Essay Euthanasia

Introduction Euthanasia continues to be a subject of ethical debate. It is defined as the administration of lethal drugs by someone other than the person concerned with the explicit intention of ending a patient's life, at the latter's explicit request (Quaghebeur, de Casterle, & Gastmans, 2009). An unprecedented number of people in the United States today live well into their late adult years. Improved medical and public health practices, increasing life expectancies, and the "graying" of the baby boom generation have all contributed to this phenomenon (Moulton, Hill, & Burdette, 2006). Euthanasia has been and always will be a topic of debate in the United States because Americans are living longer. Oregon, Washington, and Montana...show more content...

Research Question and Thesis The purpose of this research is to examine euthanasia. The physician behind such a controversial topic and the variety of religious beliefs compared. In my opinion I believe someone's life is in God's hands. I'm not so sure how I would feel if I was approached by a loved one who was suffering with a terminal disease and I was asked to assist in ending their life.

Key Terms Euthanasia is the intentional administration of lethal drugs in order to terminate painlessly the life of a patient suffering from an incurable condition deemed unbearable. Voluntary euthanasiais the intentional administration of lethal drugs in order to terminate painlessly the life of a patient suffering from an incurable condition deemed unbearable by the patient, at the patient's request. Non–voluntary euthanasia is the intentional administration of lethal drugs in order to terminate painlessly the life of a patient suffering from an incurable condition deemed unbearable, not at this patient's request. Physician assisted suicide is a physician intentionally assisting a patient, at this patient's request, to terminate his or her life.

Dr. Jack Kevorkian Dr. Jack Kevorkian is an Armenian–American pathologist who served in the Army in the Korean War. He was also known as Doctor Death. Dr. Kevorkian once stated "My aim in helping the patient was not to cause death. My aim was to end suffering. It's got to be decriminalized." Dr. Get more content

Ethics of Euthanasia Essay

As patients come closer to the end of their lives, certain organs stop performing as well as they use to. People are unable to do simple tasks like putting on clothes, going to the restroom without assistance, eat on our own, and sometimes even breathe without the help of a machine. Needing to depend on someone for everything suddenly brings feelings of helplessness much like an infant feels. It is easy to see why some patients with terminal illnesses would seek any type of relief from this hardship, even if that relief is suicide. Euthanasia or assisted suicide is where a physician would give a patient an aid in dying. "Assisted suicide is a controversial medical and ethical issue based on the question of whether, in certain situations,...show more content...

Whether murder is done in a peaceful, non painful way or in a very gruesome, unimaginable way, it is still considered murder. Physicians have no way of knowing 'what is best for the patient' especially if that patient's terminal illness prevents them from speaking. Not only is assisted suicide considered murder, it also goes against Physicians' Hippocratic Oath. "Hippocratic Oath: An oath (or promise) all physicians must swear to uphold, regarding the ethical practices of the medical profession" (Lee). By allowing doctors to stray from this oath, it will be easier for them to aid in or carry out assisted suicides when it will never be entirely necessary for them to consider the option. "In 2005, Texas doctors removed two patients from life support without advanced directions and against the wishes of the patient's family" (Pawlick). By not legalizing assisted suicides, families will be able to decide when their family member is physically unable to continue with the provided treatments, but only when the patient themselves can no longer communicate their wishes and no document stating how they should go about the situation has been left in their families possession.

Ethical issues are not the only problem. Some argue that euthanasia also creates issues from a legal perspective. "One legal question is whether assisted suicide violates the Controlled Substances Act, a federal law governing the distribution of drugs" (Lee). Such

Euthanasia Essay

The applied ethical issue of euthanasia, or mercy killing, concerns whether it is morally permissible for a third party, such as a physician, to end the life of a terminally ill patient who is in intense pain. The word euthanasia comes from the Greek words eu ('well') and thanatos ('death'). It means a painless and gentle death. But in modern usage, it has come to imply that someone's life is ended for compassionate reasons by some passive or active steps taken by another person. The euthanasia controversy is part of a larger issue concerning the right to die. Staunch defenders of personal liberty argue that all of us are morally entitled to end our lives when we see fit. Thus, according to these people, euthanasia is in principle morally...show more content...

