Final answer:
The statement that smothering someone with a pillow is considered passive euthanasia is false. Passive euthanasia involves withdrawing life-support with or without a patient's consent, whereas smothering is considered an act of active euthanasia or homicide, which is illegal without explicit consent.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that smothering a person with a pillow would be an instance of passive euthanasia is false. Passive euthanasia involves the withholding or withdrawal of life-sustaining treatments or interventions from a patient, not active steps to cause their death. An example of passive euthanasia is the implementation of a DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) order. In contrast, smothering someone would be considered an act of homicide or potentially active euthanasia if it's intended to terminate life, which is illegal in most jurisdictions without explicit consent. Active euthanasia involves actively causing the patient's death, usually at the patient's request, as a way to alleviate suffering.
Key distinctions are made between voluntary, nonvoluntary, and involuntary euthanasia, based on the patient's consent. Voluntary passive euthanasia is legal in some places when the patient consents, typically through advanced directives like a DNR, whereas involuntary euthanasia, the act of ending a patient's life without their consent or against their will, is widely regarded as morally and legally unacceptable.