In recent society, there has been heated controversy over the ethical and moral complications associated with euthanasia. For those readers who are not aware of what euthanasia is, it is the causation of a patient's death. The word itself is derived from the Greek language to mean an easy, painless death. Diving into this heated discussion, there is a volley of different terms, such as active and passive euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide, which must be understood before I even make my argument. Active euthanasia is what people will usually think of when euthanasia is mentioned. This is when a physician will assist, usually through lethal doses of medication, with death. Passive euthanasia happens when a physician allows a patient to die, such as refusing to perform CPR. Physician-assisted suicide is just active euthanasia with the help of the patient.
The ethical problems with this argument should be obvious. Is it morally ethical to kill someone? In a perfect world where everyone took another's interests to heart, the answer would be yes. If a person is suffering an extreme amount of pain with no hope to an end, wouldn't a peaceful death be more humanitarian than allowing that person to continue suffering? We do this for our pets. In fact, you will find that active euthanasia already occurs in hospitals. Overdoses of pain and anti-anxiety medication (i.e. morphine and ativan) are given to patients to help ease them to death. If a person wants to escape their suffering, euthanasia should be an option they can consider.
However, we do not live in a perfect world. The other concern with euthanasia is that physicians will abuse this power over patients. A patient should be able to say "no" to euthanasia if that is their choice. In Belgium, where euthanasia has been legalized since 2002, 11.3% of deaths are from involuntary euthanasia. The easy alternative to this would be to restrict euthanasia with mounds of legal documents that would include the patient's permission and condition. Considerably, this would require enormous effort, and it is very likely that a bill encompassing all the limitations would never be passed.
Even considering all of the complications though, I would want the choice. If I was seriously injured beyond the point of return, I would want the choice to end the suffering.
-kookaburra
20 comments:
I don't think that euthanasia is morally wrong, however, you made a good argument about how legalizing the practice would give doctors too much power over their patients. If all doctors were angels, then yes, this would be acceptable. But because they are not, we cannot risk them abusing their power.
In Holland, Euthanasia was made legal in 1984. By 1995, for every 3,600 reports of euthanasia, 900 others were performed without any consent of the patient. Doctors' reasons were because of dementia, or because they personally felt that they were acting in their patient's best interest. Euthanasia is an infringement on our inalienable right to life. The thought that patients with dementia are better off dead is primitive and inhumane.
I am in total favor of euthanasia, but just like anything else, it can be abused. It's somewhat on the same level as abortion--there are times, like when the mother's life is endangered, where it would be unethical not to administer the abortion. To make both illegal seems highly dangerous--and there are, of course, ways to get around either ban anyway. It is a difficult predicament legally. Morally, however, I believe if a patient faces a painful and humiliating end with no hope of recovery, he or she should be allowed a lucid, peaceful farewell with their loved ones.
I personally would not want to suffer a long and painful death. If I was at the point where I knew I was going to die any day and was suffering from excruciating pain I would want to be put down. However, I think doctors could abuse this so they could possibly have a waiver signed and several people as witnesses and it should be totally up to the patient to reduce the chances of doctors abusing their power.
The right to die should be regarded as highly as the right to live. I do agree with the point that was brought up on a possibility of an abuse of power. But I, like Anne Frank consequently, believe that people are truly good at heart. If a person went through with the schooling to become a doctor their movtives are not likely purely monetary. It is most likely that they took their oath in order to help people, and in some cases, euthanasia may be the answer.
I dont think euthanasia should be legalized. we dont want doctors saying that they overdosed this patient because his mind was not well. but there is a time to use euthanasia. if a patient is in so much unbearable pain for a certain amount of time then i think its right for them to be let go from thier suffering. patients should also have a choice, if capable to, say if they want to be put down. If family members have to make the decision, it might be hard for them, but we'll just have to remind them that its for the better.
Euthanasia gives doctors too much power. They can blame their mistakes on it, or use it as an easy way out of work. I think that if legalized, the most immediate family should decide with the patient, and there should be a lot of paperwork. Purposely ending someone's life should not be handled lightly. I would like to know more about it, and see exactly what a patient must go through to have this action taken.
I dont understand what the problem with it is. Everything in our society is abused. Guns kill thousands of American citizens and are still alowed. Cars kill even more and yet nearly every person owns one. The fact is that in most cases this is used to better a persons life. It just so happens that in order to better life, sometimes it is nessesary to cause death. When i am old and soon to die a painfull death i would request euthanasia because that is how i want to go and how i want to be remembered by those whom i am closest to.
