How long should we keep people alive? Aim: To consider when might be the right time to Goal: To apply our learning to an exam question. Starter: Would you want to be kept alive if you were on a Life Support Machine and were brain dead?

Key Word Life Support Machine A machine that keeps people alive then they would otherwise die. Life Support also includes feeding by passing fluids through a tube in the stomach.

All religions support turning off life support machines for people who are brain dead. Although they understand that this is taking God’s role they understand that this person has no quality of life and God has given us free will to make decisions. Some would suggest using life support is acceptable because it shows compassion, supports the sanctity of life and uses God given talents and skills to save life. Other Christians are against them because they think only God should decide when we die.

Tony Bland

Who decides? Each case is assessed individually. If the family and doctors agree it can go ahead without any problems. It cannot go ahead otherwise else it would be an illegal act. If there is a disagreement it can be taken to the courts. Some people make a ‘living will’. Whilst this is not legally binding it is a document which sets outs a persons wishes regarding the type of treatment they would like if they are incapable of making their own decisions. This may influence the decisions that doctors, families, courts may come to.

‘Life support should never be used.’ (6 marks) Read through Answers A and B. Using your ‘How to answer 6 mark Qs sheet’ and your developing knowledge of how to answer these questions, give each answer a mark out of 6 and a SPaG mark out of 4. Write down a WWW and EBI (with reason) for each answer.

Constructing your own answer You have 4 minutes to plan your answer. If you need ideas, ask your teacher for a help sheet. You will then have 9 minutes to write your answer. Remember our Magnificent 7 things to include.

1 – Adding discourse marker 2 – Contrasting discourse 3 – Summarising discourse marker 4 – Religious belief OR Religious teaching 5 – Reference to specific religion or denomination 6 – Personal opinion 7 – Key words

They extend life and only God can decide when life begins and when it ends. It is expensive and costly to keep someone alive. Somebody who is surviving on a life support machine has no quality of life. Life is sacred and a gift from God and therefore it is our job to look after and protect it. If they are used somebody might have to decide to turn the machine off that is unfair to ask of them. Life can never be measured in terms of money, it is a gift from God and is more valuable than any amount of money and therefore should be protected. God has given us human intelligence, we will know when it is the right time to turn off the machine and we should use this intelligence to benefit humans. Help Sheet Arguments For and Against Use these arguments to build a 6 mark answer… There is always the chance they will make a full recovery and have a good quality of life.

Starter questions Describe one way that the elderly can be assisted in their homes (2 marks) Care homes are not a loving option. DYA? (3 marks) State 2 beliefs about life after death ( 2 marks)

Who decides? What type of Euthanasia is turning off the Life Support Machine? Non- Voluntary the person is too ill to ask but it is believed to be in their best interests.

Religious Views All religions support turning off a life support machine if somebody is brain dead. Although they recognise that this may be interpreted as taking God’s role in life and death. When considering whether to turn off the life support machine Christians and Muslims would consider Compassion Quality of life Sanctity of life Using God given talents to save life

They extend life and only God can decide when life begins and when it ends. It is expensive and costly to keep someone alive. Somebody who is surviving on a life support machine has no quality of life. Life is sacred and a gift from God and therefore it is our job to look after and protect it. If they are used somebody might have to decide to turn the machine off that is unfair to ask of them. Life can never be measured in terms of money, it is a gift from God and is more valuable than any amount of money and therefore should be protected. God has given us human intelligence, we will know when it is the right time to turn off the machine and we should use this intelligence to benefit humans. Arguments For and Against Use these arguments to build a 6 mark answer… There is always the chance they will make a full recovery and have a good quality of life.

Reflection Compare your opinion in your 6 mark answer to your thoughts from the very start of the lesson. Has your opinion changed or stayed the same? What are the reasons? Have you got any new evidence to support your opinion? How compatible is your opinion with Christian or Muslim views?