Euthanasia Should Be Legal

2448 Words5 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Ethics surrounding euthanasia

“Dogs do not have many advantages over people, but one of them is extremely important: euthanasia is not forbidden by law in their case; animals have the right to a merciful death.” ― Milan Kundera, The Unbearable Lightness of Being Euthanasia is a controversial issue. Many people believe that doctors should not prescribe any medication that ends a person’s life since it is considered to be against the Hippocratic Oath. The Hippocratic Oath states that doctors are professionally obliged to save lives. Some consider euthanasia to be immoral and others say that it is murder. Euthanasia should be legalized because it provides a way to relieve pain, brings relief to a person when their quality of life is low, relieves economic burden, and is simply a personal choice. Euthanasia is referred to as a method of anticipating death with less pain and suffering. There are two main types of euthanasia, active euthanasia and passive euthanasia, which can be either voluntarily or involuntarily. Voluntary active euthanasia is when a doctor agrees to a “rational request of an adequately informed, competent patient to be killed” (Gert). In this case, a doctor injects the patient with a lethal dosage of medication, most commonly being sodium pentobarbital, to end the patient’s life. In contrast, involuntary active euthanasia is the killing of the patient with the same means of voluntary euthanasia, but without the patient’s request. In contrast, voluntary passive euthanasia is when a patient requests not to receive the medicine or treatment they need to stay alive. For example, a physician agrees ... ... middle of paper ... ...t. Web. 3 Mar. 2015. Geiger, Alois. “Assisted Suicide Is A Valid Medical Decision.” The Right to Die. Ed. John Woodward. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2010. At Issue. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 3 Mar. 2015. Gert, Bernard. "Euthanasia." Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Ed. Donald M. Borchert. 2nd ed. Vol. 3. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2006. 455-459. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 14 Mar. 2015. “Kevorkian, Jack.” Encyclopedia. Issues & Controversies. Facts on File News Services, n.d. Web. 3 Mar. 2015. Myerscough, Ted. "How Good Is Your Life for You?" Quality of Life. Quality of Life Research Unit. Web. 24 Mar. 2015. "What is palliative care?" Euthanasia.ProCon.org. ProCon.org, 9 June 2008. Web. 3 Mar. 2015. "What is the Oregon Death with Dignity Act?" Euthanasia.ProCon.org. ProCon.org, 31 Oct. 2008. Web. 3 Mar. 2015.

Show More
Related

  • The Pros And Cons Of Physician Assisted Suicide

    1112 Words  | 3 Pages

    The word Euthanasia comes from the Greek and means “good death” (http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/hp.asp) and in the range of this paper, it will be called physician assisted suicide or “active” euthanasia. The definition of “active” euthanasia is ending one’s life yourself or with aid of a doctor. It can be done in various different ways; however, the most common form is with a combination of drugs, usually given by a physician. ( http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/hp.asp) The reason Physician Assisted Suicide (or PAS) is an important issue in this country and around the world is that there are many people out there suffering from debilitating, incurable and intensely painful diseases that would like to end their lives with dignity and without suffering. (Leo & Lein, 2010, The Value of a Planned Death)

    Read More

  • Physician-Assisted Suicide and Free Will

    2443 Words  | 5 Pages

    Dworkin, Gerald. " The Nature of Medicine." Euthanasia and Physician Assisted Suicide: For and Against. 1st ed. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1998.

    Read More

  • Euthanasia and Frankenstein

    1448 Words  | 3 Pages

    There are two types of euthanasia: passive and active. Passive or voluntary euthanasia refers to withholding life saving treatments or medical technology to prolong life. For example, a patient has the right to refuse medical treatment. They also have the right to refuse resuscitation if they are in need to be placed on life support. Active or involuntary euthanasia refers to providing the means for someone to take their life or assisting with taking their life (“Euthanasia” Discovering).

    Read More

  • Analysis of Physician Assisted Suicide Debate

    2637 Words  | 6 Pages

    This essay leaves no rock unturned in its analysis of the debate involving euthanasia and assisted suicide. Very thorough definitions are given for both concepts - with examples that clarify rather than obscure the reader's understanding.

    Read More

  • Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide are Murder

    1004 Words  | 3 Pages

    Potts, Stephen G.. "Euthanasia Should Not Be Legalized." Euthanasia: Opposing Viewpoints. Bernards, Neal. ed. San Diego. Greenhaven Press, Inc. 1989.