If the person is in a coma situation and unable to make the decision for himself/herself, then it should be a decision for the family and doctors together to make.

There are several arguments in favor of the moral permissibility of euthanasia. The most persuasive argument is mercy. People who argue mercy state that it is cruel and inhumane to refuse the plea of a terminally ill patient who wishes their life to be mercifully ended. They also argue that the suffering of terminal patients is not just physical pain, which is bad enough, but it also involves helplessness, stress, exhaustion, terror and loss. Another argument is respect for the person's autonomy. People who are pro euthanasia feel that a person's autonomy should be respected to the extent that no one else is harmed. So, since a terminally ill patient undergoing euthanasia harms no one else, that person's autonomy and decision should be respected. It is also argued that the golden rule supports active euthanasia insofar as we would want others to put us out of our misery if we were in such a situation. A more formal version of this argument is based on Kant's categorical imperative ("act only on that maxim by which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law"). (Horan 1980) The Get more

Euthanasia Essay

Euthanasia

Euthanasia in today's society has run rampant, but whose choice is it really to end one's life in the case of excessive suffering? Euthanasia has become one of the most controversial issues in the medical field. There are many questions that must

be considered when euthanasia is involved. For example: Whose right is it anyway?

Do physicians have the right to perform assisted suicide? Is it morally right? When is "competent" not competent enough?

Euthanasia is preceded the decision that a terminally ill patient's life will come to an end before natural death. Euthanasia can also be defined as any killing carried out by medical means or by medical personnel; whether intended for the termination of suffering...show more content...

Involuntary

euthanasia refers to the terminally ill patient's unknowing of the decision to use

euthanasia when he or she has not consciously and expressly approved of it in advance. When voluntary euthanasia is approved or carried out, it is called active euthanasia. Active euthanasia is exactly what it sounds like: active, meaning characterized by motion or action, and euthanasia, meaning deliberate death. Active euthanasia refers to someone's taking active steps to give a dying person, on his or her request, a lethal dosage of drugs to hasten death. Active euthanasia involves physically injecting or giving a terminally ill patient medication which ultimately results in death (Cauthen 112). Active euthanasia has become a very controversial issue because some feel that active euthanasia is a form of murder. However, some feel that passive euthanasia is morally acceptable (Mall 134).

Passive euthanasia is the helping of a terminally ill patient to hasten death by withholding life–sustaining treatment, including food and water. Passive euthanasia is usually requested by the person dying, either verbally or through a written document. By withholding intravenous feedings, medications, surgery, a pacemaker or respirator, the doctor can let the patient die. The doctor is indirectly killing the patient, but he himself is not

Euthanasia Essay : Euthanasia And Morality

Denise Maranhao

Professor Joseph Anderson Ethics across the professions

November 29, 2014

Euthanasia

(Euthanasia and morality)

Could you pull the plug? Is mercy killing considered murder and should it be illegal under each and every circumstance? There are many questions and even more controversies when it comes to euthanasia and assisted suicide. There are those who believe euthanasia is immoral regardless of the situation, it is illegal and therefore always wrong. But most people have never been in a situation where they have to make that decision. What if a loved one is suffering from immense pain and has no hope of recovery? Or what if you are who needs the assistance?

You have a few days until your life can no longer be sustained naturally while your body is losing function: you are just lingering in complete agony as you watch the sand pour from the hour glass that is your life. What would you think of euthanasia then? Consider first how you would react in situations like these before deciding if euthanasia should be legal or not.

