Euthanasia
eEC1 1PM
11/11/12
Legalizing Euthanasia
Euthanasia should be legalized to allow terminally ill patients the opportunity to prepare for their deaths, avoid unnecessary pain and die with dignity. Euthanasia is “the act or practice of ending the life of an individual suffering from a terminal illness or an incurable condition, as by lethal injection or the suspension of extraordinary medical treatment.” (Am. Heritage) The literal meaning of the word euthanasia, "‘an easy or happy death,’ from the Greek word eu- ‘good’, and thanatos ‘death’"(Harper), is proof in itself that the whole idea is to help people and not to belittle the value of life. The fact that suffering animals can be put out of their misery, but suffering people are forced to stay alive and endure the pain, is inhumane. Legalizing euthanasia would be no more than an act of mercy allowing medical personnel to bring slow, painful deaths to a halt. If euthanasia were legalized, it would allow terminally ill patients and their families the opportunity to better prepare for the death. Unfortunately in many cases of terminal illness, individuals are kept alive by machines, erratic treatments and drugs. This makes it very difficult to determine when the individuals are going to die. Legalizing euthanasia would give the patients the chance to tell their families their wishes, and their families the time to make the arrangements. Being in control of when they die would allow the patients to do last minute things such as receive their last rights and see all of their friends and families. Making arrangements and taking care of last minute things is not all the patients have to do to prepare for their deaths. These terminally ill patients have been through an unbelievable amount of pain and emotional distress. Being able to decide when they are going to die would give them the opportunity to emotionally prepare for their deaths. Predictions of when patients may die are almost always
11/11/12
Legalizing Euthanasia
Euthanasia should be legalized to allow terminally ill patients the opportunity to prepare for their deaths, avoid unnecessary pain and die with dignity. Euthanasia is “the act or practice of ending the life of an individual suffering from a terminal illness or an incurable condition, as by lethal injection or the suspension of extraordinary medical treatment.” (Am. Heritage) The literal meaning of the word euthanasia, "‘an easy or happy death,’ from the Greek word eu- ‘good’, and thanatos ‘death’"(Harper), is proof in itself that the whole idea is to help people and not to belittle the value of life. The fact that suffering animals can be put out of their misery, but suffering people are forced to stay alive and endure the pain, is inhumane. Legalizing euthanasia would be no more than an act of mercy allowing medical personnel to bring slow, painful deaths to a halt. If euthanasia were legalized, it would allow terminally ill patients and their families the opportunity to better prepare for the death. Unfortunately in many cases of terminal illness, individuals are kept alive by machines, erratic treatments and drugs. This makes it very difficult to determine when the individuals are going to die. Legalizing euthanasia would give the patients the chance to tell their families their wishes, and their families the time to make the arrangements. Being in control of when they die would allow the patients to do last minute things such as receive their last rights and see all of their friends and families. Making arrangements and taking care of last minute things is not all the patients have to do to prepare for their deaths. These terminally ill patients have been through an unbelievable amount of pain and emotional distress. Being able to decide when they are going to die would give them the opportunity to emotionally prepare for their deaths. Predictions of when patients may die are almost always