Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia - No Human Life Should...

Euthanasia: No Human Life Should End by Unnatural Means Euthanasia, the medical term for assisted suicide or mercy killing, is an issue still being debated almost a hundred years after a proposal to legalize it in Ohio. The medical community was in turmoil even before its legal proposition, unable to decide amongst themselves how to deal with the issue. The same arguments still rage today, though the public is more aware of the issue thanks to high-profile court cases, like the trial of Dr. Jack Kevorkian. Some claim that the terminally ill have a â€Å"right to die†, but no human life should end by unnatural means. As medical technology continues to expand at an astounding rate, doctors are finding treatment for diseases and ailments†¦show more content†¦So why are consensual deaths different? One might argue that those who choose euthanasia are suffering and do not wish to further burden or dishonor their families, but the same could be said of those who commit suicide for other reasons. Common symptoms of suicide victims include unemployment, being widowed or never married, depression, and chronic or terminal illness—a perfect description of most patients that choose euthanasia (Suicide). By choosing to legalize euthanasia, our society is in effect declaring that we support suicide if a person can convince a doctor that they no longer desire to live. We must present a united front and try to prevent suicide in all forms, assisted or otherwise. Even if the United States government were to legalize consensual euthanasia, the problem of doctors putting it into practice without the patient or family’s consent would be very difficult to eradicate. Perhaps the best-known advocate of euthanasia is Dr. Jack Kevorkian, who was convicted of the second-degree murder of Thomas Youk and sentenced to ten to twenty-five years in prison on March 26, 1999 (Emanuel). Youk was ill with Lou Gerhig’s disease, but was by no means on the verge of death.Show MoreRelatedEuthanasia: We Have the Right to Die1096 Words   |  5 Pageswithholding of a medical treatment, even if doing so will result in the person’s death† (Assisted Suicide). So why is there not, and should there not be a right in some states and countries for those who are near death and know they will die to want to end their life. Even during the Ancient Roman times, the idea of Assisted Suicide was accepted â€Å"If caused from pain or sickness, or by weariness of life† (Assisted Suicide). With today’s technology, it has become easier to keep a person who is terminallyRead MoreEuthanasi An Ethical Principle956 Words   |  4 PagesThe right to die is an ethical principle that allows a person to commit suicide or undergo intentional euthanasia, which is a Greek word that means an action of deliberately ending a life to ease pain. Many nations have adopted different euthanasia regulations meant to help patients end suffering from dangerous maladies. The British government was among the pioneers of the law since it aimed to relieve intractable suffering of critically ill patients (Hendry 13). In some European nations, such asRead MorePsysician Assicted Suicide1071 Words   |  4 Pagesalready believed that her life was over and did not want to deal with the upcoming side effects of the disease. T o overcome this, she decided to end her life out of the thought that it would make it easier and less painful; however, many considered she basically cheated her way out of life. Yet, she did not want to commit this act fully herself out of fear. So, she contacted a doctor who at the time was involved with the subject of assisting others with illnesses in suicide to rid of suffering andRead MoreEuthanasi The Issue Of Euthanasia1675 Words   |  7 PagesThe question of euthanasia, also referred to as mercy killing, is among the most disputable topic on ethics in America. It refers to the intentional putting to death of a person with an incurable or painful disease intended as an act of mercy (Newhealthguide.org, 2016). Euthanasia is closely related to doctor assisted suicide. However, the two acts differ in that, euthanasia means injecting a terminally sick patient with lethal dose of a drug or withdrawing feeding tubes to let the patient die ofRead MoreEssay about The Debate Over Euthanasia1216 Words   |  5 PagesDebate Over Euthanasia The controversy over euthanasia has recently become highly publicized. However, this issue is not a new debate. Society has voiced its opinions on the subject for hundreds of years. Euthanasia, which is Greek for good death, refers to the act of ending another person’s life in order to end their suffering and pain.1 Two forms, passive and active euthanasia, categorize the actions taken to end the person’s life. Passive euthanasia involves removing a patient’s life supportRead MoreEssay on Euthanasia: We All Have the Right to Die1306 Words   |  6 Pages Physician-Assisted Suicide, or Euthanasia, is a serious issue, and it affects people throughout all walks of life. From teenagers with angst, to older adults feeling hopeless in their life, to the elderly suffering from terminal illnesses, suicide pervades throughout their thought processes as an alternative to their emotionally and physically pervasive situations. Euthanasia, or physician-assisted suicide, has a history dating back to the seventeenth century. Only recently has it become as controversialRead MoreMany years ago, in a small town in Michigan, a woman by the name of Janet Adkins was diagnosed with1200 Words   |  5 Pagesbelieved that her life was over and did not want to deal with the upcoming side effects. To overcome this, she decided to end her life that was (to her) an easy and painless process; however, many considered she basically cheated her way out of life. Yet, she did not want to commit this act fully herself out of fear. So, she contacted Dr. Kevorkian (later on known as Dr. Death). She believed that is someone assisted her in ending her life early, it would not be technically called suicide; even thoughRead MoreThe Legalization Of Assisted Suicide1650 Words   |  7 PagesWhile suicide itself is no longer considered a crime within the United States, physician-assisted suicide remains illegal. This practice, despite being closely related, varies from euthanasia . These two practices are distinguished by who administers the lethal dose that kills the patient; euthanasia is administered by a doctor whereas assisted suicide is the patient’s voluntary consumption of a fatal medication that was prescribed by a doctor. Despite the variation, both practices are currently consideredRead MoreReligious Views On Euthanasia And Assisted Suicide1528 Words   |  7 PagesDaniel Kessler Professor Brislen GREL 101 15 November 2014 Religious Views on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide Throughout the millennia since the origin of man, technology has continuously evolved contributing to a longer life expectancy among humans. Now, even terminally ill patients can be kept alive by medications and machines. These life saving devices also carry the potential to kill a human with little effort or time. The debate has arisen as to whether people have the â€Å"right to die† or oftenRead MoreArgumentative Paper Euthanasia2132 Words   |  9 PagesShould Euthanasia be legalized? Because of remarkable advances in medical technology pharmacology that can artificially prolong a patient’s life, the field of medical ethics has been confronted with a new controversy: the legalization of euthanasia and physician assisted suicide. The word Euthanasia comes from the Greek word for â€Å"eus† which means godly or well, and â€Å"thanathos† which literally means death (F.A. Davis Company, 2001, p. 476). Before its contemporary use, the word euthanasia meant