Essay about The Debate Over Euthanasia - 1216 Words

The Debate 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 support, withholding food and water, and discontinuing medical treatments. Active euthanasia includes any direct action taken to cause the death of the person, such as administrating a lethal drug.2 The debate over this issue stems from moral,†¦show more content†¦Why patients turn to euthanasia Medical procedures and treatments improve immensely every year. With the new technology and advancements, diseases and ailments that were once deadly are not nearly as incapacitating as in previous years. However, some remain debilitating and fatal. For example, some forms of cancer remain terminal even after numerous attempts at treatment. Sometimes the side effects from chemotherapy like nausea, extreme exhaustion and muscle soreness, are more severe than the symptoms of the disease itself.6 Often times, the patients begin to feel as though the efforts being made to cure their disease have become useless and have made their life not worthwhile. In these cases, terminal patients might choose to simply stop the treatments. Another time when a person might turn to euthanasia is when the illness is causing him a terrible amount of pain, and the medicine being administered to the patient does not allow him to live the kind of life that he wants to have. Those for euthanasia maintain tha t if this practice were to be legalized, there would be several restrictions on who could be eligible for this procedure.7 A patient would have to be of sound mind, have been stricken with a terminal illness, or be in a state of constant and crippling pain. Some notable advocates who haveShow MoreRelatedThe Debate Over Legalization Of Euthanasia Essay2047 Words   |  9 PagesControversies on legalization of euthanasia in Europe and America are continuing. The argument for legalizing euthanasia36 is that the individual s freedom entails liberty or choice in all matters as long as the rights of any other person are not infringed upon. The argument against legalizing euthanasia is that it will lead to disrespect for human life. Euthanasia can then be abused for criminal purposes. A financial motive is sometimes advanced in favor of euthanasia. It costs money to the familyRead MoreThe Debate Over Euthanasia And Physician Assisted Suicide Essay1441 Words   |  6 Pages Legalization of Euthanasia in the United States The debate over Euthanasia and Physician Assisted Suicide is becoming progressively complicated as doctors develop a better understanding of its purpose and usefulness. Euthanasia, a Greek term meaning â€Å"good death† and it can portray as a killing of a patient who chooses to take this course of action by applying, administrating, and enduring a procedure to terminate their life (Euthanasia Debate). Prescribed when a patient is in intense pain or sufferingRead MoreThe Slippery Slope Of Euthanasia1396 Words   |  6 Pagesslippery slope argument has been ongoing in the euthanasia debate. The â€Å"slippery slope† refers to the belief that legalizing voluntary euthanasia and physician assisted suicide will lead to undesirable outcomes. 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Euthanasia is an idea that has been around for decades yet as we progress in technology and medical competency the discussion screams to be addressed formally by passing legislature. Euthanasia must be taken out of the hands of lawmakers and put into the hands of the thousands fatally ill patients trapped in their own bodies and/or minds. It isRead MoreThe Terminal Stages Of Asbestosis Or Mesothelioma1587 Words   |  7 Pagesthrough a serious, painful and life threatening illness. The original word given to this kind of statement is â€Å"Euthanasia†. Euthanasia can be defined as a process which painlessly helps a terminally ill person to die on their request . There are different types of Euthanasia which includes; Voluntary, Involuntary, Non-voluntary, Passive and Active Euthanasia. Voluntary Euthanasia involves situations where the person wants to die and makes it known and the death is being carried out by someoneRead MoreExamination of the Main Issues of the Euthanasia Debate Essay example1337 Words   |  6 PagesExamination of the Main Issues of the Euthanasia Debate Introduction Talk of suicide and euthanasia has long been the focus of media attention. Recently this debate has been furthermore justified with the advent of European clinics that specialise in professional mercy killings for the terminally ill and those suffering incurable pain. To add to this, suicide rates in this country are ever increasing, with this being one of the ten most common causes of death inRead MoreEssay Euthanasia1563 Words   |  7 PagesCountless debates have been conducted in recent years regarding euthanasia. It is a topic of great significance and sensitivity, because in the simplest terms, it is a debate about someone’s right to take his/her own life. Ultimately the legalization of euthanasia is a matter of human rights, and therefore the outcome of its debate has great implications on how humans define those inalienable rights. The arguments against euthanasia are numerous, and many of them are valid, good, humanitarian pointsRead MoreEuthanasia Is The Most Active1548 Words   |  7 Pages Euthanasia is the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering. There are different euthanasia laws in each country. The British House of Lords Select Committee on Medical Ethics defines euthanasia as a deliberate intervention undertaken with the express intention of ending a life, to relieve intractable suffering. In the Netherlands and Flanders, euthanasia is understood as termination of life by a doctor at the request of a patient. Euthanasia is categorized