Euthanasia Essay - 1561 Words

The applied ethical issue of euthanasia, or mercy killing, concerns whether it is morally permissible for a third party, such as a physician, to end the life of a terminally ill patient who is in intense pain. The word euthanasia comes from the Greek words eu (‘well’) and thanatos (‘death’). It means a painless and gentle death. But in modern usage, it has come to imply that someone’s life is ended for compassionate reasons by some passive or active steps taken by another person. The euthanasia controversy is part of a larger issue concerning the right to die. Staunch defenders of personal liberty argue that all of us are morally entitled to end our lives when we see fit. Thus, according to these people, euthanasia is in principle morally†¦show more content†¦If the person is in a coma situation and unable to make the decision for himself/herself, then it should be a decision for the family and doctors together to make. There are several arguments in favor of the moral permissibility of euthanasia. The most persuasive argument is mercy. People who argue mercy state that it is cruel and inhumane to refuse the plea of a terminally ill patient who wishes their life to be mercifully ended. They also argue that the suffering of terminal patients is not just physical pain, which is bad enough, but it also involves helplessness, stress, exhaustion, terror and loss. Another argument is respect for the person’s autonomy. People who are pro euthanasia feel that a person’s autonomy should be respected to the extent that no one else is harmed. So, since a terminally ill patient undergoing euthanasia harms no one else, that person’s autonomy and decision should be respected. It is also argued that the golden rule supports active euthanasia insofar as we would want others to put us out of our misery if we were in such a situation. A more formal version of this argument is based on Kants categ orical imperative (quot;act only on that maxim by which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal lawquot;). (Horan 1980) TheShow MoreRelatedEuthanasia Essay : Euthanasia And Euthanasia863 Words   |  4 PagesThis is why Euthanasia is important and summarizing the research that I found on Euthanasia. Euthanasia is important because there is a lot of arguments about Euthanasia. Some people support it and some people do not support Euthanasia (Euthanasia and assisted suicide- Arguments). Euthanasia allows people to be free from physical pain. It is the hastening of death of a patient to prevent further sufferings (Euthanasia Revisited). The religious argument states God chooses when human life ends. EuthanasiaRead MoreEuthanasia Essays : Euthanasia And Euthanasia1432 Words   |  6 PagesDoes euthanasia assists patients to die with dignity? From fresh to dying, is the humanity multiplies the development natural law. Along with medicine progress and life enhancement, the people besides pay attention to eugenics, simultaneous starts to pay attention to the euthanasia. Since this century 50 ages, regarding euthanasia, many countries’ medical arenas, educational world, and ethical groups have been arguing about the euthanasia argument for many years, although many person of ideas haveRead MoreThe Debate Of Euthanasia And Euthanasia1429 Words   |  6 PagesINTRODUCTION: The debate of euthanasia is an ongoing one that’s shrouded with much controversy and ambiguity regarding the ethics of it in contemporary Australian society. However, the frequency of this topic being debated by physicians, influential figures and the media has become more prominent now than ever. In particular, in association with its impending legislation within Australian states. (The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists,2012) Various types of euthanasia are recognised,Read MoreEuthanasia Essay : Euthanasia And Euthanasia Essay1223 Words   |  5 Pages Euthanasia James Dudley Euthanasia continues to be an ongoing issue in modern society. Over the course of history, there has been a multitude of debates that have tried to justify assisted suicide, or euthanasia. Gallup’s study in 2013 openly shows this statistic by showing that over 75 percent of Americans trust that euthanasia should be acceptable. However, what Americans don’t comprehend is that making any form of euthanasia legal infringes upon the right to life as stated in the constitutionRead MoreThe Issue Of Euthanasia And Euthanasia2073 Words   |  9 Pageslife is beyond toleration or they feel as though there is no point to living, the issue of euthanasia often arises. Euthanasia is technically defined as â€Å"the act or practice of killing someone who is very sick or injured in order to prevent any more suffering†. In america people have the right to end their life. The topic of euthanasia is one that is highly disputed among people over the world.† Euthanasia means killing someone who is very sick to prevent more suffering† (Weaver 1). An example ofRead MoreEuthanasi Euthanasia And Euthanasia1515 Words   |  7 Pagesetymology of the word ‘euthanasia’ originates from the Greek language which has a literal meaning of â€Å"good death†. Other names for euthanasia are ‘assisted suicide’ and ‘mercy killing’. Euthanasia is done when the person is suffering from a terminal illness such as cancer, and then steps are taken to end the person’s life so that they no longer have to suffer. [Helga Kuhse. July 1992. Bioethics News. The World Federation of Right to Die Societies. http://www.worldrtd.net/euthanasia-fact-sheet. AccessedRead MoreEuthanasia Essay : The Euthanasia989 Words   |  4 Pagesthe euthanasia process and what to expect. The euthanasia can take place in the privacy of yo ur own home or you may choose to have it done at your veterinarian’s office. Your veterinarian may offer at home euthanasia or you may be able to locate a veterinary service that does at home euthanasia such as Home To Heaven. This is a personal choice and should be made with you and your pet’s comfort in mind. Additionally, you may want to decide if you wish to be present during the euthanasia. SomeRead MoreEuthanasia And The Death Of Euthanasia1351 Words   |  6 Pagesfor the dying who request euthanasia to be able to end their suffering. Euthanasia is considered a â€Å"gentle and easy death† because it comes from the Greek words, Eu meaning good and Thanatosis meaning death. Euthanasia is illegal in most of the United States. However, assisted suicide, is legal in six different states. The states that assisted suicide is legal in are California, Oregon, Colorado, Washington DC, Vermont and Washington. The key difference between euthanasia and assisted suicide is whoRead MoreEuthanasi Euthanasia And Euthanasia861 Words   |  4 PagesEuthanasia, the practice of medically terminating life in order to relieve pain and suffering of a patient, has been a complex and controversial topic since its conception. In ancient Greece and Rome attitudes toward active euthanasia, and suicide had tended to be tolerant. However, the rise of the Christian faith reinforced the views of the Hippocratic Oath, a swearing of ethical conduct historically taken by physicians. This shift concluded a medical consensus in opposition of euthanasia. IssuesRead MoreThe Debate About Euthanasia And Euthanasia1631 Words   |  7 PagesThe debates about euthanasia date all the way back to the 12th century. During this time, Christian values increased the public’s opinion against euthanasia. The church taught its followers that euthanasia not only injured individual people and their communities, but also violated God’s authority over life. This idea spread far and wide throughout the public until the 18th century when the renaissance and reformation writers attacked the church and its teachings. However, the public did not pay much