Euthanasia is a Greek word that literally means "easy or happy death." Also known as "mercy killing," it is the intentional act of taking a person's life as painlessly as possible. The person must be suffering from untreatable medical conditions in which health regain cannot be reasonably expected. Also, the assistance must occur deliberately. For example: in attempt to treat the patient, the wrong drug or treatment is used and an

Euthanasia – Response to Anti Euthanasia Essay

Euthanasia is a topic that provokes as much controversy as capital punishment, primarily because it is irreversible. The question of euthanasia being right or wrong is one that most would prefer left alone. However, recent publicity on changes to existing laws has ignited considerable discussion and has forced open the door to a much wider audience. The issues related to direct euthanasia have raised many questions in my mind, to which I am still searching for answers. I believe it is necessary to consider arguments, both, for and against, in order to come to any conclusion. In this paper I will address Brian Clowes' article in the "Pro–Life Activist's Encyclopedia", located on the...show more content...

Yet, his persistent use of medical cases where patients were classified as irreversibly comatose and where all decisions regarding their continual treatment were made by others, neglects to recognize the numerous cases of terminally ill patients, who simply ask for the right to control their own destiny and to die with dignity. His use of extreme cases, all of which were found in 'National Right to Life News', gives the reader a distorted picture and neglects the many types of cases where the prolonging of life would be cruel, inhumane and immoral. (Johnstone, 1994:353)

EUTHANASIA SETS A BAD EXAMPLE? I would ask what kind of example are we giving our young by prolonging life at whatever cost to the person? Is quantity of life always the best option? Is the taking of human life always wrong? In the 18th century William Mitford, an English historian stated "Men fear death, as if unquestionably the greatess evil, and yet no man knows that it may not be the greatest good." (Bradley, Daniels & Jones, 1969:194) Here the author compares the act of suicide among the young with the act of euthanasia with the terminally ill. He believes, in making euthanasia an acceptable social practice, it will inevitably have negative repercussions on the rest of society. The writer argues that by condoning euthanasia, we condone

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According to the Collins Canadian English Dictionary euthanasia is defined as "the act of killing someone painlessly, especially to relieve his or her suffering" (2004). Not everyone agrees with this definition. I have always believed that euthanasia was the human choice of ending another person's life because of the excruciating pain they are suffering due to an incurable disease. Some disciplines think that euthanasia should never be an option no matter what the situation. While other disciplines question the validity of the actions of the person helping with the actual euthanasia. Still others support euthanasia in all forms as long as it is performed for the sake of the patient who is suffering. There are three types of...show more content...

Many patients lose control of the function of their arms and or legs and become completely dependent. The question then becomes, when does ones quality of life reach such a low level that life then becomes not worth living? A person, at any time, should be able to make this decision. Under the existing law Canadians are not granted this right, the right to their own life. An example of the absence of the right to die, can be seen through the examination of a case from 1990. A woman named Michelle Frenette wanted to be disconnected from the respirator which was keeping her alive. Her doctors refused to disconnect her from the respirator without a court order. Michelle's family could not afford to go to court, and legal aid does not provide assistance in such cases. So, Michelle lay there, for two years until her eventual death. She should have been able to end her life, without having to obtain a court order, when she felt that her quality of life had been reduced to such a level that it was no longer worth living. In this particular case the law prevented and discriminated against Michelle and her inherent right to freedom of choice. When a person decides whether euthanasia is an option for them, in their state of illness, they must consider their quality of life. As a result of their illness, has the quality of their life been reduced to such an extent that

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Euthanasia Euthanasia, specifically voluntary euthanasia has been a taboo subject for many decades in this, and other countries. Euthanasia, as defined by the Oxford English Dictionary – bringing about of this, especially in the case of incurable and painful disease– comes from the Greek word euthanatos, meaning – a gentle and easy death. It is commonly known as death with dignity given to those who want the choice to die. No one can prevent death. The can only prolong it. Many people solicit their physicians to aid in the quick and easy death. Doctors, aware of ethics of their chosen profession, and consequences of their actions, especially malpractice suits, often refuse the request (www.euthanasia.org/ve.html). Involuntary...show more content...

