The Argument Of The Euthanasia

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.

The controversy of a doctor assisting their patient who is already dying, end their life sooner to save them from continuous unnecessary pain and agony has been the topic of controversy for years. The practice of euthanasia is in my opinion a mercy and should not be banned because in reality it doesn’t physically hurt anyone. You could say it hurts the patient but then again that patient is already in tremendous pain or in an incapacitated state of no recovery, as in paralyzed or brain damage etc., so in reality it would actually help them by assisting ending their pain by assisted suicide. A doctors job is also always help their patients and the practice of assisted suicide in many ways is actually helping the person. However there has and probably always will be people who do not agree with the idea of a dying person end their life for sooner than nature had intended. This demographic would suggest that by dying by your own hand or assisted by a physician for medical reasons is still considered plain suicide. And for the religious people it is a sin by their beliefs. The people could also argue that it is not a person’s right to make that decision.

In cases were “It just so happens that sometimes, when that suffering is so great, the only release from that suffering is death. That is not murder. That is no suicide. That is mercy” (McDonald, 2015) This quote from Lecretia Seales husband helps to put many peoples situations into context when it comes to the debate of euthanasia or assisted suicide.

Life begins from the time we are born to the day we die. Life is believed to have “intrinsic value”, that to live is to better than not to live. This may be true for those leading happy and fulfilling lives, but that is a small fraction of the population. Another larger section of the population is diagnosed with diseases and illnesses every day, unable to move or breathe on their own. This severely impacts their perspective on life and what it means to be alive. While we are granted the right to life by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the right to die seems to be controversial.

When looking at this issue many people believe that it is God’s decision to say when it is someone’s time to die. People should just leave it to God and trust his decisions in life and death. If people can decide when they are going to die they are going against God’s will. They believe that it is murder and that murdering someone is wrong. Another reason euthanasia should not be legalized is because people can abuse this power and make decisions that are not the best decisions for the patient. If caregivers are given the right to make these decisions this power can be abused just because they are tired of taking care of the patient. This power would have a huge impact on the

All of us sadly will have to face death one day which can be a painful and suffering

Euthanasia is an act or practice of causing or permitting the death of hopelessly sick or injured individuals in a relatively painless way for reasons of mercy, it is also called mercy killing. Also, it defines euthanasia as assisted suicide, physician-assisted suicide. This means to take a deliberate action with the  intention of ending a life to relieve intractable suffering.

I had never subscribed to the idea of “trusting nobody”. After all, life is so much better with friends, isn’t it? Maybe, as I found one year ago, these two things aren’t mutually exclusive. Perhaps you cannot trust your friends, and still have them. Maybe, just maybe, this is too dramatic for what truly happened. However, I am sure that after seeing what happened that day a year ago, anybody would agree that what happened was a betrayal of the highest order.

There have been many topics of controversy throughout the years, but none have been treated with the same degree of taboo as that of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. Issues of the right to die, as well as a dignified death, have surfaced as topics of great debate, with many questioning when and if individuals have the right to end their own lives. There are many demographics that influence a person’s attitude towards voluntary active euthanasia (VAE) and physician-assisted suicide (PAS), of which ‘fear, loss of control, loss of dignity… appear to be among more onerous factors that have stirred the current euthanasia movement’ . This report identifies how these demographics, as well as age, gender, religion and level of education, influence a person’s attitude towards VAE and PAS using a variety of sources, including university theses/dissertations, (youtube video) and internet research. Additionally, a survey was completed by Australian citizens, ranging from sixteen to over seventy years of age.

Assisted suicide, also known as euthanasia has historically been a controversial subject for many years all around the world, challenging both legal and ethical concerns. Two types of euthanasia are passive and active euthanasia. In passive euthanasia, life-saving support is withdrawn from a patient. Conversely, active euthanasia is when measures are purposefully taken to end one’s life. Another form of assisted suicide is referred to as physician-assisted suicide. In physician-assisted suicide, a medical doctor typically administers a lethal dose of medication that brings an end to a patient’s life. Some of the most debated questions related to assisted suicide focus on the morality and legality of the process itself. Likewise, another relevant issue surrounding this is, should patients have the right to purposefully end their life or not, and with or without assistance? These are extremely complicated and contentious issues, and there is a multitude of various views from one spectrum to the other. While people, including some in the medical profession, consider assisted suicide to be immoral and unethical, the question becomes should it be legalized to allow patients the right to end their life, end their pain and suffering, and die with dignity.

The constitution is the most influential document that has affected our everyday life. With the constitution comes protected natural rights that is the framework that guides and limits the power obtained by our government. In the constitution, there have been 27 amendments. In amendment 9, it issues the right of people, but how much if it do we actually have?

“Primum non nocere”, a phrase that all doctors must recite, modernly translates to “first, do no harm”. When students graduate from medical school they must recite the Hippocratic Oath. Taking this oath is a historical tradition that requires the physician to swear to preserve certain ethical standards. Although the text states that a doctor must never take a life, it also states that a doctor must help a person to the fullest extent. A difficult ethical question arises when the only way to help a person is by ending their suffering. Is euthanasia then the ethical solution? The ability for doctors to perform assisted suicides for the terminally ill is very controversial. Many people oppose the idea on the belief that all life is sacred. In reality, however, the real question is whether a patient can make that determination for themselves and decide whether a life of constant and permanent suffering is worth living. Euthanasia allows a patient to die with dignity; it frees up funds and equipment that can be put towards other patients in dire need of attention; and it ends the suffering of patients and their families. If the goal is to reduce pain and suffering then we need to seriously consider legalising euthanasia.

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.

Currently the U.S. Supreme Court has decided that physician-assisted suicide really is based on where you live and the states’ right. Only four U.S. states have a law legally allowing physician assisted suicide. Many have questioned whether Physician - Assisted suicide is an okay course of action. According to the 1980 declaration from the Vatican, Jura et Bona, "euthanasia", or "mercy killing" is defined as "an action or an omission which of itself or by intention causes death, in order that all suffering may in this way be eliminated." Physician assisted suicide is a disputed, complicated matter that often splits the public. Physician - Assisted and Euthanasia has been a legalized course of action for quite some time, but it has flawed logic, as well as it is immoral.

Modern world is full of sufferings and pain. Present diseases, very often incurable, make people’s life intolerable, steal the sense of life and give a strong inducement to die. Even the contemporary rapid development of medicine does not give the possibility to save people’s life or to relieve their pain.