Physician Assisted Suicide

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Physician-assisted suicide is a personal, divisive, and greatly debated issue in the United States of America. The contentious nature of physician-assisted suicide makes it ideal to be solved by a national referendum. The American Medical Association defines physician-assisted suicide as “when a physician facilitates a patient’s death by providing the necessary means and/ or information to enable the patient to perform the life ending act.” Only four states in the United States of America have legalized physician-assisted suicide; however, a recent Gallup poll showed that fifty-one percent of Americans supported legalizing physician-assisted suicide. The distinct divisions among the American public on whether or not physician-assisted suicide …show more content…

Physician-assisted suicide is an issue that directly affects the individual. Subsequently, the American government should not be the institution that deems whether or not physician-assisted suicide should become legal across the nation. Using a national referendum would enable American voters to determine whether or not physician-assisted suicide becomes legal in the United States of America. Physician-assisted suicide is a controversial issue, and the consequences of legalizing or prohibiting physician-assisted suicide would affect the entire American public. Consequently, regular representative institutions are not sufficient for legalizing or prohibiting physician-assisted suicide as they cannot encompass the variety of the American public’s opinion on physician-assisted suicide. Donovan claims, “At times, governments find themselves in positions where the decisions they face are of such consequences that relying on regular representative institutions may be inadequate.” Donovan’s statement illustrates that if the consequences of a decision are severe enough than representative institutions may not be an adequate method to use in resolving controversial …show more content…

The American public as a whole, however, is wise and acquires political knowledge from more informed sources. James Surowiecki asserts in The Wisdom of Crowds that individuals can be impolitic; however, groups can reach wise decisions. Surowiecki claims, “Even if most people within a group are not especially well-informed or rational, it can still reach a collectively wise decision.” Surowiecki’s argument illustrates that a national referendum would thwart the ill-informed nature of the American voter as a national referendum is a collective decision. American voters can be irrational and ill-informed; nevertheless, most American voters acquire their political knowledge from more educated sources. The acquisition of political knowledge from more well-informed sources undermines the irrational nature of the American voter. Martin Gilens argues in “Two- Thirds Full? Citizen Competence and Democratic Governance” that cue taking enables ill-informed citizens to make a decision on a controversial issue. Gilens contends, “Taking cues from more knowledge elites or acquaintances is a sensible strategy for citizens who lack the ability or inclination to gather the information needed to formulate a preference on a given policy issue.” The collective wisdom of the American public and cue taking enable American voters to overcome their ignorance of politics and past political

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Physician Assisted Suicide