Pros and Cons of Euthanasia
Arguments For Euthanasia:
• It provides a way to relieve extreme pain
• It provides a way of relief when a person's quality of life is low
• Frees up medical funds to help other people
• It is another case of freedom of choice
Arguments Against Euthanasia:
• Euthanasia devalues human life
• Euthanasia can become a means of health care cost containment
• Physicians and other medical care people should not be involved in directly causing death
• There is a "slippery slope" effect that has occurred where euthanasia has been first been legalized for only the terminally ill and later laws are changed to allow it for other people or to be done non-voluntarily.
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Euthanasia Definitions
• Euthanasia: the intentional killing by act or omission of a dependent human being for his or her alleged benefit. (The key word here is "intentional". If death is not intended, it is not an act of euthanasia)
• Voluntary euthanasia: When the person who is killed has requested to be killed.
• Non-voluntary: When the person who is killed made no request and gave no consent.
• Involuntary euthanasia: When the person who is killed made an expressed wish to the contrary.
• Assisted suicide: Someone provides an individual with the information, guidance, and means to take his or her own life with the intention that they will be used for this purpose. When it is a doctor who helps another person to kill themselves it is called "physician assisted suicide."
• Euthanasia By Action: Intentionally causing a person's death by performing an action such as by giving a lethal injection.
• Euthanasia By Omission: Intentionally causing death by not providing necessary and ordinary (usual and customary) care or food and water.
Arguments Against Euthanasia
1. Euthanasia would not only be for people who are "terminally ill"
2. Euthanasia can become a means of health care cost containment
3. Euthanasia will become non-voluntary
4. Euthanasia is a rejection of the
• It provides a way to relieve extreme pain
• It provides a way of relief when a person's quality of life is low
• Frees up medical funds to help other people
• It is another case of freedom of choice
Arguments Against Euthanasia:
• Euthanasia devalues human life
• Euthanasia can become a means of health care cost containment
• Physicians and other medical care people should not be involved in directly causing death
• There is a "slippery slope" effect that has occurred where euthanasia has been first been legalized for only the terminally ill and later laws are changed to allow it for other people or to be done non-voluntarily.
•
Euthanasia Definitions
• Euthanasia: the intentional killing by act or omission of a dependent human being for his or her alleged benefit. (The key word here is "intentional". If death is not intended, it is not an act of euthanasia)
• Voluntary euthanasia: When the person who is killed has requested to be killed.
• Non-voluntary: When the person who is killed made no request and gave no consent.
• Involuntary euthanasia: When the person who is killed made an expressed wish to the contrary.
• Assisted suicide: Someone provides an individual with the information, guidance, and means to take his or her own life with the intention that they will be used for this purpose. When it is a doctor who helps another person to kill themselves it is called "physician assisted suicide."
• Euthanasia By Action: Intentionally causing a person's death by performing an action such as by giving a lethal injection.
• Euthanasia By Omission: Intentionally causing death by not providing necessary and ordinary (usual and customary) care or food and water.
Arguments Against Euthanasia
1. Euthanasia would not only be for people who are "terminally ill"
2. Euthanasia can become a means of health care cost containment
3. Euthanasia will become non-voluntary
4. Euthanasia is a rejection of the