A Life Or Death Situation By Robin Marantz Henig Essay

Abstract: This paper will attempt to introduce the concept of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide (PAS) to the audience. This will be provided alongside the legal, moral, and ethical perspectives of those fighting against or for the legalization of the aforementioned issues in the United States. These are highly controversial topics that have been a topic of discussion for hundreds if not thousands of years. Some countries currently have legalized euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide, such as Belgium and Netherlands. And many countries do not have them legalized, with no plans to change anytime soon. However, in the United States both issues are still being discussed in great length, with many moral and ethical arguments echoing

Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide can often get confused with one another and although both are 2 different practices, they share the same end goal; a peaceful death. Today, only a few countries in the entire world have legalized the practice of euthanasia, showing just how controversial the topic has become in recent years. Should someone be able to die just because they feel like it or should valid reasons be required? And who gets to decide whether an assisted suicide is allowed or not? The answers to questions like these are never simple but to guarantee the freedoms of liberty that were given to many in the form of government constitutions, all these questions and more must be answered. Although life on Earth is a gift that was

One of the greatest miracles in life, is life itself, but where is life there’s death. So as unexpected as life is shall death be the same, or can we choose on how we leave this earth. Over the years, the laws and ethical consternation regarding the debatable subject of euthanasia and assisted suicide, have been questioned frequently by society. Though the question may never be answered between euthanasia and assisted suicide being right or wrong, the fact of the matter is that people are still choosing their fate.

Over recent years, there has been developments in the debate surrounding the end of life decisions such as euthanasia and assisted suicide. The approach taken by the law is that we should protect human lives and this is supported by a number of different countries that have also prohibited such end of life decisions. Many people wish to die in a dignified manner and believe that the only way they can do this is to take control over how and when they pass and to do so they would wish to use the life-shortening acts of euthanasia or assisted suicide.

The “right to die” refers to a multitude of issues as to whether an individual has the right to commit suicide or undergo euthanasia. These issues raise many questions, legal and ethical. Although, neither assisted suicide nor euthanasia are legal, many people believe they ought to have the right to decide when to end their own life. A great number of those people may never be faced with the decision, however the right would grant them the liberty to end their life as they see fit. Under the right guidelines, these acts could grant more individual freedom without infringing on the rights of others. For those who encounter the situation of loved ones dependent on medication, contracting terminal illnesses, and sometimes relying on life support to stay alive, there arises a great moral conflict.

The subject of euthanasia has mixed views in society, especially currently with the issues surrounding the death with dignity controversy. These ideas go against the normal dying process that most people are accustomed too. Death either comes by old age, illness, accidentally or by violence. Be able to choose your death is considered taboo too many but it is an issue that may become more and more acceptable as time goes on. The term Euthanasia originated from the Greek word for "good death” (Jendayi, 2007). Euthanasia is known as voluntary suicide or voluntary assisted suicide. In 2012 an estimate of 1.6 million patients received services from hospice (National Hospice and Palliative Care organization, 2013). This essay will discuss the ethical implications of euthanasia, its impact on social values, morals, norms, and nursing practice and the application of ethical theories and ethical principles in addressing this dilemma.

We believe that patients should not be denied access to a death with dignity. The right to die should be respected just as much as the right to live. It is within an adult’s right to deny any treatment that can prolong their life when death is unbearable and/or near. State legislations established end-of-life legislations to help diminish the dilemma between legal and ethical stances on dying with dignity. There are specific requirements that a patient must meet before they are allowed access to euthanasia or a death with dignity.

Margaret Pabst Battin, a professor and proponent for physician-assisted suicide argues that “A person should be accorded the right to live his or her life as they see fit (provided, of course, that this does not significantly harm others), and that includes the very end of their life” (The Irony of Supporting). Discussing whether physicians should be participating in the quickening of their patients’ death, whether a patients mental state at a crucial time of deciding to utilize physician-assisted suicide is one that is clearheaded and lucid, and what the effect of healthcare and medical costs are in an end of life care for terminal patients. Standing at the door of death has always been a challenge for patients, their family members, caregivers, and even the health care companies. Although this is an ongoing challenge people face in their life, having control of one’s own death is subjective and relies on personal principles and

Life should always be the sovereign choice for all patients questioning whether life or death is best, even if the physical and mental suffering is extreme. Euthanasia is a topic that has been speculated all over the world for several years. It is defined as ‘dying well’ or ‘good death’ in Greek (Ahmed 306), and it was discovered to help give patients another way to ease their pain and suffering. It has only been legalized in four states and three countries, but has been considered by several others. People question if euthanasia is killing or caring for those that are coping with terminal illnesses, but how can killing be considered as caring? Supporters believe that euthanasia will provide medical independence for patients by allowing them the right to death. Non-supporters believe that ending someone’s life, before God intends, is only destroying any form of independence that person has to begin with. Allowing patients to choose death over life will generate other issues that will strongly influence and hinder the medical society and the lives of those dealing with this unfortunate decision. Although it can be argued that patients deserve the right to end their lives, legalizing euthanasia will not cultivate greater medical freedom, but it will lead to influenced and unnecessary deaths, devaluation of life, and less encouragement towards the beneficial options of treatments.