    Read More

  • Physician-Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia - Pro and Con

    2040 Words  | 5 Pages

    distant cousin of euthanasia, in which a person wishes to commit suicide. feels unable to perform the act alone because of a physical disability or lack of knowledge about the most effective means.  An individual who assists a suicide victim in accomplishing that goal may or may not be held responsible for. the death, depending on local laws.  There is a distinct difference between euthanasia and assisted suicide.  This paper targets euthanasia; pros and cons. not to be assisted in suicide. & nbsp; Thesis Argument That Euthanasia Should Be Accepted & nbsp;

    Read More

  • Everyone Has a Right to Choose Euthanasia

    1058 Words  | 3 Pages

    Pankratz, Robert C., and Richard M. Welsh. "A Christian Response to Euthanasia." part 1. http://www. tkc.com/uturn/euthan.html (27 Feb. 1997)

    Read More

  • Ethical Issues Of Euthanasia

    1581 Words  | 4 Pages

    Meaning, "good death". But the word “euthanasia” today means taking action to achieve a good death. Euthanasia is often used by doctors; the doctor would prepare the patient a lethal dose of drugs and administer the drugs to them or the doctor injects the patient with lethal injections. There are two different forms of euthanasia, active and passive. Active euthanasia is the hastening of a persons’ death by injections or a different form of assisted suicide while passive euthanasia is the withholding of treatment or medications that are currently keeping the patient alive (Barbuzzi, p.1, 2014). Informed consent from the patient is required for both passive and active euthanasia. . According to the Barbuzzi, informed consent is, “A patient’s expression of knowledge and acceptance of the risks, benefits, and alternative treatment options of a medical procedure and subsequent permission to a physician to perform the procedure” (Barbuzzi, p.1 2014).Suicide, self-deliverance, auto-euthanasia, aid-in-dying, assisted suicide, physician-assisted suicide, physician-assisted dying can all be justified by the supporters of the right to die movement for the following

    Read More

  • The Slippery Slope of Euthanasia

    1061 Words  | 3 Pages

    The debate on whether voluntary euthanasia should be legalized has been a controversial topic. Euthanasia is defined as ‘a deliberate intervention undertaken with the express intention of ending a life, to relieve intractable suffering’ [1]. Voluntary euthanasia refers to the patients who understand the terms in the consent and sign up under consciousness, while involuntary euthanasia is performed against patient's wishes and some people may regard it as a murder [1].

    Read More

  • The Pros and Cons of Euthanasia

    1265 Words  | 3 Pages

    “Euthanasia is defined as a deliberate act undertaken by one person with the intention of ending life of another person to relieve that person's suffering and where the act is the cause of death.”(Gupta, Bhatnagar and Mishra) Some define it as mercy killing. Euthanasia may be voluntary, non voluntary and involuntary. When terminally ill patient consented to end his or her life, it is called voluntary euthanasia. Non voluntary euthanasia occurs when the suffering person never consented nor requested to end a life. These patients are incompetent to decide because they are either minor, in a comatose stage or have mental conditions. Involuntary euthanasia is conducted when it is against the will of the patient (Gupta, Bhatnagar, Mishra). Euthanasia can be either passive or active. Passive euthanasia means life-sustaining treatments are withheld and nothing is done to keep the patient alive. Active euthanasia occurs when a physician do something by giving drugs or substances that ends a patient’s life. (Medical News Today)

    Read More

  • Assisted Suicide Should Not be Legalized

    1627 Words  | 4 Pages

    McManaman, Doug. A. “Active Euthanasia Is Never Morally Justified.” Assisted Suicide. Ed. Nol Merino.

    Read More

  • A Defense of Euthanasia

    1271 Words  | 3 Pages

    More than likely, a good majority of people have heard about euthanasia at least once in their lifetime. For those out there who have been living under a rock their entire lives, euthanasia “is generally understood to mean the bringing about of a good death – ‘mercy killing’, where one person, ‘A’, ends the life of another person, ‘B’, for the sake of ‘B’.” (Kuhse 294). There are people who believe this is a completely logical scenario that should be allowed, and there are others that oppose this view. For the purpose of this essay, I will be defending those who are suffering from euthanasia.

    Read More

  • Legalize Euthanasia

    690 Words  | 2 Pages

    "Individuals Do Not Have a Right to Die." Opposing Viewpoints Digests: Euthanasia. Ed. James D. Torr. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Harford Technical High School - MD. 15 Mar. 2010 .

    Read More

  • Three Reasons Why Euthanasia Should Be Legalized

    452 Words  | 1 Pages

    Euthanasia, according to the dictionary, means the killing of a person who is suffering from an incurable disease. Lately, it had been a huge debate over whether euthanasia should be legalized or not. Personally, I believe that euthanasia should be legalized if it is voluntary. I have three reasons for my argument.

    Read More

  • Euthanasia: Not Morally Acceptable

    1644 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the following essay, I argue that euthanasia is not morally acceptable because it always involves killing, and undermines intrinsic value of human being. The moral basis on which euthanasia defends its position is contradictory and arbitrary in that its moral values represented in such terms as ‘mercy killing’, ‘dying with dignity’, ‘good death’ and ‘right for self-determination’ fail to justify taking one’s life.

    Read More

More about Euthanasia Should Be Legal

Open Document