We all know that euthanasia is abused. The question is, how can it be proved that this is what the deceased had wanted? We don't know. And if a person is intentionally overdosed by this, and it wasn't what they had wanted, it can be classified under murder, a charge that can sentence someone to life in prison. So what is this difference between unwanted euthanasia and murder, nothing. But The murder will go under investigation and the murderer will be sentenced to jail. But the doctor who performed th euthanasia only has to say, that is what the patient wanted, and he gets off, no jail time or anything.
Euthanasia is definitely wrong. Just because someone is suffering does not necessarily mean that they will never come out of it. Also, who decides the degree to which pain justifies euthanasia? I could want to be euthanized over a hang-nail, but someone else over cancer. Where is that line drawn?
I totally agree with hot butter. Purposely ending someones life, the decisions big and seems like someone's holding way too many cards...
I doubt doctors would use euthanasia as "an easy way out of work", considering going to school for eight years isn't really the easy way out of work. If it were to become legal, people should have to fill out the same forms as a DNR and have it notarized. Or have the immediate family decide if the patient is incapable. I wouldn't want to live my last days in excruciating pain if I had the choice to end it.
I think you bring up a good point on how doctors could take advantage of the patient. But you forget that doctor's are morally and ethically bound to do everything they can to save a patients' life. It is in the oath they say to become a physician. Going against the patient's or family's wishes and/or not doing everything they can to save them would be breaking that oath which they agreed to.
I think euthansia is okay in some circumstances. If a patient has literally no chance of survival and is in immense pain, there is no reason to cause them further pain. If the patient is mentally aware of the whole situation, they should be able to decide or the family should be able to decide, not the doctor.
I feel that euthanasia is a fair answer to unstoppable pain. If I was in a situation where constant pain and suffering was all I experienced I would want the choice to end it. In the end it should be the patient's choice and if they choose to have a peaceful death then let them.
I don't think Euthanasia should be legalized. Euthanasia is not like taking drugs or drinking alcohol where people may think it more of a thrill to do it when it is illegal.. euthanasia is a dangerous thing to do for a doctor's career when it is illegal. This, I think, is a better way of ensuring that only those who direly "need" euthanasia are receiving their wish. Think about it: the doctors that we are all worried would abuse the power of euthanasia should it be legalized are most likely the same doctors that would never want to put their job in jeopardy, for reasons of money or reputation or whatever. These doctors would be less likely to do some under-the-table work in order to kill a dying person, wouldn't they? Whereas a doctor with a higher sense of pride in their work might be convinced by a patient or a patient's family to finalize a person's irreversible fate, but it would take a very long time and a very convincing argument. Legalizing euthanasia will only open the door to more deaths, while keeping euthanasia frowned upon will more effectively ensure that only the "right" patients receive it.
Mary Poppins...euthanasia is not used simply to end pain. It is used (when performed properly and legally) when the patient has a terminal illness that will ultimately end in a painful and often humiliating death.
There are miracles...but most people do not "come out of" terminal illnesses. I'm not convinced that the suffering of a hangnail quite compares to the suffering of, say, terminal brain cancer.
Euthanasia should NOT be legalized. A person who is sitting on their death bed is obviously not in the proper state of mind to be making decisions for them self.
I feel impelled to remind everyone who has commented that euthanasia is already being done in hospitals all over the country, without the notice of the patients or the families. When in a critical care unit with no chance of surviving anyway, there are medical professionals who will take the step to end that persons suffering. Sometimes the families even order a fatal amount of medication. Legalizing euthanasia with limitations is the safest way to prevent against unwanted euthanasia.
We must also remember that many medical professionals are against euthanasia because it is a burden on their conscience. While many don't disagree with it, they do not want the killing of another willfully on their hands.
Euthanasia is the purposeful killing of a person, usually out of some sense of aiding the person. How can killing - aka murder - be a justified way to help someone? Doctors have an obligation to heal and, if they can not heal, to bring the level of pain down as far as possible. Legalizing euthanasia runs contradictory to the role doctors are supposed to play. It perverts their true obligations and changes them from life savers to life takers. This is a dangerous road to go down and traveling upon it could result in outcomes no one would wish for.
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