IB CLE Morality Case Studies

7/30/2019 IB CLE Morality Case Studies

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Case #1Judy, a Catholic with three

children, is six weekspregnant and is

experiencing some

problems. After her

convulsions have been

controlled and her blood

pressure has been

stabilized, she is informed

that an emergency caesarean

delivery is necessary to treat her

condition. The fetus will certainly not survive

the delivery.


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Judy would like to saveher child, but she facesa potentially fatalpregnancy

complication if shedoes not have thecaesarian delivery.Delaying the delivery

can have adverseeffects on Judy.

Case #A


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Case #A

The logical step seemsto be to proceed with

the caesarian operation

that will result in anabortion.

Would you agree ordisagree? Why?


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Case #A

1. In this particular caseinvolving Judy, wouldabortion be considered

sinful and prohibited bythe Church? Why?

2. Is the act of abortionin general right, neutral,

or wrong? Why?


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DIRECT or INDIRECT ABORTION

A direct abortion is a deliberate action intended toexpel a live embryo or a live but non-viable fetus.Direct abortion is condemned by the Church as an

intrinsic evil.

An indirect abortion is the undesired but unavoidableexpulsion of a live embryo or a live but inviable fetus,as a result of a necessary treatment of a gravelypathological condition of the mother, usually in thereproductive system (such as cancer of the uterus inpregnancy). The Church considers indirect abortion asethically acceptable.


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For the Catholic Church, humanlife begins upon fertilization.

Sanctity of Life :

Life is a sacred gift fromGod. We dont have the

right to terminate it.When does human life begin?


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What do you

think?

When does human life begin?


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ROADSCaution

Suspicion

Reason

ASSENT or DISSENTto the Church?BLIND orREASONED?


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Case #3Ever since she came outof her coma for almost a

year, Rosario has beenin a persistent vegetativestate (PVS) and hasbeen subsisting onlythrough artificial feedingand hydration.


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Case #3

The family feels it can nolonger afford to continueand is asking you about

terminating the artificialfeeding and hydration,

which will eventually resultin the death of Rosario.

Would you agree ordisagree? Why?


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Not a medical act BUT one that is part of normal care

that must be given to everyone.

Artificial Feeding and Hydration

Withdrawing or Withholding ofLife-Support Systems

What are the benefits and harms to the individual,family and community in terms of:

- Degree of complexity and risk- Physical and moral resources- Inflicted pain on patient- Foreseen results

Is the cost proportionate or disproportionate?


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Case #3

1. In this particular caseinvolving Rosario, wouldterminating the artificial

hydration/feeding beconsidered sinful andprohibited by theChurch? Why?

2. Is this act in generalright, neutral, or wrong?Why?


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Dignity of theHuman Person :

Every person should be

treated with dignitybecause we are all createdin the image of God.


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For the Catholic Church, as long as thereis a living body, even if mental and

physical capacities are reduced or absent,there is still a person present who

deserves to be treated with respect and

care.

When does one stop being human?


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What do you

think?

When does one stop beinghuman?


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ROADSCaution

Suspicion

Reason



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Wrestling with human cloning


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Human Cloning

1. In this particular casehuman cloning beconsidered sinful and

prohibited by theChurch? Why?

2. Is this act in generalbe right, neutral, orwrong? Why?


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Every person, regardless of how s/he may havebeen conceived/born, will have to be considered

human.

Dignity of the

Human Person :Every person should be treatedwith dignity because we are all

created in the image of God.

Who may not be considered human?


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Who may not be considered

human?


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ROADSCaution

Suspicion

Reason



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Case #CAfter a ten-year marriage, Bradand Angelina Perez remainchildless. Theyve adopted

every possible child from everypossible nation, but they stilldecide that they want a child oftheir own. They see aspecialist who examines themand finds out that Brad is notcapable of becoming a father.


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Case #C

Because of this, Brad

and Angelina are

considering artificial

insemination so that

they can conceive a

child that is truly their

own.


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Case #C

Brad and Angelina hasapproached you for advice

about giving artificialinsemination a try.

Would you agree or

disagree? Why?


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TRANSMISSION OF LIFE BY ARTIFICIAL MEANS

By a donor outside of Marriage:Prohibited by the Church

By the husband: Allowed butonly on the conditionthat artificial insemination follows normal sexualintercourse, and consists basically in helping the spermreach the ovum so that it can fertilize the latter (by theuse of a syringe, or cervical spoon, or by methods ofconcentrating sperm density of the semen emitted duringintercourse).

Artificial Insemination


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IVF refers to the fertilization by a sperm cell in a laboratoryof an ovum extracted surgically from a woman.

ALL instances of IVF considered morally unacceptable by thehurch--even with an ovum from the wife and sperm from theusband because they separate the transmission of life from

he conjugal act.

The disposal or freezing of excess fertilized embryoesulting from IVF procedures: also prohibited by the Churchecause it violates the dignity and sanctity of life of humanmbryos

In Vitro Fertilization & Embryo Transfer

TRANSMISSION OF LIFE BY ARTIFICIAL MEANS


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Every act of procreation should involve

sexual intercourse between husband and

wife.

The bond between the unitive andprocreative meanings of the conjugal

actGod has designed marital love to be bothan expression of love and the means for

procreation.

Is it properly human toprocreate without sex?


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What do you

think?

Is it properly human toprocreate without sex?


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ROADSCaution

Suspicion

Reason

ASSENT or DISSENTto the Church?BLIND or

REASONED?


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What

have youlearned

so far ?


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(1) Appreciate theAMBIGUITY &COMPLEXITYof moral situations.

(2) Clarify your answer tothe ESSENTIALQUESTIONS about thevalues underlying thedilemmas.

(3) Understand the reasonsand values behind theCATHOLIC MORALPRINCIPLES.

When we engage inMORAL REASONING:

(4) Inform and follow yourCONSCIENCE in makinga reasoned ASSENT.

(5) If you must DISSENT,make sure youve gonethrough not only theRoad of Reason, but alsothe Roads of Caution andSuspicion.


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Every opportunity you

have in engaging inmoral reasoning withanother person is aDEFINING MOMENT.

When we face moraldecisions, we defineourselves as persons.


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Our moral decisions shapewho we are.

Exercise

moralresponsibility.

Documents

IB CLE Morality Case Studies