Sophocles Argument Against Euthanasia
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
“Death is not the greatest of evils; it is worse to want to die, and not be able to” (Sophocles, ancient Greek tragedian 5th c. BC).1 Today Euthanasia is debated. For some it is just a euphemism for murder or suicide. Was the “easy death” morally acceptable at all time?
“During (the Greek time)… an individual could seek the approval of the state to commit suicide… who supplied the poison… Aristotle and Plato both advocated a crude son of eugenics, recommending infanticide for deformed infants … they also supported euthanasia in cases of terminal or incurable illness. Each, however, rejected the notion of suicide. To Aristotle, suicide was an offense against the stale, because man owed a civic duty to the state… Sophocles was probably the first to accept suicide as a general remedy for life’s hardships and burdens. The Stoics readily embraced this position and tolerated suicide for a variety of reasons beyond incurable illness, including excruciating pain (not associated with an illness) and physical disabilities.”2 …show more content…
“First attested in 1606, from Ancient Greek εὐθανασία (euthanasia), from εὐ- (eu-, “good”) + θάνατος (thanatos, “death”)”3 The electronic dictionary “thefreedictionary.com” gives also different descriptions:
“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. (The American Heritage Dict.) …killing …to relieve suffering from an incurable illness. (Collins English D.) …painlessly ending the life of an animal or a willing individual. (The American Heritage Sc. D.) …putting to death without pain a person …easy death. …deliberate killing …to put them out of their misery… mercy killing. (Ologies & Isms)”
What is the position of the Bible? This paper presents the arguments of both
INTRODUCTION
“Death is not the greatest of evils; it is worse to want to die, and not be able to” (Sophocles, ancient Greek tragedian 5th c. BC).1 Today Euthanasia is debated. For some it is just a euphemism for murder or suicide. Was the “easy death” morally acceptable at all time?
“During (the Greek time)… an individual could seek the approval of the state to commit suicide… who supplied the poison… Aristotle and Plato both advocated a crude son of eugenics, recommending infanticide for deformed infants … they also supported euthanasia in cases of terminal or incurable illness. Each, however, rejected the notion of suicide. To Aristotle, suicide was an offense against the stale, because man owed a civic duty to the state… Sophocles was probably the first to accept suicide as a general remedy for life’s hardships and burdens. The Stoics readily embraced this position and tolerated suicide for a variety of reasons beyond incurable illness, including excruciating pain (not associated with an illness) and physical disabilities.”2 …show more content…
“First attested in 1606, from Ancient Greek εὐθανασία (euthanasia), from εὐ- (eu-, “good”) + θάνατος (thanatos, “death”)”3 The electronic dictionary “thefreedictionary.com” gives also different descriptions:
“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. (The American Heritage Dict.) …killing …to relieve suffering from an incurable illness. (Collins English D.) …painlessly ending the life of an animal or a willing individual. (The American Heritage Sc. D.) …putting to death without pain a person …easy death. …deliberate killing …to put them out of their misery… mercy killing. (Ologies & Isms)”
What is the position of the Bible? This paper presents the arguments of both