Abortion versus Euthanasia
When it comes to the question of law, there are endless debates on which laws are just or which are unjust. Euthanasia and abortion are both very serious topics that bring controversy, mainly on whether it should be legal or not. Currently in Canada, abortion is legal, although assisted suicide is illegal. By making euthanasia legal in Canada as well, not only would humans benefit but also the country as a whole. Euthanasia rather than abortion seems to be a more reasonable solution because of the following aspects; the reasoning in making such a decision, the pain and suffering endured, and whether or not human rights are being dishonoured.
When a person decides to take their own life by doctor assisted suicide, the decision is very thoroughly thought out by the patient, their family and their doctor. The reason why certain people would choose to take their own life is mainly because the pain and suffering is unbearable. When the sickness or disease is incurable, the family suffers along with the patient. They already know that they are going to die soon. Patients who do suffer with these diseases and are physically unable to kill themselves and die painfully, and unhappily. Patients and family members, that decide committing suicide is for the best, it is because they can not bear to see their own family member go through anymore pain. Yet if the person is too ill to instruct what is to be done, it should be left up to the immediate family. Abortion on the other hand is a sometimes a solution for accidental pregnancies. Some people choose to have an abortion because they do not think that they have the suitable conditions to bring a child into the world. There have been some cases in ...
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...man child, can by some people, be reduced to being called and thought of as a mass of tissue. An abortion does not just take the life of an unborn child; it is also a very real threat to any of a woman’s future children, and a threat to the happiness and joy that she would find as a mother. Her chance at motherhood might be forever lost. It is understandable when irresponsibility is not the factor that led to the decision to abort a fetus. In most cases, patients that are slowly dying day after day, should be the ones with the legal option to be able to end their lives peacefully. Life has already made it so tough on these individuals with their disease. Euthanasia in truth does help people in need. The one and most important thing to any individual in society would have to be life. To the average person it is their own, and with it, they can do as they please.
The patient might just be waiting for the disease they have caught to kill them, but it does not always go so quickly . ¨Ending a patient's life by injection, with the added solace that it will be quick and painless, is much easier than this constant physical and emotional care¨ (Ezekiel Emanuel, 1997, p. 75). If a patient is terminally ill and will not get better, it allows them to end the suffering. If the physician has to keep a constant eye on the patient and they need constant care and the patient is not getting better, the option is there if they want to end all of it they can. Sometimes dealing with all of the physical care like medications and not being able to live completely normal with a disease is hard. It can get extremely hard and stressful that all the patients can think about doing is ending it, this alternative gives the patient a painless option. According to Somerville (2009), ¨… respect for people's rights to autonomy and self determination means everyone has a right to die at a time of their choosing¨ ( p.4). The patient deserves to choose whether they want to keep fighting or if they cannot go any farther. The patient should not have to push through a fight they have been fighting and know they cannot win. According to Kevorkian ¨the patient decides when it's best to go.¨ Nobody tells the patient when they have to end their lives, they understand their body and know
First of all, we were not in charge of our birth, we had no input of when we wanted to be born, is only fair that we don’t decide our death. I believe God creates life, He and He alone should decide when and how a person should dye. Only when the time come. I think is unethical to kill someone just because their quality of life is not up to people’s standard. Who are we to decide who should live or die. God the creator creates, let him decide when a person should die. I promise you God does not need our health in that matter. Euthanasia is a serious topic; It goes against the standards of traditional medicine. First, doctors have to take the Hippocratic Oath to become a practicing physician. The Hippocratic Oath says do whatever you can to save people’s life, on the contrary, Euthanasia is basically just killing them if they want to die and avoid the suffering. Second, euthanasia is not always applied to terminally ill patients either. People who have been in serious accidents, or who have debilitating diseases often consider using euthanasia as a resolution to their suffering. I believe the act of euthanasia is against the principles of Beneficence, Non-maleficence, and Life Preservation. By virtue, Beneficence tells us to be good and be kind to others, also do things to benefits others, preventing people from harms or anything
Euthanasia has been a long debated subject consisting of many opinions and believes. For this paper I will be providing my rationale on why I am for legalization of active voluntary euthanasia for terminally ill clients in Canada. Active voluntary euthanasia should be legalized because it respects the individual’s choice, it allows individuals to flourish in their passing, and reduces the individual from further suffering. These are all important components of bioethics, and are all good reasons why euthanasia is not a negative thing. Active voluntary euthanasia is “the active killing of a dying person” requested by the client themselves (Collier & Haliburton, 2011, p. 226). In the paper I will also be discussing about virtue ethics, the principle of autonomy, and care ethics.
Although physician assisted suicide may result in the fulfillment of another’s choice, be considered a compassionate mean to end suffering, or even be considered a right, I believe it is not morally acceptable. In the act of physician assisted suicide, a patient voluntarily requests his or her doctor to assist in providing the means needed for self killing. In most cases of physician assisted suicide, patients who request this type of assistance are terminally ill and mentally competent (i.e. have sufficient understanding of an individual’s own situation and purpose and consequences of any action). Those who have committed the action of physician assisted suicide or condone the act may believe that one has the right to end their own life, the right of autonomy (the right or condition of self governing), the right to a dignified death, believe that others have a duty to minimize suffering, or believe it (physician assisted suicide) to be a compassionate act, or a combination of these things. However, since this act violates the intrinsic value of human life, it is not morally acceptable.
