...terminal suffering? Although human euthanasia is a tender subject for many people, an assisted dying law would not result in more deaths but is an economically beneficial practice that would create a better quality of life and care for patients, and ultimately will result in fewer people suffering. The opinion about an assisted suicide law is divided into roughly two groups; those who find it unethical and those who argue it would give patients a chance to die with dignity. Although many think that assisted death will start down a slippery slope to a ‘Purge’ like situation. I strongly believe that strict guidelines could prevent such. Through clear strategies and procedures, as a country, we can create a method to allow doctors in assisting terminally ill patients with death. Modern medicine has made leaps and bounds in the recent years past ensuring patients better care and longer lives. Though, in certain situations those longer lives turn into torture. There are two types of human euthanasia, passive and non-aggressive, one of which is already used today. Passive euthanasia is when doctors terminate life-support when a patient is Rougeaux 2 considered brain dead. Although doctors can passively euthanize a patient to alleviate suffering while they are brain dead, the application of non-aggressive euthanasia is constantly debated. Non-aggressive euthanasia, commonly known as assisted suicide, is where terminally ill patients make the decision to end their life instead of...
Words: 1245 - Pages: 5
...Death, a very taboo topic by itself, but assisted suicide can be an even more touchy subject. Dying is something everybody has to do eventually, it’s inevitable. Sometimes it is by the hand of mother nature, but other times, it is by the hand of oneself or a doctor. Some believe that euthanasia is immoral, violates the code of life, and it is unnatural. Others think that when a person wants to go, they should be able to go and make that make choice. Assisted suicide should be legalized because it could not only end the physical pain of the patient, but also the emotional pain of the family and puts the patient in control of their own life. The benefits of assisted suicide greatly outweigh the downsides. Many people with a terminal illness...
Words: 658 - Pages: 3
...Steve Barbi English 101.20 21 February 2012 The Positive Side of Euthanasia by Consent Euthanasia is the act of allowing someone to die painlessly. Its purpose is to relieve suffering from an incurable illness. Doctor Jack Kevorkian euthanized 130 patients in the 1990s. As a consequence Kevorkian was imprisoned for second degree murder. Since then, assisted suicide has been a controversial issue in the United States. There are two types of euthanasia. Euthanasia by consent is when a patient asks a doctor to end his life. Patients ask for euthanasia for a number of reasons. Common reasons are: suffering, no hope for recovery, financial and psychological effects on family. The second kind of assisted suicide is euthanasia without consent. This surfaces when a patient cannot communicate. The decision to euthanize the patient falls onto his family. Euthanasia by consent should be legalized because people have the right to die, it is economic, and it allows nature to take its course. A sound minded terminally ill person has the right to end his suffering. No one has the authority to deny him a timely death. If someone is competent, his voice should be heard and taken seriously. The right to a painless dignified death is no more inalienable than the right to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. Opposing views argue that euthanasia disregards respect for human life. Christians believe only God should determine when someone dies. Euthanasia is respectful toward human...
Words: 609 - Pages: 3
...two physicians must concur that their patient has less than six months to live. In the United States euthanasia is often referred to as mercy killing. Proponents of euthanasia believe it’s a way to relief terminally ill peoples low life quality. They also say it provides extreme relief. Proponents argue that the right to die is protected by the same constitutional safeguards that guarantee marriage or any other right. Opponents argue that doctors have a moral responsibility to keep patients alive as reflected by the Hippocratic oath. They also say that legalizing euthanasia will target the poor and disabled and create incentives for insurance companies to terminate lives in order to save money. Jack Kevorkian was an American pathologist known for assisting terminally ill patients death through physician-assisted suicide. In 1990 he assisted Janet Adkins in suicide. He was sent to jail, but later released. That did not stop Kevorkian he assisted many others in suicide. In 1998, the Michigan legislature enacted a law making assisted suicide a felony. He allowed a news program 60 Minutes to air a tape he made of the lethal injections. In 1999 he was convicted of second-degree murder and the illegal delivery of a controlled substance. Jack was released on June 1st, 2007 he was suffering from liver damage and hepatitis. Kevorkian died on June 3, 2011....