A Living Will is a signed document by a person, giving advanced notice have life–saving procedures withheld or discontinued at the time of serious illness or injury should that person not be able to make decisions. It has been argued that Living Wills can be deceptive and vague to the signer, leaving them open to many abuses. Trying to prevent medical treatment measures at the end of their lives may inadvertently cause their own starvation and dehydration. They are also unnecessary at times. People already have the right to make informed consent. Doctors already have the right to withhold treatment deemed as useless. Living Wills should be used when patients are unable to make the decision for themselves. The strategy used by groups such as Concern for Dying, the Society for the Right to Die, and the Hemlock Society is to condition public acceptance of assisted suicide, mercy killing, and legalized euthanasia (www.pregnantpause.org/euth/soundgoo.htm).

With growing international support, doctors are accepting patient's requests for activevoluntary euthanasia (www.euthanasia.org/ve.html). The American Medical Association (AMA) is well known for their pro–abortion campaigns and funding. Ironically, the AMA funds many hospices and other palliative care centers. They have a firm stand on life. The AMA has initiated the Institute for Ethics, designed to educated physicians on alternative medical approaches to euthanasia during

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Euthanasia and Physician–Assisted Suicide

Individual cases presented to justify legalizing physician assisted suicide fail to deal with underlying medical failures to control pain, creating an illusion of control over death, and not acknowledging the thousands of patients murdered inappropriately. This is an interesting and a very controversial issue in today's society. Euthanasia has negative sides, it canhurt society, and everyone needs to learn morebout it. The word Euthanasia is Greek in origin. It arrived from the prefix "eu", meaning fear, easy, and fortunate and from the word "thanatos" meaning death. The main idea of Euthanasia is that someone has a conscientious death...show more content... Further, if an individual is injected with medicine that is intended to be vital to curing his disease or make him well again, and the individual dies in the end, then this is also not euthanasia or wrongful killing. Relating to, when a patient's situation is such that it is irrational to pray that any medical procedures or treatments will preserve his life, failing to administer the procedures or treatments is not euthanasia. If the individual parishes, this will be to the effect of his injuries or disease and not because of his dereliction to acquire treatment (Gay–Williams, 290). The choice not to continue medical treatment after the realization that the patient has a slim to none chance of profiting from it has been characterized by some as "passive euthanasia". This phrase is deceiving and incorrect. In most cases, the individual entangled is not murdered, nor is the decease of the individual intended by the forbearing of increased treatment. The main concern is to spare the individual any increased and unexonerable pain, to protect him from the in distinctions of incurable manipulations, and to elude the additional financial and impeluous problems of the family (Gay–Williams, 291). Every individual has a genuine desire to recommence his/her life. Our reflex and acknowledgement fit us to defend our self from attacker, run from dangerous animals, and jump out of the way of oncoming traffic. "Our bodies are

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Personal Evaluation of Euthanasia

I feel that euthanasia should be legalized.

I believe that everyone has the right to choose how he or she live and die. Not everybody will have an easy death. Some terminal pain cannot be controlled, even with the best of care and the strongest of drugs. Other distressing symptoms, which come with diseases, such as sickness, no mobility, breathlessness and fever cannot always be relieved. A life filled with pain is horrible and it ruins the quality of life. I believe that that no life is better than a life without communication and happiness. I think that the point of life is to find happiness and suffering is surely not achieving this.

People should not...show more content...

This is however, a rare thing. Doctors are dedicated to give care to the sick, and they would nearly always now the likeliness of a recovery.

A pro–longed life is intolerable for people with a condition, which leaves the brain alert but eventually shuts down all bodily functions and skills of communicating. How can people be expected to live like this? For people like this and also people in PVS, (persistent vegetative state) I believe that their legal representatives or close family should have the choice and the trust to let them live a prolonged life or to end their life and let them die with dignity.

My opinion is, that anyone who is terminally ill should have the option to have euthanasia. However, I think that there should be very strict rules on how euthanasia should be done and whom it should be done on. I also think that all doctors should not be able to use euthanasia and that there should be special clinics.

