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Kevorkian's "patients" were terminally ill. The above evidence ought to raise red flags
in our minds regarding these issues.
Shaping Our Approach to the End of Life
Evangelicals who would serve on ethics committees need to establish a personal
stand on end-of-life issues. Hermeneutics can be helpful here, because it serves to
remind us about the importance of preunderstanding, or the events, institutions, family
background, etc. that have shaped our values and outlook on life (Klein, Blomberg, and
Hubbard 1993, 7-8). Economic status, education, and political affiliations are among
those things that should be considered. It is important "to accept the fact that our
individual approach to issues in medical ethics will be influenced by a number of factors
that have shaped us throughout the years" (Caputo and Mellon 1999, 252).
It is equally important to consider our presuppositions, or the propositions we use
to express what we believe ("The Bible is the inerrant word of God" would be a good
example.) Such statements help to form a basis for ethical decision-making. In health
care matters the statement "physician-assisted suicide is wrong in all circumstances"
would be a presupposition.
Apart from a knowledge of, and appreciation for, one's preunderstanding and
presuppositions, there are further qualifications for serving on an ethics committee.
These include a basic education of medical ethics issues, continuing education and
reading on the subject, the ability to discuss and debate relevant issues with colleagues,
the ability to enter into a group discussion or recommendation, and last but not least,