Argumentative Essay On Euthanasia

Is Euthanasia Ethical? Euthanasia is a major ethical topic all around the world. Euthanasia is the deliberate killing of a person for the benefit of that person. In most cases euthanasia is carried out because the person who dies asks for it, but there are cases in euthanasia where people are unconscious, in a coma or unstable and can’t make that decision. Some people focus on how people should die without pain and if someone wants to be injected they should be allowed.

Besides, some doctors might then choose the shortest way out, helping people die instead of helping them recover. Although some of what opponents say makes sense, they don't see euthanasia from the eyes of a patient and they undermine the rights of every person. A terminally ill person wants to end their life in a dignified manner. It would be cruel and inhumane to force a person to stay alive when they want to avoid excruciating pain. Not let people ask for euthanasia goes against freedom.

Although I am reading out these arguments for the cause, I still believe that Euthanasia is wrong. The reasons against Euthanasia would include that many pain killing drugs can now help a patient die with dignity, except a dying patient may not be able to make a rational decision. A patient may have said they want euthanasia when they were nowhere near death; however, when faced with death they may change their mind but be incapable of telling anyone, it is known that many people recover after being “written off” by doctors.” Also people might have been pushed into saying they want euthanasia by relatives who do not want to look after them. These are some strong arguments against euthanasia and this is why it is such a heavy topic all over the world. Thank-you for listening.

Euthanasia is the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering of any individual from an incurable disease. People who are against euthanasia believe that any individual suffering from an incurable disease should not be given the ability to end their suffering. According to Sherif Emil, “Legalizing euthanasia can become a slippery slope” (Emil). In other word, euthanasia will open the doors to those that will mistreat it and will cause a great amount of increase in deaths. But many for euthanasia would certainly take issue with the argument that it will not be a slippery slope but, that it will give the right to end the life of a terminal ill patient who is going to die a painful death.

I believe that there is a huge problem with this drug, and it is death. We cannot determine the future things may get better and the last day will come for everyone when it’s the right time for it. The first problem with euthanasia is that it is morally incorrect for someone to kill another person even if they ask for it. As a person I feel that it is wrong to kill someone; yes in wars we do it all the time but even if a lot of people do that it still doesn’t mean it’s right. Many have mentioned that in there scripts they believe that we can’t control our life.

Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS) and euthanasia raise ethical questions about the medicalisation of death (J Hardwig, 2006; Kavanaugh, 2000) and whether it is worse to kill a patient, or to let them die through omission of treatment (Kavanaugh, 2000). All have the same outcome – the death of the patient – the ethical dilemma arise when considering how the patient’s death occurred (Rachels, 1975). Allowing a patient to die from the cessation of bodily function can be a distressing process and can extend the suffering of that patient (Brock, 1992) However, ending a patient’s life prematurely appears to contradict the medical profession’s objective, namely the Hippocratic Oath, and has further reaching consequence in the community. The increasing ability to prolong life has created an effect termed ‘the medicalisation of death’ (J Hardwig, 2006; Stringer, 2007). In ‘The Hour of Our Death’, Aries (Aries, 1981) discusses the changing conceptions of death as more often a patient is perceived as being surrounded by tubes and machines instead of in more comfortable surroundings when they die.

Euthanasia had become a big debate in our society and the world. Many people ask, what is Euthanasia? “Euthanasia is a deliberate intervention or omission with the express intention of hastening or ending and individual’s life, to relieve intractable pain or suffering” (Sanders & Chaloner, 2007, p. 41). Thus the meaning of euthanasia is having the right to die if you are terminally ill, suffering and/or suffering a great amount of pain. Many people do not agree with the use of euthanasia, but if humans can put down animals why cannot we use euthanasia on humans?

A bill was shown to the state, and if the bill was to pass, a physician in the U.S. would have the right to suggest a “painless death to any... ... middle of paper ... ...ould ultimately be up to the patient to decide the value of life and death for him/her. On the other hand, those who oppose euthanasia say that if euthanasia was legalized, the right to die would be abused and ultimately changed into a “right to kill”. The main complication when euthanasia is being considered is that sometimes it is not clear if a terminally ill patient really wants to die. Some argue that it is unbearable for the patients to know that they are on their deathbed, leading to a pro-euthanasia statement by Dr. Maisie M, that “maintaining life support systems against the patient's wish is considered unethical by law as well as medical philosophy. If the patient has the right to discontinue treatment why would he not have the right to shorten his lifetime to escape the intolerable anguish?

The slippery slope argument claims that if an action, such as euthanasia, were to be permitted, then society will be led down the slippery slope, or be permitting other actions that are morally wrong, “in general form, it means that if we allow something relatively harmless today, we may start a trend that results in something currently unthinkable becoming accepted” (“Anti-euthanasia”). The House of Lords Select Committee on Medical Ethics concluded it is virtually impossible to ensure that all acts of euthanasia are truly voluntary. The idea that patients should have the right to decide when to end their life would impose on the doctors a duty to kill, thus... ... middle of paper ... ...not possible. It includes compassion and support for family and friends. It affirms life and regards death as a normal process, neither hastening nor postponing death, but providing relief from suffering” (“Anti-euthanasia”).

Horace once said, “To save a man’s life against his will is the same as killing him.” Many have associated this quote with euthanasia: a painless killing of an ill and suffering patient. Being a very controversial topic on the legalization of it, euthanasia is illegal in most countries and states. National Health Service (NHS) Choices states that, “euthanasia could be regarded as either voluntary manslaughter [...] or murder.” Although some disagree, euthanasia should be legal because regardless of the situation, death is a natural occurrence and the patient should have a choice of when to end their suffering. Generally, death is a sad and often feared thing, but for some suffering patients, it is a want. “Terminally ill means terminally ill.