the world. The theory was first developed by the Greeks. Aristotle developed this theory further by asking a set of questions like: What is it? What are its components? What is it made of? What’s it good for? Aristotle explains that teeth are a sign of our health. Why are teeth necessary? Our teeth are there to chew our food. Because biological examples show that each part of the body serves a purpose, they are convincing. It is not just our bodies that have a purpose. Aristotle says that every part of nature has one. The second part of the theory about nature is the idea that things should be. This helps to explain the evils in the world. Every bad thing that occurs is disrupting an otherwise harmonious world. These disruptions will be deemed unnatural. While natural ways can be morally right, unnatural ones are considered morally bad. The third concept of natural law was moral knowledge. The Divine Command theory would suggest that we should consult God’s commandments. However, natural law is a set of rules and arguments.
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