Pro Euthanasia Imagine being sick with a terminal illness that brought excruciating pain and a limited number of months to live. Would it be worth it to keep going? Living day by day in a hospital not knowing which day could be the last. When dealing with a terminal illness, life becomes boring. Every day is spent lying in a hospital bed constantly being poked and prodded by nurses and doctors and when family comes to visit, there are no fun, meaningful conversations, all that is talked about is the next treatment plan and if it will even work. Being in a state like this may lead one to ask themselves, is it worth it? All the pain and suffering without any results, seeing people in the hospital getting better but you seem to keep getting worse, …show more content…
The right to die is also commonly associated with the Death With Dignity National Center which was based on Oregon’s Death With Dignity Act which allows a terminally ill patient to request to end their life due to unbearable suffering. With this act which had 51.3 percent of voters supporting it, led Oregon to be the first state to legalize physician-assisted suicide. With the help of this act which was passed in 1994, 208 people have taken their lives since 2005 (Death with Dignity Act). Supporters of this act believe that since one is in control of their own body, it is their right to be able to do whatever they would like to do with their own body, which may even mean committing suicide or participating in voluntary euthanasia. “They argue that the right to die is protected by the same constitutional safeguards that guarantee such rights as marriage, procreation, and the refusal or termination of life-saving medical treatment” (ProCon.org). Since one own their own body, they should be able to use their body however they would like to. Even if this means committing suicide, it should still be one’s personal decision and they should be allowed to do that and respected for their decision. The right to die is really not about wanting to end one’s life, it is about being able to die on one’s own terms and die with respect and decency. …show more content…
Euthanasia is necessary for people who have had enough suffering and have been in pain for too long. One may feel like they are done with putting up with the anguish and feel that their life is over. Many people consider turning toward euthanasia because they feel as though they have fulfilled their life and lived it to the fullest. In the Netherlands, a petition for physician assisted suicide received over 100,000 signatures by people over the age of 70 who believed that their lives were complete and they wanted to die.(Margaret Somerville). Euthanasia ends the unnecessary suffering that people are constantly put through by their disease daily. It ends one’s misery and allows them to die in peace on one’s own terms. As previously stated, euthanasia is not about wanting to die, it is about not wanting to live with unbearable pain at all hours of the day and constantly having treatment after treatment that does not seem to be working. Euthanasia helps to end suffering by administering a lethal dose of drugs prescribed by a physician or doctor. Euthanasia is a peaceful way to die. One can be euthanized in a calm setting with their friends and family all around to say goodbye. There is no waiting for the dreaded day of death that no one can see coming, with euthanasia, one can decide when they want to go and how they will die. It provides a sense of
One of the Ten Commandments put forward by God to Moses at the top of Mount Sinai. The killing of another human being is morally wrong and unacceptable. No one has the right to take away another persons life, whether it be through hatred and disgust, or compassion and love. Murder is murder. So why should those select few who work in the clinics of Switzerland, whose occupation is to assist in a person’s suicide, become immune from this law against murder. It is them who provide the patient with, and administer, the method of how they are going to die. To me, that sounds like murder.
Today, medical interventions have made it possible to save or prolong lives, but should the process of dying be left to nature? (Brogden, 2001). Phrases such as, “killing is always considered murder,” and “while life is present, so is hope” are not enough to contract with the present medical knowledge in the Canadian health care system, which is proficient of giving injured patients a chance to live, which in the past would not have been possible (Brogden, 2001). According to Brogden, a number of economic and ethical questions arise concerning the increasing elderly population. This is the reason why the Canadian society ought to endeavor to come to a decision on what is right and ethical when it comes to facing death.
Have you ever been forced to watch someone that you love dearly fall victim to a terminal illness that diminishes their quality of life a bit more with each day that passes? The illness not only wreaks havoc on the person who is suffering from it, but it also destroys the life of the caregiver. As cruel as it may sound, sometimes the best option is the termination of the poor life that is withering away.
Terminal illnesses are terrible diseases that will ultimately end in death. What many people do not understand is that many terminal illnesses can cause an inability to function. Which is challenging for patients that have lived independently. The frustration of them not being able to function at the level they are used to would consume them. Although there are many reasons to ask for a life-ending medication, in 2014, Oregon reported that the inability to partake in events, the loss of independence, and the loss of dignity were among the top reasons why patients requested the medication (Goodale, Grossman, and Grundy 16). In addition to the patient's feelings, it can be as tough for the family of the patient. As humans, one of the most difficult things to do is to watch someone we love struggle. Physician assisted suicide would end the
When someone is inevitably dying and in inexplicable pain is it really a crime to grant their wishes and end their suffering? As of right now euthanasia is illegal in many countries and is a very controversial topic. Is it compassion for the patient helping them in ending their life or murder? The doctor is not giving death as an option, it is the patients choice and even where it is legal there are many rules. Euthanasia should not be considered a crime because the patient is not being murdered; they are having their suffering end in a painless, humane way out of compassion for the patient and their family.
