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Moral values of euthanasia
Ethical dilemma about euthanasia
Whether euthanasia should be legal
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The question of euthanasia is one that has plagued the human sense of morale for centuries. With modern medical technology it becomes even more pressing. I will cover three aspects of Euthanasia including three principles for, three principles against, and my own conclusion as to why Euthanasia is morally justified. To clarify some of the terms involved; Euthanasia is derived from the Greek language: Euthos, meaning easy, and thanos, meaning dying. Voluntary Euthanasia is a medically assisted, peaceful death at the request of the patient. There is also active and passive euthanasia. Active being euthanasia at the request of a relative and passive euthanasia is withholding treatment at the request of the patient. There have been many arguments for euthanasia and most can be surmised into three principles. One is that individuals should have the right to make their own choices in personal issues such as death. Not respecting one’s wish for a quiet and peaceful death disrespects one’s autonomy. It does so in such a way that to deny the right to make their own decision is like telling them they do not have the capacity to make a rational decision. If one does not have rational thought than one is like an animal with no concept of death. If one is thought to be like an animal then what harm is there in “putting them to sleep”? As people we constantly put down loved pets to end their suffering. Telling someone who only wishes for a peaceful death that they may not have such a mercy completely defies autonomy. Individuals’ right to make their own decision is not only an ethical right that all people have, but it is also protected by the United States Constitution as a part of the Right to Privacy. Death, it would seem to me, constitut... ... middle of paper ... ...eat gift to ease one's pain and a great show of compassion to that person as well. Individuals have the right to choose. Denying a person their right to choose life or death, to me, is intrinsically wrong. As stated previously, death is a very personal issue and if life is no longer worth living than who are we to force unwanted life upon someone? We have a right to make private decisions and that includes the decision to die. There is nothing wrong with wanting to die peacefully to end suffering quicker than a natural death might have allowed. Euthanasia is clearly a mercy for those who suffer immensely through disease. Euthanasia should be an option for those that want it. It is obvious that many will still have objections and many will not make such a choice, but if they so choose, a quick and easy death awaits. I personally am not against euthanasia.
The purpose of this essay is to inform readers clearly and coherently enoughof the terms and issues in the euthanasia debate that they can make sense of the euthanasia question. Descriptions are in relatively simple, non-technical language to facilitate learning.
Overall I think that euthanasia should only be legalized for people with a terminal disease, or one that is causing unnecessary or unbearable pain to the victim. Being a Catholic, I don’t think the idea of killing someone - whether painlessly or not - is something to be encouraged, and I think that people will attempt, and sometimes succeed in abusing the legalization of euthanasia. However I also think that preventing a person from suffering more than necessary is better than denying their wish to die painlessly.
The controversy over euthanasia has recently become highly publicized. However, this issue is not a new debate. Society has voiced its opinions on the subject for hundreds of years. Euthanasia, which is Greek for "good death", refers to the act of ending another person’s life in order to end their suffering and pain.1 Two forms, passive and active euthanasia, categorize the actions taken to end the person’s life. Passive euthanasia involves removing a patient’s life support, withholding food and water, and discontinuing medical treatments. Active euthanasia includes any direct action taken to cause the death of the person, such as administrating a lethal drug.2 The debate over this issue stems from moral, ethical, and religious beliefs. All of these standpoints either side with the patient dying a natural death or from an accelerated death by euthanasia.
I think that voluntary euthanasia should be an available option for humans. I think it’s inhumane to prolong ones suffering when quality of life has diminished to a point where death is preferable.
Assisted suicide brings up one of the biggest moral debates currently circulating in America. Physician assisted suicide allows a patient to be informed, including counseling about and prescribing lethal doses of drugs, and allowed to decide, with the help of a doctor, to commit suicide. There are so many questions about assisted suicide and no clear answers. Should assisted suicide be allowed only for the terminally ill, or for everyone? What does it actually mean to assist in a suicide? What will the consequences of legalizing assisted suicide be? What protection will there be to protect innocent people? Is it (morally) right or wrong? Those who are considered “pro-death”, believe that being able to choose how one dies is one’s own right.
Our values, opinions and beliefs depend on what culture, religion and the society we come from. People who are against view euthanasia as murder and that we must respect the value of life. Those who are in favor of euthanasia believe that doing such act eliminates the patient’s pain and suffering. Also, the right to die allows the person to die with dignity. Euthanasia may involve taking a human’s life, but not all forms of killing are wrong nor consider as murder. It depends on the underlying reasons and intentions. If you value a person’s life and the cause of death is for the patient’s benefit and not one’s personal interest, then euthanasia is permissible.
