Argumentative Analysis
The financial argument is perhaps the most callous seeming point of the whole debate but it is such a big part that it cannot be left out. In 1998, Ezekiel Emmanuel and Margaret Battin wrote a journal article figuring the cost on multiple levels. The overall cost savings in 1995 dollars would be $627 million. That might sound like a lot. Now let us see the percentage that dollar amount is from the total health care expenditures in the U.S. - less than 0.07%! However, the cost savings to an individual family is another story. The approximate savings of an uninsured patient utilizing physician-assisted death can be $10,000 in 1995 dollars. Emmanuel and Battin came by this number from Medicare data. Most patients using this service would most
…show more content…
Those being the Methodist and the Episcopalians which support the right for an individual to choose, as well Universalist Unitarians. Catholics appear to be the most strongly opposed. The reason being, is that life is a gift from God and therefore cannot be taken by an individual. The Jewish faith has a saying, "against your will you will live; against your will you die..." (Bleich N. pag.). That basically sums up Judaism's views on any form of early death. Hindus seem to be split down the middle. There are strong opinions against euthanasia; however, Subramuniyaswami mentioned the seers having said that in cases of unbearable suffering that fasting is an acceptable way to speed ones passing as long as their time is filled with singing religious songs, listening to scripture, and other joyous activities that keep the mind in good spirits. The Dalai Lama has decreed that in cases of extreme exception there can be permissible euthanasia/physician assisted death. Muslims consider Islam a religion of "pure mercy" (al-Qaradawi, Ph.D. N. pag.) and therefore killing is not allowed because it is a major sin. Overall, the world's major religion's view life as God's gift that we have no right to take away; furthermore, considering either method of assisted suicide, they involve another party delivering the lethal medication, consequently they are then guilty of killing the
Those being the Methodist and the Episcopalians which support the right for an individual to choose, as well Universalist Unitarians. Catholics appear to be the most strongly opposed. The reason being, is that life is a gift from God and therefore cannot be taken by an individual. The Jewish faith has a saying, "against your will you will live; against your will you die..." (Bleich N. pag.). That basically sums up Judaism's views on any form of early death. Hindus seem to be split down the middle. There are strong opinions against euthanasia; however, Subramuniyaswami mentioned the seers having said that in cases of unbearable suffering that fasting is an acceptable way to speed ones passing as long as their time is filled with singing religious songs, listening to scripture, and other joyous activities that keep the mind in good spirits. The Dalai Lama has decreed that in cases of extreme exception there can be permissible euthanasia/physician assisted death. Muslims consider Islam a religion of "pure mercy" (al-Qaradawi, Ph.D. N. pag.) and therefore killing is not allowed because it is a major sin. Overall, the world's major religion's view life as God's gift that we have no right to take away; furthermore, considering either method of assisted suicide, they involve another party delivering the lethal medication, consequently they are then guilty of killing the