Philosophy Assignment Three Gilbert S Teniente March 16,2009

Euthanasia

The different between the legal aspects of euthanasia and physician assisted suicide can be looked at by two different sides. The terminally ill patient should be allowed to end their lives with dignity, physician assisted suicide is a compassionate solution to human suffering, and should not be criminalized, and that doctors be in the business of saving lives not ending them. Allowing physician to aid in suicide makes them accomplices in an immoral and unethical act. Every individual has dominion over their body and should be allowed to decide when to end their life. To achieve that end, with dignity and without pain doctors should be allowed to aid terminal patients by providing necessary dose of drugs. The only other place in the world that currently have legalized euthanasia are Columbia, Japan, and Netherlands.
Many pro life activists believe that the choice between life and death belongs to God, not to an individual. Our society today does not condone suicide under any circumstances and there is no moral difference in this case. In addition it is felt that many terminally ill patients suffering extreme pain may want to live or die. The role of doctors in this complex situation is to provide medical treatment when possible and appropriate pain relief when treatment options have