Words: 678 - Pages: 3
...tolerance is the equal of corruption. People can go on for ages discussing what's right and wrong about euthanasia, but I want to address a number of the arguments that I found most important which are the mistakes made to kill innocent lives, euthanasia and the law, and voluntary euthanasia. Euthanasia itself as a theory is quite cruel. It disregards the means of hope. For such a recent practice it is hard to pinpoint its consequences. It is often hard to tell the difference between the victims and the family. As a fact, euthanasia is illegal in Canada. People who euthanize can violate the patient's rights, create an economic burden, interfere with a doctor's job, or increase suffering among them. It is never easy to watch your loved ones suffer, but I consider it is better if someone dies of natural causes. The cycle of life has been embedded into history and breaking it could be dangerous. The consequences to euthanize may be held against a person for their entire life because there will always be regret consuming someone for the mistake to end the other person's life that way. These consequences can range from emotional effects, to...
Words: 966 - Pages: 4
...Introduction The purpose of this paper is to discuss the topic of euthanasia with the intention of shedding some light on this issue should you ever have to make this choice. There are many reasons for and against euthanasia and this article will explore some of those reasons. Specifically this paper includes a review of the following topics; Background which will include; What is euthanasia and where does it come from, Canadian law in regards to euthanasia, Euthanasia in other countries, What does our society say today? Then I will be looking at the pro euthanasia which will include; Can euthanasia be dignified where I will be looking at the Kantian and the Healthy Soul Theories, and Personnel choice. The last part will be looking at against euthanasia which will include; Who decided when to die which will include the Divine command theory and the Ethical Dilemma and I will end with a Conclusion. Thereafter, an analysis will be completed on the a fore mentioned that will include a discussion analysis of what is taken from within an existing body of research with final recommendations which will be presented based on the research. Background What is Euthanasia and where does it come from? The meaning of the word euthanasia comes from a combination of Greek words eu meaning good and athantos meaning death (Corbett, 2009). Therefore one would say that euthanasia is a good death and by saying this we are then saying “to die with dignity” (Corbett, 2009). Euthanasia...
Words: 3469 - Pages: 14
...Development, and For Other Purposes introduced by Albay 1st district Representative Edcel Lagman, and Senate Bill No. 2378 or An Act Providing For a National Policy on Reproductive Health and Population and Development introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago. THESIS OR CONVICTION: Yes, COUNTER ARGUMENT: No, because SUPPORTING ARGUMENTS 1. No, because Philip Nitschke, MD, Director and Founder of Exit International, commented in his June 5, 2009 interview with Kathryn Jean Lopez titled "Euthanasia Sets Sail" that appeared in the National Review Online: "Over time the Hippocratic Oath has been modified on a number of occasions as some of its tenets became less and less acceptable. References to women not studying medicine and doctors not breaking the skin have been deleted. The much-quoted reference to 'do no harm' is also in need of explanation. Does not doing harm mean that we should prolong a life that the patient sees as a painful burden? Surely, the 'harm' in this instance is done when we prolong the life, and 'doing no harm' means that we should help the patient die. Killing the patient--technically, yes. Is it a good thing--sometimes, yes. Is it consistent with good medical end-of-life care: absolutely yes." 2. No, because Sherwin Nuland,...
Words: 1169 - Pages: 5
...Assisted Suicide by Jordan Froce A Project Presented to Professor Demosthenes Long in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for CRJ 150: Introduction to Criminal Justice Pace University Dyson College of Arts and Sciences February 3, 2012 Table of Contents Introduction……….................................................................................... 3 Background…………………………..……………………...................... 3 Literature Review……………………………….……………………….. 5 Conclusion………………………………………….……......................... 7 References........………………………………………….…..................... 9 Introduction Imagine being in such a great deal of pain, and suffering that you make the decision to end your own life. We often have people there in our lives to help us along the way. Parents are there to love us, teachers are there to teach us, and doctors are there to help us when we are sick. But what happens when you are terminally ill, who is there to help you then? Doctors can only do so much. Many people believe that they should have the right to end their lives, while others disagree. If people do decide to end their lives, why shouldn’t they get the best care possible? Dr. Jack Kevorkian is a very well known physician who offered these possibilities to his patients with grim futures. In this paper I will be covering different aspects of the very controversial subject...
