P: Timothy will reduce the overall frequency, intensity, and duration of anxiety so that daily functioning is not impaired as evidenced by increased participation in daily social activities.…
Ethan Saylor, a twenty-six year-old with Down Syndrome, was slammed to the floor, held down, and handcuffed. The brutal force left the young man with a fracture in his throat cartilage resulting in his tragic death caused by asphyxiation. After seeing the movie Zero Dark Thirty, Ethan briefly left the theater then returned to see it again without paying. The manager of the theater then called security which was three off-duty deputies acting as security officers. Ethan swore at them and refused to leave, but never acted in a violent way towards the officers. Ethan’s caretaker that had accompanied him to the theater even stepped in and pleaded with the officers to just wait and let her talk to him. The officers not understanding how to handle…
Death. A permanent cessation of all vital functions: the end of life (Dorland). What does death feel like? Nobody knows. At least, nobody wants to know. And of course, nobody wants to think about it. It must be painful, right? Well, maybe thinking about it is a good idea. Why should anyone have to go through a long and agonizing death?…
Physician-assisted suicide raises many ethical and moral issues. For patients who advocate for PAS, they acknowledged that the act promotes human dignity, autonomy, and is a humanizing act to end their suffering. PAS is an act of healing for the terminal sick to help end their daily struggles and many see it as a dignified choice. It is evident from patients’ voice and Dr. Byock testimonials strikes the heart of the senseless need to keep the terminal ill alive. Along with the inevitable deaths comes costly medical expenses that can better serve to improve the country and the communities’ welfare.…
As a doctor, you swear to an oath that is to provide lifesaving medical care and to try and extend life comfortably, the best way you can. In “Physician-Assisted Suicide Is Always Wrong” Ryan T. Anderson states why a physician assisting in a terminally ill patient’s death is ethically and morally wrong. This article that I chose was published on Newsweek on March 26, 2015, but first appeared on The Daily Signal. As the article describes what and how this particular approach works, it goes in great detail to explain why it should not even be an option for physicians.…
Life is a frail and fragile thing. Each of us considers it to be our most valuable possession given to us from a higher power. Some take it for granted, while some preserve and celebrate it. In a moment’s notice the breath of life can be taken without consent. I was presented with a piece of editorial, to discuss and decipher its contents. I will present my thoughts and answer the questions posted in the editorial.…
Bowden, Thomas A. "Physician-Assisted Suicide Is a Moral Right." Problems with Death. Ed. David A. Becker. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2006. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from "Assisted Suicide Is a Moral Right." San Francisco Examiner 6 Oct. 2005. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 27 Oct. 2014.…
To the advocates of pro-life and those who support pro-choice, I pose the question of the moral of Physician-assisted suicide. To abort the sick and the old for society is the goal and the purpose of Physician-assisted suicide. Physician-assisted suicide was originally brought to public attention by Dr. Jack Kevorkian also known as Dr. Death. Dr. Kevorkian was thrust into the limelight after violating the Hippocratic Oath and assisting in the suicide of a Janet Adkins, an Alzheimer’s patient, with his homemade suicide machine, built from junkyard scraps. In recent years, Physician assisted suicide has become a feasible solution to individuals with terminal diseases or the elderly, but it that a good…
Paul committed suicide by jumping in front of a train. He saw no future for himself and chose to end his life. Just like that. It was a violent and lonely end. Paul is a fictional character in the story titled “Paul’s Case” by Willa Cather. Paul was a young man who was unhappy with his life and felt he was on the outside looking in at people living the life he wanted. He stole money and sneaked away to New York City to live the life to which he aspired. For one week Paul lived his dream and even though he dressed the part and walked among those he admired, he did not interact--he was still on the outside looking in. Once his theft was discovered he did not want to face the consequences or worse, go back to his previous life, so he carried out the plan he’d decided upon at the beginning of his adventure-- to end his life.…
Euthanasia is the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable disease which is cutting a person’s life too short. The concept of physician assisted suicide always provokes a moral predicament for many people all over the world, mostly because it gives someone the freedom to choose whether to live or die. Euthanasia has been debated for many years, on one hand people believe euthanasia is a negative action because suicide is not a way out, but on the other hand people also believe assisted suicide is the only option for a patient who suffers from great pain that will only get worse. Euthanasia or physician assisted suicide should be legalized and people shouldn’t worry about whether or not if they feel it’s immoral or not.…
Imagine a frail elderly woman laying in the nursing home in pain. This woman is 80 years old and has been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer and her heart cannot withstand treatment via radiation or chemotherapy. She has less than six months to live. Day in and day out you pass her room and hear her crying out from the immense pain. The pain medications are no longer working. She’s tired of fighting, tired of hurting, and tired of waiting to die. After consideration and discussions with her family she has decided to ask the doctor to help and end her life. The doctor feels remorse for the elderly lady and wants to help but cannot decide if it is the ethical thing to do because he knows that what he’s being asked to do is considered physician-assisted suicide.…
Why it is unjust and unmoral to approve of medical assistants in the pursuit of death, such as suicide if the patients ask for such help? There are two side to every argument, there are some people that believe that is is morally ethical to receive PAS (Physician-Assisted Suicide). Then, of course there’s the opposing side to the debate in which this paper will cover and that side is :The medical practice is PAS is unjust, unmoral and shouldn’t be legalized for the fact the the will of life out powers a moment of misery.…
Assisted suicide is an issue that has prompted discussion on the “right to die” and whether or not it is an inherent right in the Constitution. Those against assisted suicide say those who assist should be incarcerated for murder and medical professional should have their licenses revoked and integrity questioned. They believe this goes against the Due Process Clause in the Constitution, stating citizens should not be “deprived of life. liberty, or property.” Proponents of assisted suicide argue that Due Process protects their rights to personal choice and should be an option for those who are terminally ill and suffering. The novel (and upcoming movie) “Me Before You” by Jojo Moyes explores this debate.…
Assisted suicide is a non-widely known controversy in our country for years now. Many, including professionals in the healthcare industry, confuse this term with euthanasia and other similar concepts. Assisted suicide is when a physically and mentally capable person, most likely diagnosed with a terminal illness, makes a decision to end their lives themselves for reasons such as to not inconvenience their families with financial and emotional difficulty, and to end their own suffering. On the other hand euthanasia is when another person, usually a physician, is directly performing the act on the dying person with or without their consent for emergency reasons. Clearly, the difference is that assisted suicide gives the person the right to die…
“In the end, I was left to reflect on what I would want in the face of my own death, I do not know what I would do if I were dying in prolonged and excruciating pain. I am certain, however, that it would be a comfort to be able to consider the options afforded by this bill. And I wouldn’t deny that right to others.” Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill, in October of 2015, making California the fifth state permitting physician-assisted suicide for the terminally ill. Six states have made physician-assisted suicide legal. Assisted suicide is knowingly and intentionally providing a person with the knowledge or means or both required to commit suicide, including counseling about lethal doses of drugs, prescribing such lethal doses or supplying…