...not only in the United States but also worldwide. In 1997, the Supreme Court had a unanimous ruling that there was not a constitutional right or a constitutional ban to PAS. Since then almost every other state have opposed legalization of PAS. There are many terminally ill people that feel assisted suicide should be their choice, not something left to the government for debate. Assisted suicide should be legal in all states because those who suffer with a terminal illness that want to die should be able to end their life peacefully instead of living in agony. Almost everyone that lives in the United States has rights; the right to free speech, the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, but those that are dying from a terminal disease do not have many rights. They do not have a right to seek help to end their pain and suffering. They lose the right to be in charge of their own life. The pursuit of happiness seems to not exist for those that wish to end their life. For some having their pain and suffering ended would make them “happy” because they no longer have to live with pain, live with a disease that cripples them so they cannot enjoy life the way they want to. Why should ailing people be forced to withstand unreasonable pain? If technology cannot offer anything to ease the pain then why can it not aid in freedom from suffering? First, the topic of assisted suicide has been in heated debate since the 90’s. Raising controversy on the ethics of PAS, many...
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...The Right To Die Whenever an animal is suffering, do you let it sit there in agony as each day passes? No. You take it to a vet and give it a shot to put it to sleep. Why would you let an animal endure such pain when you know you can end it easily and painlessly? What if you were that animal? What if you were in so much pain and you wanted that chance to get rid of it all? Wouldn't you want someone to help you and give you that life-changing shot? This can be referred to physician assisted suicide. Physician assisted suicide is when a physician gives a person who is terminally ill a lethal injection to hasten their death by consent of the patient. To many people, this is thought of as morally wrong. Life is beautiful and precious and you should never end it, but to those who can't even control their bodily functions anymore, there is no more life. To those who are terminally ill, to those patients who can no longer live on their own and who suffer every day, what is life to them? Life to them is waking up every morning in pain, taking medicine that is only going to help them temporarily, and watching their family members mourn at their sickness. Would you want to live that life? In this aspect, animals are treated so much better than people. It is alright to put an animal to sleep, but it isn't right to let a patient rest in peace? The main reason why patients ask for physician assisted suicide is to end the torture and the pain of their disease. Why wouldn't you want to...
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...some people say that physicians should not assist in death because it is morally wrong and hypocritical, physician assisted suicide may be the best option for terminally ill patients and should be legal because it ends suffering, allows for organ donation, and gives the patient the dignity of choosing his/her own fate. A very important aspect of why physician-assisted suicide should be legal is that it ends suffering. Terminally ill patients go through much suffering, and it can get to the point where no medication helps with the pain. Only so much of the pain can be managed (Quill, “Dying Patients Should” 61).This is one of the main reasons...
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...around and watch you die slowly? People who are terminally ill should decide if they want to live in pain or die. There are a lot of arguments about the family wanting their love ones to live instead of die, which is selfish. The family should also understand. If a person is terminally ill and not able to take the pain anymore, then they should end their lives upon their choice. Terminally ill patients should be able to decide not to suffer, make their own decisions and die with dignity. For one it is selfish to have an ill person suffering waiting on their death day. It should only be their choice if they decide to suffer or not. If you have never suffered before, then you wouldn’t know how bad the pain really is. No matter whom they are, regardless if it’s the mother, father, sister, brother, aunt, or any other close member of the family, have to understand it’s our lives. Pain is pain there is no big or small, pain is exactly what it is. “Legalize Assisted Suicide: A debate.”(1) Discuss killing someone to suffer. It discusses the fear of the losing capacity to make the choice to die. Those are some of the reason terminally ill patients should not have to suffer. Secondly, under no circumstances a terminally ill person should decide how he/she would like to end their lives. No one should push terminally ill patients into doing nothing, because at the end of the day, they should make their own decision. If patients are ill and want to suffer then that should be their choice also...
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...for reasons of mercy”. (Unknown, 2012) Euthanasia ends the individuals’ life by either lethal injection or the suspension of medical treatment. Euthanasia is not legalized in many places. When it comes to the debate of Euthanasia, there are more arguments on why it should be legalized than why it should stay illegal. There’s no doubt about it that constant medical bills are beyond expensive. The cost of the accessories, medicines, and machines that are needed to keep an individual alive are pricey. In 2009 an article said that 60% of people who go bankrupt are troubled by medical bills. (Tamkins, 2009) In 2007 another article explains that 72 million working-age Americans are paying off medical debt or have medical bill problems. If the number of elderly adults that deal with the same issues are included, then the total rises to 79 million. (Gonzalez, 2012) Years of everlasting medical bills and useless treatments will leave debt to the patient, family, and loved ones. That is money no one cannot afford to lose. There is no need to pay to perpetuate a life of a patient that has no chance of getting better and or living a regular life again. There is no need to pay to prolong a life of a patient that wants to die. There is no need in paying a colossal amount of money every day to suffer. Euthanasia is the solution yet again. Euthanasia will diminish the constant bills. Euthanasia will free the medical funds. Death is one of the hardest things humans have to deal with. It...
