Relation Between Euthanasia Attitudes and Religion Among Canadian Post-Secondary Students
Relation Between Euthanasia Attitudes and Religion Among Canadian Post-Secondary Students
All over the world, Euthanasia explores the widespread and contrasting opinions in its morality and justness. It is a very sensitive topic due to its involvement in the ending of one’s life. Wikipedia defines Euthanasia as the act of killing a person who is terminally ill to alleviate their suffering. There is also a distinction between active and passive euthanasia, as well as voluntary and involuntary euthanasia. Active euthanasia is the act of taking active steps to inject a patient with poison to intentionally cause death (Wikipedia, “Euthanasia”, 2010, para. 1). Where as passive euthanasia involves stopping medical treatment (such as disconnecting kidney dialysis) to intentionally cause death. Voluntary euthanasia entails a patient has full knowledge and consent to his death. While involuntary euthanasia indicates that the patient is unconscious or too sick to be aware of what is happening, therefore the decision to die is made by another person on their behalf (Wikipedia, 2010).
The history of euthanasia dates back to ancient Roman and Greek civilizations when the practice was believed to be morally acceptable; the meaning of euthanasia in Greek is “good death” (Wikipedia, 2010). During the 1930’s, involuntary euthanasia was used by the Nazis to kill 300,000 handicapped and mentally ill Germans (Faulstich, 2000). Although euthanasia was very commonly practiced in history, it is now highly controversial and is now a global issue with varying opinions of its morality. Euthanasia is illegal in most countries and also in Canada; the criminal code (Canadian Department of Justice, 2010) implies that euthanasia is illegal:
14. No person is entitled to consent to have death inflicted on him, and such consent does not affect the criminal responsibility of any person by whom death may be inflicted on the person by whom consent is given (consent to death, para 14).
241.
All over the world, Euthanasia explores the widespread and contrasting opinions in its morality and justness. It is a very sensitive topic due to its involvement in the ending of one’s life. Wikipedia defines Euthanasia as the act of killing a person who is terminally ill to alleviate their suffering. There is also a distinction between active and passive euthanasia, as well as voluntary and involuntary euthanasia. Active euthanasia is the act of taking active steps to inject a patient with poison to intentionally cause death (Wikipedia, “Euthanasia”, 2010, para. 1). Where as passive euthanasia involves stopping medical treatment (such as disconnecting kidney dialysis) to intentionally cause death. Voluntary euthanasia entails a patient has full knowledge and consent to his death. While involuntary euthanasia indicates that the patient is unconscious or too sick to be aware of what is happening, therefore the decision to die is made by another person on their behalf (Wikipedia, 2010).
The history of euthanasia dates back to ancient Roman and Greek civilizations when the practice was believed to be morally acceptable; the meaning of euthanasia in Greek is “good death” (Wikipedia, 2010). During the 1930’s, involuntary euthanasia was used by the Nazis to kill 300,000 handicapped and mentally ill Germans (Faulstich, 2000). Although euthanasia was very commonly practiced in history, it is now highly controversial and is now a global issue with varying opinions of its morality. Euthanasia is illegal in most countries and also in Canada; the criminal code (Canadian Department of Justice, 2010) implies that euthanasia is illegal:
14. No person is entitled to consent to have death inflicted on him, and such consent does not affect the criminal responsibility of any person by whom death may be inflicted on the person by whom consent is given (consent to death, para 14).
241.
References: Aslan, U., & Cavlak, U. (2007). Attitudes Towards Euthanasia among University Students: A Sample Based on Turkish Population. Journal of Medical Sciences, 7(3), 396-401. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database. Catholic Bishops. (n.d.). USCCB - Catechesis in the Catholic Church. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved April 12, 2010, from http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt3sect2chpt2art5.shtml Criminal Code (2010, April 6). In The Department of Justice, Government of Canada. Retrieved April 10, 2010, from http://www.canadalegal.com/gosite.asp?s=92 Euthanasia. (2010, March 29). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 20:24, April 10, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Euthanasia&oldid=352675575 Faulstich, H. (2000). Die Zahlder “Euthanasie-Opfer” (The number of “victims of Euthanasia”). In A Frewer & C. Eickhoff (Eds.), “euthanasia” and the present discussion on mercy killing) (pp. 218-232). Frankfurt, Germany: Campus Karrison, M., Strang, P. & Milberg, A. (2007). Attitudes toward euthanasia among Swedish medical students. Pallative Medicine, 21(7), 615-622. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete Database. Sociology: Three Major Perspectives in Sociology - CliffsNotes . (n.d.). Get Homework Help with CliffsNotes Study Guides - CliffsNotes . Retrieved April 8, 2010, from http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/Three-Major-Perspectives-in-Sociology.topicArticleId-26957,articleId-26837.html