Instruction
Readings
1. Kappel reading - Pick ONE Critical and Controversial moral or ethical issue from this reading and post your knowledge and understanding of the issue. The reading covers the issues of: Guardianship, Involuntary Servitude and Peonage, Sterilization, Baby Doe cases and Euthanasia. The posting might include information you have learned about these topics from your research paper or your personal experience, so other students could learn more in areas that interest them.
Which issue resonates for you? How have you seen it affecting or will affect people with disabilities in the future?
2. Gill - Is euthanasia justified in the case of chronically ill patients? Do people with disabilities have the right to refuse treatment and voluntarily die? Does society have a right to intervene and require that treatment be provided or should it allow euthanasia? Is there a right to refuse treatment? Is there a right to die?
3. Advocacy reading - The reading provides a key definition of advocacy that includes the following:
Advocacy is speaking acting, writing with minimal conflict of interest on behalf of the sincerely perceived interests of a disadvantaged person or group to promote, protect and defend their welfare and justice by being on their side and no-one else’s being primarily concerned with their fundamental needs remaining loyal and accountable to them in a way which is emphatic and vigorous and which is, or is likely to be, costly to the advocate or advocacy group.
There are several key points in this definition which includes the following questions:
a. Is this a correct understanding of advocacy? Does advocacy have to be costly to be effective? Does a person advocating for another have to put something at risk on a personal level to be effective?
b. What does 'being on their side and no one else's' mean? Can one work for an agency and advocate for a person at the same time?
c. How do we avoid a 'conflict of interest' when most of us are working for an agency