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...relieve pain and suffering. It is not yet legal in Britain, but when a poll was taken, it was discovered that 85% of the people believed that euthanasia should be legalised. I strongly agree. Who wouldn’t want to stop their pain if it would never end? I’m not saying that anyone that wants to die should be able to be euthanized, there of course would be regulations. My practical arguments are that it is possible to regulate euthanasia, that allowing people to die may free up scarce health resources, and also euthanasia happens anyway. My social argument is that death is a private matter (if it bares no harm to others). My political argument is that people have an explicit right to die. Instead of wasting effort on the patients who wish to die, more medical time and money could be spent on those who want and have the chance to live. Euthanasia is a relatively cheap option; the drug only costing around $87 is the USA. People may say that it would cost a lot more if because of regulatory control, but with appropriate control it could be sensibly priced. To add to the practical argument, beds in hospital could be used on people who want to stay alive. Even if it isn’t legalised, it will happen anyway with people going to Switzerland to have it happen. If you knew you were in large amounts of pain, and knew it was only going to get worse till the day you die, wouldn’t you want it to end? It is sickening, gut-wrenching and frankly horrifying to think that anyone could wish someone...
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...Advantages and Disadvantages of Euthanasia Discursive Essay Diara Utebay ID 20140542 Academic Reading and Writing 1 Yelena Zhacheva SEPTEMBER 23, 2014 Discursive Essay Outline Essay question: Should the whole world recognize physician-assisted suicide? I. Introduction Thesis statement: Euthanasia would be recognized by the entire world because physician-assisted suicide leads to easily leaving our world without any pain and suffering and it is another case of freedom of choice. However, mercy-killing is contrary to the Hippocratic Oath. II. Body A. Main idea 1: Euthanasia changes view of life, thereby helps not to be afraid of pain before death 1. It improves quality of life. 2. The best way to relieve the pains. 3. Death is the opposite of life, but the process of dying is part of life. B. Main idea 2: Physician-assisted suicide is another case of freedom of choice 1. If the dying process is unpleasant, people should have the right to shorten it. 2. Countries which protect rights of their citizens. C. Main idea: Mercy-killing is contrary to the Hippocratic Oath. 1. Doctor’s job is to protect and save life. 2. Providing deadly drugs is contrary to the oath. III. Conclusion Everything goes to the fact that euthanasia will be recognized by the entire world, however, medical professionals are not in hurry to make the most important decision, which is related to euthanasia. It has been argued that euthanasia is one of the most...
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...euthanasia involves death, it is a very sensitive topic. The different viewpoints contribute to the opinions that people have about euthanasia. People with a heavy religious culture are more likely to be against it, whereas people suffering from a life threatening or terminal disease are not. Euthanasia is currently only allowed in the state of Oregon through the Death with Dignity Act that was placed in 1997 and in four other states as well as three countries. Since that act, only 752 of the 1173 patients actually carried on to kill themselves. An article written by Ryan Wallace on October 7, 2014 titled “One Woman's Quest to Die with Dignity—and What It Means for Us All” is about a 29 year old woman named Brittany Maynard who has been diagnosed with stage four glioblastoma multiform, which is a fast-growing brain cancer that kills its victims. She is one of many that are in favor of assisted-suicide due to her illness. Maynard moved to Portland, Oregon where she would be able to end her life legally thru the Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act (DWDA). Those who are advocates don’t believe it is considered suicide because “aid in dying involves mentally competent people who are terminally ill but would love to live, if possible.” Maynard said herself that “there is not a cell in my body that is suicidal or that wants to die” but she wishes there was a cure. Terminally ill people are given a dignified way to exit life thru assisted-death. In “Joni Eareckson Tada to Brittany Maynard: God...
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...Euthanasia Persuasive Speech Topic: Euthanasia: The right to live and let die. General Purpose: Persuade Specific purpose: To persuade my audience that euthanasia should be consider and allowed in terminal illnesses cases, diseases and in special situations. Thesis statement: Euthanasia is about giving people the right to choose if they want to live or not. It also will save the expensive amount of money in medical bills, and it also stops the person from having a bad quality of life. I. INTRODUCTION A. Attention getter: Background: Euthanasia is a Greek term, which means meaning ‘good death.’ Also it is known as physician assisted suicide and mercy killing. The process of Euthanasia is considered a relatively painless and merciful way to die. There are different type of Euthanasia like non-voluntary (person is in coma, too young, is severely brain damaged) voluntary (when the person refuses medical treatment, ask for medical treatment to be stopped, refuse to eat, simple decides to die), passive (withholding of common treatments necessary for the continuance of life) or active (use of lethal substances or forces to kill the patient). B. Attention getter: Think about the idea that one day you get involved in a crash accident and you ended up in vegetative state and must spend probably the rest of your life in a hospital or you ended up quadriplegic. You cannot see, walk, you lose your independence, can barely breathe and you need a machine to keep...
