Opinions on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide

Euthanasia is the practice of ending the life of an individual for the purposes of relieving pain and suffering. Over the years, there has been a big debate about its merits and demerits, and the debate is not about to end anytime soon. However, no matter what side of the debate one supports, it is important to consider a few facts. One, the prolonged stay in hospital is bound to raise medical costs. Two, some medical complications bring suffering and pain to the patient without any possibility of getting back to one 's normal activities of daily living. However, ending the life of a person intentionally may be treated as a serious crime in some jurisdictions. Given these facts, it is evident that making a decision about euthanasia is bound to be a challenging task. Although not everyone might agree, euthanasia is a necessary procedure that relieves the pain and suffering of the patient and rids the family and the government of expensive medical costs that would not necessary improve the life of the patient.

More than likely, a good majority of people have heard about euthanasia at least once in their existence. For those out there who have been living under a rock their entire lives, euthanasia “is generally understood to mean the bringing about of a good death – ‘mercy killing’, where one person, ‘A’, ends the life of another person, ‘B’, for the sake of ‘B’.” (Kuhse 294). There are people who believe this is a completely logical scenario that should be allowed, and there are others that oppose this view. For the purpose of this essay, I will be defending those who are for euthanasia. My thesis, just by looking at this issue from a logical standpoint, is that if someone is suffering, I believe they should be allowed the right to end their

The ethical dilemma of this highly controversial subject will continue to split our approach to the notion of assisted suicide. As we age, we come to terms with our own mortality, how we choose to leave this world isn’t always up us. For those who suffer from a terminal fate, maybe they should have the choice, and those who understand their current condition can provide them the dignity they deserve without repercussions. The only way we as a society can move ahead, is to find a common

Voluntary Euthanasia has been considered a controversial topic for many decades. The idea of committing an act that involves the taking of human life is not one that many people would care to discuss openly. The main argument is that a person who has been diagnosed with an incurable illness and is in extreme pain and their ability to move has been limited, while that person still has control over their destiney should they be allowed take their own life (Bowie, R.2001). The worldwide debate weather one should be allowed to end a life is still one of the biggest ethical issues. The attempt to providing the rights of the individual is in conflict with the moral values of society. Voluntary Euthanasia has been highly rejected by many religious and pro-life institutions.

Obviously, the proponents and opponents of legalizing euthanasia/assisted-suicide are fighting for what they believe is right. On the side of the proponents, they believe that patient’s should have the freedom to end their own life if they choose. They believe in the right-to-die and that everyone should have the ability to choose what they do with their own body. Contrasting this viewpoint, the

Sooner or later, each of us will experience that dagger in our heart called grief. Dealing with grief is a challenge like no other. How can you pick up the pieces, heal the wounds, and move on without feeling like you 're betraying the memory of your loved one? As a nurse, I have sat with families who have just received that dreaded news that no one ever wants to hear, families who aren’t prepared for the avalanche of emotions that sweep over them when the final moment comes, even if they knew death was imminent. Despite the gamut of emotions we feel, grieving for a loved one helps us cope and heal. The intense, heart-breaking anguish indicates that a deep connection has been severed. Without a doubt, grieving is painful. But it is also

We believe all people should have the freedom to make choices in their life, however the question posed today is whether we have the freedom to choose our death. Some say absolutely. We should have the freedom to decide how we spend our last days. If they’re filled with pain, debilitation, and cause hardship on our loved ones, we should have the right to opt out. Others take the position that we didn’t choose our birth therefore our death isn’t ours to choose either. This has caused considerable debate as moral, ethical and legal ramifications come into the mix. This in turn has led to defining the process under two different terms for legal purposes. They are euthanasia and physician assisted suicide. Internationally, assisted suicide is when a doctor prescribes a drug that ends life, but the patient is responsible for taking them. Euthanasia is defined by the doctor giving the dose to the patient himself. Today, four countries have laws that allow euthanasia. These would be Albania, Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg. (1) A select few have laws for physician assisted suicide. There are many countries that have no laws against suicide, or turn a blind eye. (2) The United States has recently added a 5th state to offer “Death with Dignity,” (3) however, this too is a division of categories. The name was created to form a separation between suicide and choosing death in the event of a terminal diagnosis.