I believe that euthanasia, as a drastic course of action, should not be legal. In my opinion, the only exception to this that should exist is euthanasia being used to carry out punishment for a crime. Euthanasia should only be used to punish criminals who have committed a crime that the punishment of their crime is the death penalty.
The word euthanasia comes from a Greek-Latin origin meaning easy and peaceful death. Euthanasia is commonly referred to as “Physician-Assisted-Suicide”. It is the practice of having a physician prescribe a treatment that speeds up the death process. People argue that life is sacred and should not be disturbed.
Death. This is not a topic that many people are comfortable discussing. It is such an uncomfortable topic to discuss because regardless if death is brought upon through natural death, murder, suicide, or even euthanasia, it brings upon such a wide variety of emotions to those affected that I believe no one can grow accustomed to. Stemming from this, we get into the debate of euthanasia vs. murder vs. suicide, and the ethics behind the three. Before considering the differences between the them, we should first be able to define ethics and morals. Nowadays, these two terms can be considered very similar, and are said to be the sort of principles that decide a person’s behavior and actions. Ethics and morals play a big role when discussing these topics, as people are quick to argue that euthanasia and murder can be considered the same. Through this paper, I will argue their differences, and how most aspects of euthanasia can be considered morally different and better than murder. Additionally, my perspective of how suicide compares and differs to these two will also be introduced.
By far the most quoted and discussed argument against euthanasia is the way in which the practice degrades and undermines the value of human life. Since childhood, we are taught by our parents, teachers and friends not to treat our bodies as a means to our own ends. We are encouraged not to sm...
Should euthanasia be legal? Should we consider it mercy or murder? Every day many people are diagnosed with terminal illnesses and some have to suffer a long agony before dying. Euthanasia basically means ending someone's life to stop the person's suffering. Euthanasia can be classified into passive and active. Passive euthanasia is to stop medical treatment with the intention to accelerate the death of a terminally ill patient, while active euthanasia is taking a specific measure, usually a lethal dose of medication, that causes a patient’s death. For many years euthanasia or assisted suicide has been one of the most controversial and emotive topic in our society. There are many people against euthanasia and who think it is inhuman. In addition, in most countries euthanasia is not legal, and a doctor or a nurse could lose their job and even they could face a sentence in prison by this practice. However, it is legal in some countries such as Belgium, The Netherlands or Australia and steps are being taken to legalize euthanasia in some other countries. Patients should be able to control how they live, and more importantly how they die. In some cases, the patient doesn’t wish to spend their last days in a hospital bed. Euthanasia can helps the patient in many positive ways.Therefore, euthanasia or assisted suicide should be legal all over the world.
First of all, euthanasia saves money and resources. The amount of money for health care in each country, and the number of beds and doctors in each hospital are limited. It is a huge waste if we use those money and resources to lengthen the lives of those who have an incurable disease and want to die themselves rather than saving the lives of the ones with a curable ailment. When we put those patients who ask for euthanasia to death, then the waiting list for each hospital will shorten. Then, the health care money of each country, the hospital beds, and the energy of the doctors can be used on the ones who can be cured, and can get back to normal and able to continue contributing to the society. Isn’t this a better way of using money and resources rather than unnaturally extend those incurable people’s lives?
Should a patient have the right to ask for a physician’s help to end his or her life? This question has raised great controversy for many years. The legalization of physician assisted suicide or active euthanasia is a complex issue and both sides have strong arguments. Supporters of active euthanasia often argue that active euthanasia is a good death, painless, quick, and ultimately is the patient’s choice. While it is understandable, though heart-rending, why a patient that is in severe pain and suffering that is incurable would choose euthanasia, it still does not outweigh the potential negative effects that the legalization of euthanasia may have. Active euthanasia should not be legalized because
Euthanasia, a sensitive and delicate subject. The termination of someone who is very sick to relieve them of the suffering of their disease is a great moral dilemma. The debate on the ethics of Euthanasia can incite strong emotions on both sides of the argument, those who support the idea and those who oppose the idea with great dislike. I happen to believe that euthanasia or assisted suicide is not as morally wrong as some people make it out to be. Does an individual on his deathbed not have the right to die with dignity and no pain?
The euthanized person may even be of use to society in a utilitarian manner, if his/her bodily organs are to promote the welfare of others, one life saves the lives of others. This may even be ...