Why Should Unnecessary Suffering Accompany Death?

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Recommended: mercy killing in simple words

Euthanasia is a subject shrouded in controversy. Euthanasia plays on many human emotions and values because the human race holds life as sacred. People in every society have rules governing the termination of their fellow humans. Sadly, there are times when people are faced with the difficult decision concerning what should be done for a loved one who is terminally ill, and no longer has hope of a good quality of life? The controversy lies within the human comprehension of right and wrong. Most humans believe it is wrong to kill unless the law justifies the action as in declared war or the death penalty. Life transpires around every individual, yet life is not perfect. Life can be grimy, unpleasant, and unfortunate. The grisly hand of death is not discriminating in whom it selects and death’s processes can be painful and demoralizing. Although humans have the power to delay death, they should be allowed to end the life of a fellow human if that person is suffering needlessly and requests to die. Active euthanasia should be allowed because it is merciful to end the life of the needlessly suffering particularly when the sufferer has requested to end his or her pain. Active euthanasia is an act of compassion because, beyond the fact of the surfer’s request, it is an unnecessary hardship on the family, and a waste of societal resources.

To begin with, mercifully ending the life of the needlessly suffering illustrates the human emotion of compassion. For example needlessly suffering would be an individual dying of a terminal aliment with no hope of survival. The Resource for End of Life Care Education (RELCE) website defines active euthanasia as "the act of bringing about the death of a hopelessly ill and suffering person...

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...e medically prolonged death of a loved one is an unnecessary hardship on the family, and a waste of societal resources. It is merciful to end the life of the needlessly suffering when they have requested this assistance, because it is an act of compassion.

Works Cited

Emanuel, Ezekiel, and Battin, Margaret. “What are the Potential Cost Savings from Legalizing Physician-Assisted Suicide?” N Engl J Med 339 (1998): 167-172. Print

“Jack Kevorkian.” A New Zealand Resource for Life Related Issues. The Life Resources

Charitable Trust. 2011. Web. 28 Sept. 2011.

Jennett, Bryan. Euthanasia Examined. Ed. John Keown. Cambridge: Cambridge UP,1996.

Print

“Physician-Assisted Suicide Debate.” Endlink: Resource for End of Life Care Education.

Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University. 25 March

2004. Web. 26 Sept 2011.

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