Right to die better known as Oregon Death with Dignity Act that lets people feel that Euthanasia and Physician-assisted suicide should be legal in all fifty states. There are only four states in the United States of America that actually passed the act. As some people fight for their opinions on this subject it could be touchy to some. There are argument that people it should be legal in all fifty states because they feel that people that are dealing with a terminal painful disease could be treated with Euthanasia or PAS which are forms of suicide. In some cases people that deals with painful diseases feel that they have a right to commit suicide because they’re the ones that are going through. Patients that suffer from the painful illness find that suicide is the best route to go. Although Euthanasia is where the patient refuse the medicine that could help them where physicians gives a competent patient medication to take to commit suicide.
Humans, like all animals, attempt to evade death. Though death is usually seen as an unwanted end, some see it as an alternative to suffering. Most people cringe at the thought of suicide, but is euthanasia the same thing? Do human beings have the right to choose death?
Most people do not like to talk or even think about death; much less the topic of ending one’s own life. However, for some, death is a desired alternative to living in agony. Euthanasia has been a topic of debate since antiquity, and both sides stand firm on their beliefs. The right to choose death is illegal in most countries. I believe in people’s freedom to do what they please with their own bodies. The basic right of liberty is what America was founded on. Euthanasia should be a legal option.
Legalizing euthanasia provides a way to relieve extreme pain. Modern medicine has brought great benefits to humanity such as prolonging life, but by prolonging life it is also
First of all, what is euthanasia? It is something that not many people think about until they or a friend or family member is put in a position where they might actually have to consider it. Euthanasia, in the dictionary, simply is: the action of ending someone’s life in a painless way. It seems pretty simple but in reality it is a lot more complicated, not only for the people involved but for the society in general as well.
Euthanasia is defined as, "The act or practice of putting to death painlessly a person suffering from an incurable disease." Euthanasia can be traced back as far back as the ancient Greek and Roman civilizations. It was sometimes allowed in these civilizations to help others die. Voluntary euthanasia was approved in these ancient societies. Today, the practice of euthanasia causes great controversy. Both pro-life groups and right-to-die groups present arguments for their different sides. Pro-life groups make arguments and present fears against euthanasia. I contend that the case for the right to die is the stronger argument.
Euthanasia is the practice of ending an individual's life in order to relieve them from an incurable disease or unbearable suffering. The term euthanasia is derived from the Greek word for "good death" and originally referred to as “intentional killing” ( Patelarou, Vardavas, Fioraki, Alegakis, Dafermou, & Ntzilepi, 2009). Euthanasia is a controversial topic which has raised a great deal of debate globally. Although euthanasia has received great exposure in the professional media, there are some sticky points that lack clarity and need to be addressed. Euthanasia is a divisive topic, and different interpretations of its meaning, depend on whether the person supports it or not. While a few societies have accepted euthanasia, there are
America’s founding fathers declared that every person had certain inalienable rights they are born with and cannot be separated from. They listed citizens’ rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Today's government must decide if a right to life equates to a right to death.
Most adults diagnosed with cancer undergo years of treatment in attempts to cure that cancer. However, sometimes these treatments may not work, or the cancer is found too late in a patient to be stopped, and a patient’s cancer can be determined terminal, which means that the cancer can not be cured and will lead to death. If cancer is determined terminal, end-of-life care can be administered patients to control lasting pains, including shortness of breath, nausea, and constipation. However, this treatment does not cure the cancer, and will not prevent death in a terminally ill cancer patient. In some cases, patients decide that receiving end-of-life treatment is not worth it if the treatment does not prevent death. Terminally ill cancer patients may also continue to experience unbearable suffering, despite end-of-life treatments, as it is not always effective. These factors may push some terminally ill cancer patients to request to be actively euthanized. Active euthanasia is the merciful ending of a patient’s life through a single act, such as an injection. Terminally ill cancer patients should have the right to determine if they are actively euthanized. However, only patients who consider their suffering unbearable should have the right to be euthanized.
Voluntary euthanasia, or physician-assisted suicide, has been a controversial issue for many years. It usually involves ending a patient’s life early to relieve their illness. Most of the controversy stemmed from personal values like ethics or religion. The euthanasia debate puts a huge emphasis on what doctors should do for their patients and how much a person’s life is worth. Supporters of euthanasia primarily focus on cost and pain alleviation. Opponents of euthanasia tend to focus on morality. Whether euthanasia is legal or not could significantly affect future generations’ attitudes about death. Euthanasia should be legalized nationally because it helps patients that could be in unimaginable pain, offers more options for more people, and it is relatively inexpensive compared to the alternatives.