According to Longman dictionary euthanasia means “the deliberate killing of a person who is very ill ‘(terminal illness)’ and going to die, in order to stop them suffering.” There are two different types of euthanasia; active and passive. Euthanasia is legalized in some parts of the world like Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium, Oregon, Montana and Washington. Euthanasia should not be legalized in Canada because it is not lawful, ethical, and violates Canada’s respect for every religion.
We can't claim full control over our lives if we cannot choose when to end it. Thus, people should be given the right to assisted suicide in order to end their unnecessary suffering, to preserve the individual right of people to determine their own fate, and to reduce the burden on their families both, financially and emotionally. Some are probably thinking, what exactly is doctor assisted suicide? Doctor-assisted suicide is the voluntary termination of one’s own life by a lethal substance with the assistance of a doctor or nurse. People suffering from terminal illnesses go through severe pain and many wish to die peacefully instead of suffering until they succumb to their illness.
Is society playing the role of God or is the world so wrapped up in their lives that God no longer matters? Euthanasia has been around since the ancient Romans and Greeks and has been a highly debated subject just as it is today. In history and in arguments stated today is that “people are the created and not the Creator” (Gula 26). There are many things that society can argue about the subject of euthanasia but the main debate is that euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide is wrong. Society gets euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide confused because they both have to do with physicians tending to the patient’s death. Society is either for or against euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. It is debated throughout history, within the church, and even within the medical profession; however euthanasia is wrong.
The Oxford English Dictionary defines euthanasia as “the action of inducing a gentle and easy death” (Oxford English Dictionary). Many people around the world would like nothing more than to end their lives because they are suffering from painful and lethal diseases; suffering people desperately seek doctors to help them end their lives. Many people see euthanasia as murder, so euthanasia is illegal in many countries. Euthanasia is an extremely controversial issue that has many complex factors behind it including medical costs, murder and liberty rights. Should people have the rights to seek euthanasia from doctors who are well trained in dealing with euthanasia?
...governmental and religious bodies. Look at same sex marriages, abortion and even women’s rights. What do these all have in common? Issues directly effecting Canadians once viewed as and in some cases still viewed as wrong by our government and religious bodies. The majority of Canadians are in favour of euthanasia; in Quebec it is becoming legal. This only further proves the numerous advantages that are offered with the legalization of euthanasia. Groups opposed to the use of euthanasia like the Christian Legal Fellowship, only seek to further their own agenda and many other activists are misinformed. The arguments against euthanasia are often invalid, as more studies continue and information becomes available a lot of myths are being debunked. The legalization of euthanasia will place the control of our lives back into the hands of the individuals they affect.
Being a mother is a lifelong job that requires copious time, energy, and money. There are myriad different reasons in which a woman would consider getting an abortion. The decision is often tragic and painful for the mother. It is one of the biggest choices a woman will make. Many people have strong beliefs about abortion, and if a mother makes a decision that they do not agree with they sometimes turn against the mother, and enkindle egregious feelings about their decision for the rest of their life. Indeed a woman may not get an abortion for selfish reasons or out of convenience, but out of a desire to protect certain important values such as her own health or a decent standard of living for the other members of the family. Additional intentions for having abortion include rape, financial difficulties, obligation by family members, or danger to the baby’s health (Roleff
Thus, despite the arguments against euthanasia, patients’ lives should not be deprived of well-being, comfort or dignity. “In the last stage of life, every person is entitled to a high standard of care and a stable environment in which his or her privacy is respected” (Policy Options, 2013). A lot of the time, patients with terminal illnesses are thought of as ‘better off dead’ or ‘not the person they used to be’. This is all the more the reason why euthanasia should be legalized in Canada. The government should relax current laws and allow doctors to participate in assisted suicide if need be and are willing. If people suffering with terminal illnesses want to die peacefully and not endure painful procedures or live off machines whilst also helping society out money wise, the option should be available.
Many women describe it as a privilege and miracle, while others consider the act itself of conceiving and carrying another human being as an inexplicable feeling. Those women that enjoy the opportunity of being a mother cherish every moment and appreciate it as a wonderful gift. Although this stands as a beautiful thing, there exists women choosing to abort. Women of all ages may face the decision of whether or not to terminate the life that they carry in their womb through the abortion process. Nevertheless, late term abortion results in terrifying consequences. The procedure causes health complications for the mother, inflicts pain on a living fetus, and kills the unborn baby.
Now those doctors can prolong life for people who are terminally ill, suffering or just elderly, by using certain machines, euthanasia has become a big debate. With many groups for euthanasia, such as pro-euthanasia and the right-to-die, are debating that euthanasia be legalized. With all these different view towards euthanasia, should North American consider changing its law to legalize it? Euthanasia in North American should be legalized because it goes against the Canadian Charter of Rights. The doctors should have the right to decide when to terminate a life. The patients should have a part in their own death. Last, a few countries already agree with euthanasia.
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?