Most religions disapprove of euthanasia. Some of them absolutely forbid it. The Roman Catholic Church, for example, is one of the most active religions in opposing euthanasia.

Religions are opposed to euthanasia for a number of reasons.

Roman Catholics strongly oppose euthanasia because God should decide who dies. Get more content

When someone is inevitably dying and in inexplicable pain is it really a crime to grant their wishes and end their suffering? As of right now euthanasia is illegal in many countries and is a very controversial topic. Is it compassion for the patient helping them in ending their life or murder? The doctor is not giving death as an option, it is the patients choice and even where it is legal there are many rules. Euthanasia should not be considered a crime because the patient is not being murdered; they are having their suffering end in a painless, humane way out of compassion for the patient and their family.

Euthanasia is defined by the World Book Millennium 2000 encyclopaedia as, "the practise of painlessly ending the lives of people...show more content...

The reason to legalize euthanasia is clear, these people need to have the choice to die with dignity.

Dr. Jack Kevorkian more commonly known as Dr. Death is greatly known for his opinion that euthanasia should be legalized and his work with patients seeking help. He was very important in showing euthanasia and voicing his opinion on the subject so the public could not ignore the importance of the matter. Dr. Kevorkian was said to have been involved with 130 suicides by patients who wanted to end their own lives (Nicol and Wylie 17). He had two machines he used to help the patients, one an injection and the other a mask, however both machines were operated by the patient and although Dr. Kevorkian was taken to court many times for these he was not convicted because the patient was in control. He was very careful as to not actually commit the act himself until he was contacted by Thomas Youk, a young with Lou Gheric's disease; Lou Gheric's disease is when the muscle stop working and eventually the patient chokes to death. Tom's condition prevented him from actually operating the machines and therefore Dr. Kevorkian decided that he would operate the machine himself because he cared greatly about all his patients and could not let Tom live in his constant fear (Nicol and Wylie 11). Dr. Kevorkian taped Tom's wishes and then himself hooking up the machine and pushing the button to inject the drugs. He then proceed to Get

The term 'Euthanasia' comes from the Greek word for 'easy death'. It is the one of the most public policy issues being debated about today. Formally called 'mercy killing', euthanasia is the act of purposely making or helping someone die, instead of allowing nature to take it's course. Basically euthanasia means killing in the name of compassion. Euthanasia, can be either 'voluntary', 'passive', or 'positive', Voluntary involves a request by the dying patient or their legal representative. Passive involves, doing nothing to prevent death – allowing someone to die. Positive involves taking deliberate action to cause a death. Euthanasia, at the moment is illegal throughout the world...show more content...

People do have the right to commit suicide, although it is a tragic and individual act. However euthanasia is not suicide. It is not a private act, you have the support of family and friends. Euthanasia is about letting a person assist another's death to save them from long painful deaths.

Many people argue, however, that a person who is terminally ill may make a miraculous recovery – it has happened in the past. Most terminally ill people whose pain and sufferings are relieved by excellent care, given by hospices, hospitals and GPs do not require making decisions about euthanasia. It is only needed for those whose pain is not relived with any form of care or whose bodily disintegration is beyond bearing. Medical advances in recent years have made it possible to keep terminally ill people alive for beyond a length of time, without any hope of recovery or improvement. For this reason the 'living ill' has come into use in the USA as part of the right–to–die principle. Most states now legally allow the making of such wills that instruct, GPs etc., to suspend treatment or refuse life–support measures in hopeless cases.

A pro–longed life is intolerable for people with a condition, which leaves the brain alert but eventually shuts down all bodily functions and skills of communicating. How can people be expected to live like this? For people like this and also

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Euthanasia, good or bad? In this following article I will be exploring euthanasia in more detail, the different Christian points of view, the strengths and weaknesses of the euthanasia argument and finally my point of view on euthanasia and why I believe this.

First of all, what is euthanasia? It is something that not many people think about until they or a friend or family member is put in a position where they might actually have to consider it. Euthanasia, in the dictionary, simply is: the action of ending someone's life in a painless way. It seems pretty simple but in reality it is a lot more complicated, not only for the people involved but for the society in general as well.