The right to live one’s life on his or her own terms is a basic tenet in the modern world. In American society, the people are given free reign (within legal and social boundaries, of course) to choose how to live. They can choose where to go to school, what to learn, what they want to work, when they want to retire, and so on and so forth. However, when people reach the end of their lives, this right to autonomy seems to be restricted, especially in those who are terminally ill. This autonomy sees itself at the center of the debate around the practice of euthanasia, a medical procedure in which a patient with a terminal or incurable illness is permitted to die in a painless manner (“Euthanasia”). While one might think that allowing one who

Today, voluntary euthanasia is getting closer to being legalized in more than just one state in the United States. “‘Voluntary’ euthanasia means that the act of putting the person to death is the end result of the person’s own free will” (Bender 19). “ Voluntary euthanasia is an area worthy of our serious consideration, since it would allow patients who have exhausted all other reasonable options to choose death rather than continue suffering” (Bender 19). The question of whether or not voluntary euthanasia should be legalized is a major debate that has been around for years. Because the issue of whether people should have the right to choose how they want to live or die is so complex. With the advances in technology today we have made

Euthanasia is a topic that has been debated for many years, and people have a multitude of different opinions on how they feel about it. Different types of euthanasia are out there, with active voluntary euthanasia, passive euthanasia, and assisted suicide being the ones that get discussed the most. Euthanasia and assisted suicide can affect individuals in families, and it is important to know how and why they may choose to follow through with dying. Even though euthanasia is illegal in most of the United States, it should be legalized in all fifty states.

Imagine your mother laid up in a hospital bed, her face twisted up in agony as the IV in her arm continues to provide life-prolonging medication. With no hope of recovery and horrible pain, humiliation, and misery as daily tormentors within her life, would you wish her to be forced to endure such suffering? For patients in states where euthanasia and assisted suicide are illegal forces these patients to continue to live this way, their only possibility of expediting their death to refuse further medical treatment. Euthanasia should be made legal all across the United States because it is cruel to force someone to keep enduring a horrible illness, religious beliefs (such that suicide--and therefore assisted suicide--is morally wrong) have

Euthanasia is a controversial issue. Many different opinions have been formed. From doctors and nurses to family members dealing with loved ones in the hospital, all of them have different ideas for the way they wish to die. However, there are many different issues affecting the legislation and beliefs of legalizing euthanasia. Taking the following aspects into mind, many may get a different understanding as to why legalization of euthanasia is necessary. Some of these include: misunderstanding of what euthanasia really is, doctors and nurses code of ethics, legal cases and laws, religious and personal beliefs, and economics in end-of-life care.

Euthanasia, also commonly referred to as ‘mercy killing’, and ‘assisted suicide’, has been and continues to be the subject to moral, legal, religious and political debates around the world. At the core of debate lies to competing values between the right for every individual to decide to die with dignity when suffering, and the need to uphold the right to life. (Australian Human Rights Commission. 1996) The purpose of this task is to critically analyse the nature and extent of euthanasia and whether assisted suicide should or should not be legalised, corresponding to ethical theories. This essay will develop an outline of what euthanasia entails, human rights debates, and the debate of legalising euthanasia in regards to consequentialism. Ethical egoism and utilitarianism are two moral theories that can be applied directly to euthanasia, both supporting and opposing the moral debate at hand. Statements and few statistics will support the legalisation that every individual should possess the right to die in peace and dignity.

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.

Long before medicinal advances, more dramatic measures were taken to help those who lived with incurable diseases, with the excruciating pain that accompanied those diseases, and with the inability to attain any value of life due to disease or uncontrollable pain. Now, as one of the most controversial topics, study and research on euthanasia is becoming more widespread in the medical world. Though some believe euthanasia is immoral or unjust, and those who are against it seek to stigmatize it; no definitive line can be drawn as to whether euthanasia is morally “good” or “bad” or “right” or “wrong.” In other words, the topic of euthanasia is not a simplistic one, but rather one which requires great consideration, contemplation, and evaluation. If the presumption, or belief, that universal morals do exist prima facie, then one can conclude that the practice of euthanasia, no matter what form, is indeed, morally upstanding. In the case of euthanasia, universal morals consist of, but are not limited to, the following: human dignity, an individual’s right to self-determination, accepting a duty of care (for self and others, which can fall under having compassion as well), and respect for the autonomy of others. Thus, it is permissible to actively kill a patient with or in the absence of their consent under specific circumstances, only after all universal morals have been considered, assuming that universal morals exist.