Physician Assisted Suicide

Dr. Braddock and Dr. Tonelli use Aristotelian rhetoric in their article titled, “Physician Aid-in-Dying: Ethical Topic in Medicine.” The authors provide examples of logos by providing statistics about physician assisted suicide. In the article you will find pathos that will offer different emotions within the topic. These authors have many ethos or many years of credentials within the medical field.

In this article, Dr. Braddock and Dr. Tonelli explain the difference between physician assisted suicide and euthanasia. Physician assisted suicide is “Practice in which a physician provides a competent, terminally ill patient with a prescription for a lethal dose of medication, upon the patient's request, which the patient intends to use to end his or her own life” (Braddock and Tonelli). The authors then describes that euthanasia is when the physician administers the lethal medication. They write this article with the intent to inform the public about this highly controversial subject. The Dr.’s explain the positive side in assisted suicide as, “Physician aid-in-dying is ethically justifiable” (Braddock and Tonelli). They write that people who are for assisted death are about respect, justice, compassion, individual liberty, and honesty for the sick and dying . The authors then explain that, on the other hand, “Physician assisted suicide is ethically impermissible” (Braddock and Tonelli). They give examples, that could have a negative impact on society, such as, religion, potential for abuse, false diagnosis or prognosis, and how it could been seen as a contradiction to the Hippocratic oath.

An example of logos in this article is “the citizens of Oregon passed Measure 16, the Oregon Death with Dignity Act, on November 16, 1994 ...

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...ractices. Their article gives an in depth, statistical look from a physician’s point of view about physician assisted suicide. They also give many emotional examples as to why this subject is so controversial.

Works Cited

Braddock, Clarence H., and Mark R. Tonelli. "Physician Aid-in-Dying: Ethical Topic in

Medicine." Ethics in Medicine. University of Washington, 1998. Web. 16 June

2011. .

Stanford School of Medicine. "Find A Physician." Stanford Hospitals and Clinics.

Stanford University, 2011. Web. 16 June 2011.

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University of Washington. "Mark R. Tonelli, MD, MA." Division of Pulmonary and Critical

Care Medicine. University of Washington, 2009. Web. 14 June 2011.

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