Overall there are four different types of...show more content... One of the most important pieces of scripture a Christian follows is the 10 commandments and one, and in my opinion the most important, commandment is "Do not commit murder." (Exodus 20:13)

This raises the question, is euthanasia murder? and in many Christian's view is that if a life is taken away earlier than God planed then it is murder and therefore many Christian's point of view on euthanasia is that it is wrong.

Another quotation that supports what I believe is the general view of many Christians around the world is the idea that God has already planned out our life and knows when the right time to die is. This is shown in the bible saying "He set the time for birth, and the time for death." (Ecclesiastes 3:2) and again here: "your days allotted to me, had all been recorded in your book, before any of them began." (Psalm 139:16)

Both these quotations show, according to the bible, that God has already planned out our life–from the time that we are born to the time of our death.

The last Christian point of view is also shown through the bible saying "You created every part of me, you put me together in my mother's womb." (Psalms 139:13)

This quotation is saying that God created everything about us and not only is linked with the point of view above saying that God has already planned out our lives but is also linked with the idea that God created us and chose when we were born so he should

Does euthanasia assists patients to die with dignity?

From fresh to dying, is the humanity multiplies the development natural law. Along with medicine progress and life enhancement, the people besides pay attention to eugenics, simultaneous starts to pay attention to the euthanasia. Since this century 50 ages, regarding euthanasia, many countries' medical arenas, educational world, and ethical groups have been arguing about the euthanasia argument for many years, although many person of ideas have certain changed along with the time. However, the traditional thought that the public opinion has huge influence on the average person. In people's traditional ethics and morality, doctor's inherent responsibilities are to save impending death and the wounded. However, it is difficult for many people to accept the fact that doctors help the patients to implement lethal injection. Meanwhile traditional ethics, morality and kernel, love, filial piety, righteousness, also requests the people to respect the life, to deeply love their life. Euthanasia that is to take patients finish life immediately, which conflicts with the traditional ethics and morality in representation. Therefore, to let people accept euthanasia will be difficult, especially to let his own relatives die by euthanasia, to leave quickly, probably to be more difficult. In the view of people's cognition deviation of euthanasia, this article based on the ethics elementary theory to explain that euthanasia is to

Euthanasia is often called "mercy killing". It is intentionally making someone die, rather than allowing that person to die naturally. It is sometimes the act of ending someone's life, who is terminally ill, or is suffering in severe pain. Euthanasia is mostly illegal in the world today. Euthanasia can be considered a form of suicide, if the person afflicted with the problem actively does it. The person volunteering to commit the act to that person can also consider it a form of murder.

The positive side of Euthanasia is that it ends a person's suffering in this world. Many physicians and psychiatrists believe that it may a humane act. From a virtue ethics point of view, it may be appropriate. What we seek inhuman existence is to be...show more content...

The benefits are numerous in that the person euthanized would cease suffering, and the families would begin the healing process from grief and /or depression from the situation.

From Mill's perspective, the person volunteering for euthanasia has a liberty to do what he/she wants. Mill has written that if the person does not cause harm to others, it is the person's right, or liberty, to do what they please. If a person wants euthanasia, then that person has the sole liberties to choose such an act, and depart society and life. Nobody is being other than the person wishing it, and it is a volunteered act.

Brandt argues for approval of euthanasia, but killing human beings is wrong, because it injures that person and goes against the preferences of self–preservation. However, Brandt says that the above is not present in the issue of euthanasia, so it may be permissible. Brandt says that not all killing is injury, so not all killing is wrong. One should pay attention to one's expressed wishes he says. Euthanasia could be considered doing a person a favor, because you cannot injure something if you are relieving it of pain.