Words: 1952 - Pages: 8
...I. Introduction There is always a time for everything, “1For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. 2A time to be born and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to harvest. 3A time to kill and a time to heal; A time to tear down and a time to build up.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-3) Throughout the ages and for the next generation to come, there is only one thing constant in our lives and that binds mankind together, and that is facing the great inevitable, which is death. Death is something we all must face -- no escaping techniques, no meditation rituals, and no amount of money can avoid it. Death is not a right, it is the end of all rights and a fate that none of us can escape. It is the great equalizer. The finality of death and not knowing the inevitable would ultimately give a person a scare for their life. But what happens when death can no longer be a natural occurrence? What happens when we are given the choice to manipulate and control the death of a person? What happens when a person interferes with the laws of nature and decides for himself/herself what time a person may die, but saying he/she had the best interest of the person? What happens to these situations then? Is it justifiable to end the life of a person? i. Background The ultimate right we have as human beings is the right-to-life, an inalienable right that can never be taken away, not even by the person who possesses it. It is similar to the fact that our right to liberty...
Words: 939 - Pages: 4
...is induced before time. The background setting for our live case is the very debatable issue of “Euthanasia”. Literally, euthanasia means “Good Death” (Greek: eu = good, thanatos = death). More formally, euthanasia means the intentional act or practice of painlessly putting to death persons suffering from an incurable and distressing disease as an act of mercy, which is not necessarily at the request of the patient. Forms of Euthanasia: • Voluntary euthanasia: When the patient has requested the death. • Non-voluntary: When the patient has not made any request and gave no consent. • Assisted suicide: Someone provides an individual with the information, guidance, and means to take his or her own life with the intention that they will be used for this purpose. When it is a doctor who helps another person to kill themselves it is called "physician assisted suicide." • Euthanasia by Action: Intentionally causing a person's death by performing an action such as by giving a lethal injection. • Euthanasia by Omission: Intentionally causing death by not providing necessary and ordinary (usual and customary) care or food and water. Euthanasia evokes a mixed reaction among people who come across it. For some, it is unimaginable to end a human life and yet some think it is justified to end a life which is not worth of dignity. There are several moral and ethical issues concerning this topic and we will examine it in detail in the later part of our report. The...
Words: 2423 - Pages: 10
...Physician Assisted Suicide/Euthanasia: Shouldn't We Have That Choice? Everest University Online – Tampa/Brandon Abstract Physician-assisted suicide/euthanasia has been a heated debate amongst many people and physicians since the 5th century. Most people do not think about their death or how and when they would like to die, if they were terminally ill. Until people start speaking up about their wishes about how and when they want to die, they will continue to slowly fade away and be in pain during that process. There really needs to be someone to step up and finish where Dr. Kevorkian was forced to stop helping people. There are hundreds, if not thousands of people that die every single day, and those people end up suffering because there is nothing, except conventional pain medications, that ease their pain while dying. While these pain medications do help sometimes, people are still suffering, waiting, and dying a slow death. This is why doctor assisted suicide/euthanasia should be legalized because at the end of their lives, most people do not want to suffer. Shouldn't we be Able to Choose how and When to Die? Have you ever thought about the way you would want to die if you were terminally ill? Most people do not think about things like that. However, if you could actually choose how and when you wanted to die, what choice would you make? If you had a terminal illness and knew that you were going to die very soon, would you want your family to watch you be in pain...
