Euthanasia

Euthanasia

Euthanasia is the word used to describe the practice of ending the

life of a person who is suffering from an incurable disease or

handicap (E.g. Cancer) using painless methods. The intention of this

is to avoid prolonging a persons suffering and pain. It can also be

referred to as 'mercy killing'. Euthanasia is illegal throughout the

world. There are five different types of euthanasia, voluntary,

involuntary, compulsory, passive and active.

Voluntary Euthanasia

This is when a patient decides to end their own life, they may be

incapable or scared of attempting suicide so they enlist the help of a

relative of friend.

Involuntary Euthanasia

This is when others, usually the courts, doctor or family member make

the decision to end a patients life, as they are incapable of doing it

themselves. E.g. if they are on a life support machine.

Compulsory Euthanasia

This is when Euthanasia has to be performed because a person has a

certain illness or reached a certain age and is no longer considered

to have a purpose or use in life. No country will allow compulsive

euthanasia.

Passive Euthanasia

This is when no action is taken to prolong life, but no action is

taken to end life. Doctors would give Painkillers to take the pain

away but would not prolong the life of a person who is suffering.

Active Euthanasia

This is when no action is taken to prolong life, but there is a

deliberate attempt to end it. For example is a person was suffering

from a terminal disease, doctors would give the patient drugs to take

the pain away, but that will also kill them.

In order to become a doctor, you must tak...

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...orally wrong. Euthanasia goes against the

sanctity of life, values and morals from the biblical and church

teachings that they have been brought up with.

I have mixed views on euthanasia. I believe that it is wrong to end a

person's life without their consent, and I believe it is wrong to try

to prolong a life that would not be fulfilled if the small chance of

recovery happened. I believe that life support machines are a way of

prolonging a life that has already passed away, and switching the

machine off would not be wrong. I think that hospices are a good

alternative to euthanasia, and would be a peaceful way to end life.

Although my views are mixed, it would be hard to say what I would do

faced with any form of euthanasia, in theory, I feel that my views are

correct, but in practice I am not sure how I would react.