The negative side of euthanasia is that it goes against natural law ethics, because we do not let nature take its course. We are disturbing what is occurring or happening naturally to the person. Every person has a natural inclination to continue living. It is also said

Moral and Ethical Issues of Euthanasia

As we all know, medical treatment can help save lives. But is there a medical treatment that would actually help end life? Although it's often debated upon, the procedure is still used to help the aid of a patient's death. Usually dubbed as mercy killing, euthanasia is the "practice of ending a life so as to release an individual from an incurable disease or intolerable suffering" (Encarta). My argument over this topic is that euthanasia should have strict criteria over the use of it. There are different cases of euthanasia that should be looked at and different point of views that should be considered. I will be looking into VE (Voluntary Euthanasia), which involves a request by the dying...show more content...

In the past, a person is considered dead if the signs of pulse or breathing is absent. But in the 1960s, advance life–supporting technologies have re–defined the meaning of death. The invention of the mechanical ventilator or respirator and the heart–lung machine allowed physicians to revive or artificially maintain function in hearts and lung. This made bigger chances for the survival of patients. Then later in the 1980s, brain activity is added to the criteria of death. The brain acts as the center headquarters of all functioning parts of the body. The brain sends impulses through the nerve to muscles and organs. The brain also controls memory and the ability for a person to learn and react to his or her environment. The brain is divided into different parts for different functions. The front part of the brain is called the Cerebrum, which is referred to as the "higher brain." This part of the brain controls the memory and thinking abilities of a person. The brainstem, composed of the midbrain, the pons, and the medulla oblangata is called the "lower brain" because "it controls spontaneous and vegetative functions such as swallowing, yawning and sleep–wake cycles" (President's Commission).

Since respiration and circulation can be restored, therefore defining brain death or the loss of brain function is a "certification of death" (Encarta). The higher brain is considered to be the most important part in determining the death of a person

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PART A: SUMMARY

I would like to begin by defining the issue of the article by Patrick Nowell–Smith. The issue of his article is legalizing euthanasia and giving people a right to decide when and how to die.

What is euthanasia and why is it such a complex matter that raises all different kinds of opinions? According to the American Dictionary, euthanasia is defined as "the act or practice of ending the life of an individual suffering from a terminal illness or an incurable condition, as by lethal injection or the suspension of extraordinary medical treatment." It can be active euthanasia (relieve person from pain by killing) or passive euthanasia (letting die). Newell–Smith raises the questions if the person has...show more content...

Nowell–Smith looks at moral right based and utilitarian theories. The right of not to be killed can be argued against by the right to want to end living. He provides an example of euthanasia societies where a lot of older people who still enjoy live just have a desire to have an opportunity to end their lives the way they want to. The fear of being helpless and slowly dying in the institutions drives these people to join these societies and ask for a law to be changed. Nowell–Smith also makes an argument against Law Reform Commission of Canada's report Euthanasia, Suicide and Cessation of Treatment that suggests that euthanasia laws should not be changed. One of the arguments is that it may go out of control and could lead to serious abuses and mistakes. Nowell–Smith argues that it can be controlled stating the example of Dutch system where voluntary active euthanasia practices only in hospitals and where everything is considered before any action is done so there is no mistake. Then he moves to discussing differences between passive and active euthanasia. He argues against Commission that states that "seriously disabled infants should not have their lives sustained if their lives are likely to contain more suffering and frustrated desires than happiness and satisfactions". (CMI, p.27) Nowell–Smith argues that passive euthanasia is still killing and it is probably more

Countless debates have been conducted in recent years regarding euthanasia. It is a topic of great significance and sensitivity, because in the simplest terms, it is a debate about someone's right to take his/her own life. Ultimately the legalization of euthanasia is a matter of human rights, and therefore the outcome of its debate has great implications on how humans define those inalienable rights. The arguments against euthanasia are numerous, and many of them are valid, good, humanitarian points. After all, euthanasia has been used to justify some of history's most horrific and terrible genocides and injustices throughout the world. However, the debate of euthanasia, like life, is very complicated. It is very opaque, not black and...show more content...

