It is also discussed in churches, philosophy classes, taverns, street corners, homes, medical societies, nursing classes, hospices, journals, and legislative assemblies (Lane, 2). Many say they have good reasons to argue why euthanasia is a good thing. They use the argument that euthanasia is a cry for help (NCLC Department of Medical Ethics, 1). Others say terminal illness is so painful that death is the only way out. Some are concerned with what is in store for their future and would use euthanasia as an option.
Active is when lethal substances are used to take a patient 's life. The second type is controversial whether it is considered euthanasia. This procedure is called Passive Euthanasia, which is withholdin... ... middle of paper ... ...plan” (ProQuest). Doctors surely go against those words when doing that act of giving or prescribing a person with lethal drugs. How do doctors have the ability to determine the quality of someone else’s life?
In this case, the victim has not consented to their death just like a victim of murder. Even if the victim desires to continue living, he or she is killed regardless. As a result, both involuntary and non-voluntary means of euthanasia are morally similar to a murder and are banned in many countries. Some countries treat such kind of euthanasia as a criminal
Involuntary euthanasia is conducted without consent - the decision is made by another person when the patient is incapable of making the decision for himself. There are also two main procedural classifications, which are passive and active euthanasia. Passive euthanasia is the act of withholding life-sustaining treatments from the patient to cause them to die. Active euthanasia is carried out by using lethal substances or forces to end a patient's life - this includes actions conducted by the patient or someone else (Nordqvist). Physician assisted suicide, another types o... ... middle of paper ... ... 04 May 2014.
“Americans have developed a paradoxical relationship with death-we know more about the causes and conditions surrounding death, but we have not equipped ourselves emotionally to cope with dying and death (Bender and B. Leone).” Death is a scary subject for all humans. And death caused by oneself, or suicide, is even scarier. Suicide on a medical terms, or euthanasia, confuses many people. It poses many moral questions to humans: should it be allowed? How is this act human?
“Could euthanasia or assisted suicide be used as a means of health care cost containment?” Patient’s rights council. Jan. 2010. Web. 21 Nov. 2014. Pearlman, R. "Why Do Patients Request Physician-Assisted Death?” ProConorg Headlines.
Euthanasia involves a physician actively injecting a patient with a legal drug in order to end life (Engdahl 16). However, this is not the case when it comes to physician-assisted suicide. According to “Assisted Suicide Overview” by Lee Stingl and M. Alexander, physician-assisted suicide is any case in which a doctor gives a patient (usually someone with a terminal illness) the means to carry out their own suicide. Typically this is done by providing access to a lethal dose of medication, which the patient then self-administers. In other words, physician-assisted suicide is when a physician helps a patient end their own life by prescribing lethal drugs (Engdahl 16).
Involuntary euthanasia is why people see euthanasia as murder, inhumane, and unethical. The patient is unaware that his/her life is going to be ended. Usually this means the patient is unable to communicate, unconscious, too sick, or weak to know what is going on. Most times courts declare people are “legally incompetent”, which is a case that voluntary euthanasia can be used. With so many different ways euthanasia can be performed it is hard to tell if you are for euthanasia or against euthanasia.
The person who is murdered above is considered by the murderer as an adversary, an assaulter, or criminally culpable. But the individual in Euthanasia is neither of the three we mentioned (Gay-Williams, 288). As I defined earlier, euthanasia is taking someone’s life, either his/her own or of another person to add to that, the human being whose life is confiscated must be a person that is assumed to be experiencing a disease or injury from which regaining life cannot reasonably be anticipated. Ultimately, the attempt must be deliberate and intentional. Thus, euthanasia is purposely confiscating the life of a believed hopeless person, whether it is the person’s own or of a relative or friend, it is still euthanasia.
There are so many good reasons as to why euthanasia should be considered, but many baulk at the idea. People see the words such as euthanasia and suicide and instantly act as though the physician is committing murder. Is it the pubic that makes euthanasia and PAS out to be worse then what it really is or, the physician that is concerned about how it will effect their personally feelings? Is euthanasia and PAS just a prettier way of saying, to kill someone? Is that what makes it okay, and not to be considered murder?