Legalize Euthanasia
Legalize Euthanasia Nobody can determine the significance or quality of one person’s life. This is why euthanasia is one of the most fiercely debated moral issues. Euthanasia is when a person wants to willingly end their life early and asks a doctor to help with the final act. It lifts the burden from the person in pain and the person taking care. Euthanasia should be legalized to allow those with terminal or severe health conditions to have a merciful death. Often times, euthanasia can be categorized as physician assisted suicide. Assisted suicide is when a person provides the means for someone to commit suicide (in this case a physician) leaves the final act to the person who dies (Gifford 14). A physician assisted suicide is not considered illegal in many states. This is because technically, the physician is not committing the final act; the person who dies will be committing suicide with the aid of another means (Marker 60). On the other hand, Euthanasia is to intentionally, knowingly, and directly taking an action to cause the death of another person (in this case, a doctor to a patient) (Marker 59). Euthanasia is considered illegal in every state and if somebody was to be caught in the act, that person would be tried for homicide (Marker 60). Euthanasia can be differentiated into two different categories; passive euthanasia and active euthanasia.
In passive euthanasia a person will simply refuse treatment knowingly that if they do not take the treatment, they will die (“Euthanasia”). Passive euthanasia is almost very rarely debated and almost never thought of as controversial. This method is most likely used in religious cases where it is expected to refuse medicines. It is often mistaken as physician assisted suicide because the doctor is not actually killing the patient. Although this method is often questioned, it would be accepted because of religious conviction. Active euthanasia is the method that most people think of when talking about
In passive euthanasia a person will simply refuse treatment knowingly that if they do not take the treatment, they will die (“Euthanasia”). Passive euthanasia is almost very rarely debated and almost never thought of as controversial. This method is most likely used in religious cases where it is expected to refuse medicines. It is often mistaken as physician assisted suicide because the doctor is not actually killing the patient. Although this method is often questioned, it would be accepted because of religious conviction. Active euthanasia is the method that most people think of when talking about
Cited: BEnjammin, Harry. “Euthanasia – Pro And Con: A Humane Necessity.” Nation 170.3 (1950): 79. Topicsearch. EBSCO. Web. 20 Mar. 2012 "Euthanasia." Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6Th Edition (2011): 1. MAS Ultra - School Edition. EBSCO. Web. 20 Mar. 2012. Grifford, Clive. “World Issues: Euthanasia.” North Mankato, Mn: Chrysalis Books Grove PLC, 2005. Print. Marker, Rita L. "Euthanasia And Assisted Suicide Today." Society 43.4 (2006): 59. MAS Ultra – School Edition. EBSCO. Web. 20 Mar. 2012. Yount, Lisa. “Euthanasia.” San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press, Inc., 2002. Print.