However, the slippery slope arguments are not inevitable. The physical evidence does not support opponents. As Leavitt reports, there is no support for the "slippery slope" arguments. Legislators were scared that euthanasia will be overused, but the number of people who accessed euthanasia increased only in small amounts (p. 48). Because pain is subjective, and can be caused by a very complex number of things, it becomes difficult to create legal boundaries to define and quantify it (Dees,Vernooij–Dassen, Dekkers, & van Weel p. 339–352). Though this is true, it does not mean it is absolutely inevitable that all people suffering and wanting to die should be denied that privlege. Approaches to euthanasia vary from country to country, and even within the same country opinions are divided. Euthanasia is legal in Netherlands (2000), Switzerland, Belgium (2002), Luxemburg (2009), and Albania (1999). In the USA, Oregon became the first state to pass TheDeath With Dignity Act (2005), which "allows terminally ill Oregon residents to obtain and use prescriptions from their physicians for self–administered, lethal medications." Under the Act, providing these medications to end one's life does not constitute illegal assisted suicide. Of course, the individual has to meet certain requirements, such as being over age of 18 years old and diagnosed with a terminal illness and capable to make conscious decisions. The Get

Euthanasia Essay : Euthanasia And Euthanasia

This is why Euthanasia is important and summarizing the research that I found on Euthanasia. Euthanasia is important because there is a lot of arguments about Euthanasia. Some people support it and some people do not support Euthanasia (Euthanasia and assisted suicide– Arguments). Euthanasia allows people to be free from physical pain. It is the hastening of death of a patient to prevent further sufferings (Euthanasia Revisited). The religious argument states God chooses when human life ends. Euthanasia also causes mental suffering because they are in physical pain or they are experiencing with terminal illness. It is a debatable issue. There are many different opinions on Euthanasia. The topic that I am researching is Euthanasia. There are many different arguments for and against Euthanasia. The four main types of arguments used by people who are against Euthanasia are the religious argument, the 'slippery slope' argument, the medical ethics argument, and the alternative argument (Euthanasia and assisted suicide–Argument. The pragmatic argument and the ethical argument are the two main types of arguments used to support the practice of Euthanasia and assisted suicide (Euthanasia and assisted suicide– Argument. The ethical argument is that people should have the freedom of choice to say if they want euthanasia or not. The pragmatic argument is for euthanasia. . In addition, that is the definition of the topic. This is what makes the topic interesting. What makes this topic

Euthanasia, also known as mercy killing is a practice of ending a life to release an individual from an incurable disease or intolerable suffering. Euthanasia has been accepted both legally and morally in various forms in many societies but not in all. "In ancient Greece and Rome it was permissible in some situations to help others die. For example, the Greek writer Plutarch mentioned that in Sparta infanticide was practiced on children who lacked "health and vigor." Both Socrates and Plato sanctioned forms ofeuthanasia in certain cases. Voluntary euthanasia for the elderly was an approved custom in several ancient societies." With the rise oforganized religion, euthanasia became morally and ethically abhorrent. Christianity,...show more content...

Derek first founded the Hemlock Society in 1980 after the tragic death of his wife Jean. Jean had bone cancer and suffered a lot of pain and eventually took her own life with Dereks help. There are also some organizations that feel euthanasia should be illegal. One such organization is the I.A.E.T.F. which stands for the International Anti–Euthanasia Task Force. The I.A.E.T.F. is an information center for many different groups, one such group is Hospice. Hospice is a program designed to assist patients and families at the end of life. "Hospice care is to provide symptom–directed, supportive care and to address the physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs of the patients, families and caregivers" of terminally ill individuals. Basically hospice doesn't believe in any form of euthanasia. The focus of Hospice is pain management. If you can manage the pain through medications it is thought by this group that you don't have to take your life. Currently, there is only one state where euthanasia is legal this state is Oregon. New York currently believes that euthanasia should be illegal, but has set up pain management programs. There are two main documents in New York that help the dying patient gain a sense of control ever the end of their life these are the do not resuscitate (DNR) and the health care proxy. The do not resuscitate or DNR form states simply that when respirations and Get more content