Words: 2932 - Pages: 12
...This essay will demonstrate that it is not “always morally worse to kill than it is to let die”. It will be argued that passive euthanasia (i.e. letting someone die) is not morally wrong and that active euthanasia (i.e. accelerating their death) is no less moral. However, the many complications associated with the legalisation of active euthanasia (and euthanasia in general) must be identified and addressed. These identified complications may be eliminated with an appropriate regulatory regime. Assuming that identified complications can be overcome, and having established that it is not always morally worse to kill than to let die, it will be demonstrated that active euthanasia should not be banned. Morality, as defined by the Oxford Dictionary, is “principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad behaviour”1. Hinde states that the principles are influenced and changed by one’s society and culture but also “based in human nature”2. As morality is influenced by society, public opinion is important when it comes to controversial issues. Morality differs from place to place and evolves over time. To compound this diversity, changes in medical treatment, and discoveries which enhance medical knowledge evolves rapidly and what was not even conceivable in some cultures or at certain points in history are now commonly accepted. Developments in end of life care fall within this category. With our increased ability to prolong life, arguments can now be made...
Words: 3595 - Pages: 15
...The Right to Die Vicky Perry Writing Workshop 100W Section 5 Mary Juno San Jose State University May 8, 2012 Abstract Euthanasia, the act of killing oneself in order to end pain and suffering, is illegal in the majority of the states in the nation. Euthanasia should be legalized in order to promote autonomy, personal decisions, and the quality of life. Oppositions to legalizing euthanasia include morality, religious beliefs, concern for medical staff violating the Hippocratic Oath, and fear of abuse of the act. Some states have made euthanasia legal under strict circumstances; the rest of the nation should soon follow. Introduction “Dogs do not have many advantages over people, but one of them is extremely important: euthanasia is not forbidden by law in their case; animals have the right to a merciful death” (Kundera, 1999). Euthanasia is the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering. It is a common practice among household pets as a humane way to end their lives if they are suffering. Euthanasia in relation to humans is illegal in the United States as well as many other countries across the world. It is bizarre to think that animals have the right to die when their owners believe they are suffering and in distress, but humans are not granted that same opportunity. Euthanasia, practiced most commonly on animals, has three distinct types in relation to the euthanasia of humans. Voluntary euthanasia, which requires consent...
Words: 2974 - Pages: 12
...Death with Dignity Imagine your mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, or even your best friend, lying in their hospital bed for 3 years now. Intense pain; incurable disease; unable to live outside hospital walls. They may already be thinking about death and when they’re peace will come; however the doctor tells them they can still live for another 2 years if they stay under the hospitals care! Wonderful, right? Not for everyone. Though it may seem great to be able to keep your loved one around for another 2 years, to them it may be pure torture, and in my opinion, a bit inhumane. As advanced as our medicine may be, it isn’t guaranteed that your loved one will survive, and in fact, no matter how many times they change their medication they may still be in excruciating daily pain. What if there were a way to die with dignity? What if your loved one could chose to leave this world as themselves versus what their disease has left them to become? What if, they could plan their exact “death” day, so that they may leave this world completely surrounded by love and support, versus alone at 3 AM in the solitude of the darkness? What if I told you euthanasia could answer all of these questions. Long are the days where euthanasia was only “humane” when we had to put our beloved pets to sleep. It is now legal in a few states for our loved ones to use them as well, but why not every state? We’ve often heard that once our “furbabies” are no longer able to participate in any of their favorite...
Words: 1671 - Pages: 7
...In the 1940’s, the Nazis, led by Adolf Hitler, murdered thousands of men, women, and children of the Jewish religion or Gypsy lifestyle. During the Holocaust, the Germans murdered any individual that did not fit into Hitler’s purified race. This “cleansing” of the German race began with the sterilization program. After Hitler reaped the successes of the sterilization program, he advanced to his euthanasia program. Hitler did not only euthanize Jews and Gypsies, he also executed people with disabilities. People define euthanasia as, the act of killing or allowing the death of a hopelessly sick or injured individual in a quick and painless way. However, Hitler did not kill those innocent people in a quick, painless way. To maximize the...
Words: 1544 - Pages: 7