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...his family members. This act is called euthanasia, and it is legal in many countries and some American states. Many people think that this act is normal and it should be legal. Life is a sacred right that was given to humans. No one can take this right away from himself or from anyone else; it is a murder. Giving life to someone and taking it away is not a human decision to make, but it is a god chararastic. Therefor, people should not have the power to act like God. Euthanasia is an act of justified killing that some people think about it as a good way to end someone’s suffering from a terminally sickness. The value of a human’s life cannot be determined on his money or health states. As long as there is breath, there is a chance for things to get better. Is Euthanasia Morally Acceptable? Probably most of us have had experiences with friends or relatives who suffered greatly towards the end of their lives. Some of you reading this may even have loved ones who are terminally ill and forced to endure significant and unrelenting pain. There are limits to how far modern medicine can go in alleviating this pain. Anyone who sees and hears the anguish of someone dear to them will to some extent share in this suffering and will desperately wish to end the suffering that the other is experiencing. If it happens that the doctors and the medications are not able to put an end to the constant pain, then there are some terminally ill patients who will wish to end their lives, but...
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...legality of assisted suicide, some people argue that physician assisted suicide is immoral, they have religious objections to assisted suicide, whilst others believe that they should be able to end their suffering in a manner and time which suits them and die with dignity. In this paper, I will discuss my thoughts and feelings about the subject, my opinion regarding its impact on “special populations”, as well as to briefly mention the laws governing euthanasia in the state of Ohio. I feel that I deserve the right to live, and by the same token, to die the same way I lived, with the ability to make my own choices, and to die with dignity. Other peoples need to believe in a higher power, however has stripped my right to die with dignity away from me. These religious fanatics believe that for me to have a physician assist me in dying that I am in turn “playing God”. If that is the case then what if a person is bleeding to death from an accidental cut, should we not just watch and let death occur? To intervene would challenge God's prerogative to determine the time and place of death, would it not? For some reason, however religious people do not believe that to be the case. Sounds to me like a case of contradiction, but that is for another discussion. We wisely do not allow people to do anything they want, even if the consequences will affect them most or altogether. We do not allow people to duel with lethal weapons. We do not permit people to sell themselves into slavery. And...
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...John C Goodman from ‘California’s New Law Advances the Right to Die with Dignity’ tells everyone “Have you ever thought about how you’re going to die? If you’re lucky, it’ll be quick and relatively painless.” For one thing, this quote shows that most people would want to die peacefully and with dignity. This topic is very controversial because there are so many people who can argue for either side. Also not everyone can agree to the point of it is or it is not a good thing. Granted assisted suicide is helpful, there are some people who believe it to be bad. It is important to realize assisted suicide would provide terminally ill patients with the chance to die in peace with less suffering. To point out everyone knows being terminally ill...
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...all lives are bound to die. Time is inevitable and each second that passes by is one step closer to death. Just the same, every moment we live is the reality and every moment that passes by becomes part of the forgettable past. We do not own time but on the contrary, time owns us. Schopenhauer would argue that life is pointless, a meaningless journey with one final end which is to cease to exist. What would then be the ultimate purpose of life if we will all die in the end? Everything that we invested will be gone and everything we have built will be worthless? I would like to argue that it is not necessarily the end that matters the most but the journey. Dying in the end should not mean that we have to live our lives miserably. I believe that death and factitious freedom are deeply intertwined with the thesis question "Why did Jesus die on the cross?" In this paper, we carefully examine not just the father-son relationship between Jesus and God but Jesus as both God-Man through the hypostatic union (As given in the thesis question) , its relationship to people and the very purpose of His and generally an individual's death vis-a-vis human freedom. It is very difficult to try to elaborate this issue that has been going on for years without being theological. There is a gap between theology and philosophy in such a way that theology's main ingredients are faith and belief and philosophy is sheer rationality. Theology becomes rational only if the people have faith or belief in...
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...Right to Die Movement The Right to Die movement began in 1993, and has continued to grow over the past twenty-three years. In 1997, Oregon passed the first right to die law called the Death with Dignity Act, which allowed those who were terminally ill to choose a death on their terms. It withstood multiple attempts to nullify it, and in 2006 the Supreme Court ruled that Oregon physicians can prescribe life ending medications under the act. At this time, there are five states who have passed a similar Right to Die law, and in the next election, 19 more states will attempt to pass their own version of the Death with Dignity Act. In this essay I will explain Death with Dignity, address any frequently asked questions, express how the opposition...
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...suicide is when a, “Medical doctor helping patient to die by prescribing a lethal overdose.” Although there are many guidelines that have to be followed for a patient to be considered for physician-assisted suicide, it still should not be legal. Kayla Asbury argues in her article “The Right to Die: Benefits of Physician-Assisted Suicide” that, “dying with dignity is a right everyone should be afforded.” However, many people argue that physician-assisted suicide is not moral and should not be preformed under any circumstance. In Asbury’s article she time and time again explains why she believes physician-assisted suicide should be legal. Asbury’s main argument...
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