It is hard to open a newspaper in the United States today without finding at least one article that has some bearing on the end-of-life debate. Perhaps Dr. Jack Kervorkian, a retired pathologist, has helped another person commit suicide, or a famous person with AIDS has written about the agony of the terminal stages of this terrible disease. Maybe the Pope has threatened to excommunicate any catholic that joins a right-to-die organization or a court has overturned another law banning physician assisted suicide. We are constantly bombarded with stories of people's end-of-life decisions and sometimes these issues may strike close to home and we must make a choice.

The debates of the living will and death have raged for years. People still question how ethical Euthanasia is to human life, but no one seems to have the answer to this controversial issue. According to Medical News Today (MNT), the practice of Euthanasia can be defined as “the practice of mercifully ending a person’s life in order to release the person from an incurable disease, intolerable suffering, or undignified death”(MNT). In all its sadness and complexities euthanasia has the ability of helping those who can no longer bare the pain of their illness. As an individual with choices, one should have the right to die if one feels the pain is unbearable. In fact, euthanasia has been legalized in a small number of countries and states

Who should be in charge of ending your life? Understanding euthanasia in its entirety can only be met when one knows the various forms it can take. They include passive, active, voluntary, and involuntary. Passive euthanasia refers to the practice of medical practitioners refraining from providing treatment in turn, allowing death. Active euthanasia, on the other hand, involves the deliberate killing of a person, using medical skills and knowledge as an instrument (Sheldon). The primary concern in this paper will be with voluntary euthanasia, euthanasia in which a clearly competent person makes a voluntary and final request to die. There will also be occasions mentioning non-voluntary or involuntary euthanasia, instances where a person is either not competent to or is unable to verbally express a wish to die (Young). Euthanasia, as a whole, is also called mercy killing. This differs from assisted suicide in that with euthanasia the doctor can provide and also administer the drugs that are used to end their patients ' life, where as with assisted suicide the doctor may only supply the lethal dose of drugs, but is not allowed to administer them (ProQuest Staff). Euthanasia has become a controversial topic over the years since death in general, is typically a very touchy topic. The controversy comes in when people begin to take into account all the different factors that play into the decision of ending one 's life. Euthanasia must be an individual 's choice, in which plays a

Assisted suicide is a complex and particularly controversial issue faced by modern U.S. society. When a terminally ill patient requests to be euthanized by a board-certified physician, an ethical dilemma arises. Is it ethical to end the life of another human being, even if the patient is suffering and has a life expectancy of less than a year? Unlike conventional suicide where an individual intentionally takes their own life, euthanasia involves multiple participants, including the terminally ill patient, a willing doctor, and a non-related witness, where each involved party has corresponding specific legal responsibilities. In order to appropriately consider and understand this situation from a moral and ethical standpoint, each involved party and their responsibilities should be analyzed using the guidelines of one or more ethical frameworks. Even though assisted suicide was not an issue widely discussed during the 1600-1800’s, ethical philosophers of this

The question of whether or not a person who is suffering form a critical terminal illness is entitled to the right to die with dignity and to end their lives without suffering and pain has been debated since the beginning of time. It is a debate that stirs the emotions and feelings in all of us. The debate centers around several issues, ethical, religious, and mortality play in a role in the decision to end to a life. The right to die is the fundamental question that was being discussed in the video a death of one’s own. The three individuals discussed in the video all had one thing in common, they wanted to have the power to decide when it was the time to end their lives on their own terms.

There is a large controversy over the topic of physician assisted death. Various people may even say that it is one of the most debated issues of the current time, along with a few others. This is such a debated issue because it touches on the most intimate issues of humanity, the choice between living or dying, tradition or modernization, science or religion (Hallock, Steve). Some think of it as doctors trying to play God by deciding when and how a patient dies, others believe that it keeps those who are already dying from unnecessarily suffering and keeping their dignity. Whatever one’s opinion may be about the subject this essay discusses the regulations, pros, and cons of physician assisted death.