Euthanasia The Right to Die Essay - 1661 Words

Euthanasia, which is also referred to as mercy killing, is the act of ending someone’s life either passively or actively, usually for the purpose of relieving pain and suffering. â€Å"All forms of euthanasia require an intention to accelerate death in order to benefit patients experiencing a poor quality of life† (Sayers, 2005). It is a highly controversial subject that often leaves a person with mixed emotions and beliefs. Opinions regarding this topic hinge on the health and mental state of the victim as well as method of death. It raises legal issues as well as the issue of morals and ethics. Euthanasia is divided into two different categories, passive euthanasia and active euthanasia. â€Å"There are unavoidable uncertainties in both active and†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"Active euthanasia defines the practice where death is caused by direct administration of a lethal substance† (Sayers, 2005). Dr. Jack Kevorkian is a physician well known for his c ases of physician assisted suicide. â€Å"In his writings and statements, Kevorkian advocates a society that allows euthanasia for the dying, the disabled, the mentally ill, infants with birth defects and comatose adults; and he sanctions experiments prior to their death and organ harvesting.† (Betzold, 1997). Many other physicians and also nurses have performed euthanasia causing public alarm that some cases are actually murder. In one such case a physician and his nurse, Dr. James Gallant decided to take a Ms. Clarietta Day life into his own hands: â€Å"Day collapsed on the phone while calling 911 in the early morning of March 22. She was taken to the hospital and diagnosed with a subarachnoid hemorrhage (burst blood vessel in the brain), a condition that is invariably fatal. Sometime before she died, Day had filled out an advance directive, which included instructions from August 1995, in which she wrote that should she become unconscious, she wished to be kept alive fo r at least forty-eight hours. However, following the diagnosis, Day received painkillers every five to ten minutes for a four-hour period, even though there was no documentation that Day was in discomfort or agitated. She was removed from a respirator and had a magnet applied to herShow MoreRelatedEuthanasia: Your Right to Die632 Words   |  3 PagesToday there are five to ten thousand comatose patients in long term care facilities (Wheeler A1). There are countless elderly people in care facilities that have repeatedly expressed a desire to die. There are countless terminally ill patients that have also begged for death. Should these people be allowed to die, or should they be forced to keep on living? This question has plagued ethicists and physicians throughout the years. In the Netherlands, courts have begun to permit the administration ofRead MoreEuthanasia and the Americans Right To Die Essay706 Words   |  3 PagesEuthanasia and the Americans Right To Die ...no-one is truly free to live, until one is free to die. -Martin Luther King The issue of euthanasia has been hotly debated in America over the past several years. Like drug decriminalization and abortion, such personal liberty issues can be seen from a multitude of viewpoints, and public opinion varies widely. Recent events concerning euthanasia have brought this issue to a higher level of visibility and raised the publics awarenessRead MoreEuthanasia: We Have the Right to Die1096 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"A person has the constitutional right to request the withdrawal or withholding of a medical treatment, even if doing so will result in the person’s death† (Assisted Suicide). So why is there not, and should there not be a right in some states and countries for those who are near death and know they will die to want to end their life. Even during the Ancient Roman times, the idea of Assisted Suicide was accepted â€Å"If caused from pain or sickness, or by weariness of life† (Assisted Suicide). WithRead MoreEuthanasia: We Have the Right to Die Essay872 Words   |  4 PagesWhat is euthanasia? The dictionary defines euthanasia as the act of putting to death or allowing to die painlessly, a person or animal from a painful incurable disease. Euthanasia is also known as mercy killing. The word euthanasia comes from the Greek word eu- meaning good and the Greek word thanatos which means death. There are two types of euthanasia: active euthanasia and passive euthanasia. Active euthanasia is the practice of ending the life of a person painlessly. While passive euthanasia is theRead MoreEssay about Euthanasia is Our Right to Die1364 Words   |  6 PagesEuthanasia is Our Right to Die By ruling euthanasia illegal, Americas justice system is violating one of our most natural rights, our freedom of choice. In all respects, the right to die is as natural as the right to live. Websters dictionary defines euthanasia as an easy and painless death or an act or method of causing death painlessly. Euthanasia, when administered correctly and under the right conditions can be a humane and moral procedure. There are so many misconceptions and clichesRead MoreArgument Analysis: Euthanasia and the Right to Die Essay1035 Words   |  5 PagesThe right to die and euthanasia, also known as physician-assisted suicide, have long been topics of passionate debate. Euthanasia is simply mercy killing while the phrase â€Å"physician-assisted suicide† regards the administering or the provision of lethal means to aid in the ending of a person’s life. The right to die entails the belief that if humans have the governmental and natural right to live and to prolong their lives then they should also have the right to end their life whenever desired.Read MoreEssay on Euthanasia: We All Have the Right to Die1306 Words   |  6 Pages Physician-Assisted Suicide, or Euthanasia, is a serious issue, and it affects people throughout all walks of life. From teenagers with angst, to older adults feeling hopeless in their life, to the elderly suffering from terminal illnesses, suicide pervades throughout their thought processes as an alternative to their emotionally and physically pervasive situations. Euthanasia, or physician-assisted suicide, has a history dating back to the seventeenth century. Only recently has it become as controversialRead MoreDo You Think That the Right to Life Entails a Right to Die Under Certain Circumstances? Should the Law Be Changed to Grant a Universal Right to Voluntary Euthanasia?1000 Words   |  4 Pagesthat the right to life entails a right to die under certain circumstances?† and â€Å"Should the laws be changed to grant a universal right to voluntary euthanasia?†. In this essay, I am going to give reasons using ethical theories to justify these questions. Euthanasia Euthanasia is the act of a physician or other third party ending a patients life in response to severe pain and suffering. Euthanasia can be classified into three types. They are voluntary euthanasia, non-voluntary euthanasia and involuntaryRead MoreDo You Think That the Right to Life Entails a Right to Die Under Certain Circumstances? Should the Law Be Changed to Grant a Universal Right to Voluntary Euthanasia?1008 Words   |  5 Pagesthat the right to life entails a right to die under certain circumstances?† and â€Å"Should the laws be changed to grant a universal right to voluntary euthanasia?†. In this essay, I am going to give reasons using ethical theories to justify these questions. Euthanasia Euthanasia is the act of a physician or other third party ending a patients life in response to severe pain and suffering. Euthanasia can be classified into three types. They are voluntary euthanasia, non-voluntary euthanasia and involuntaryRead MoreEuthanasia Should Be Legalized For Terminally Ill People1064 Words   |  5 PagesThe word euthanasia has a Greek meaning â€Å"the good death. On the other hand, in the society today, there are deeper and more meanings to euthanasia than before. Voluntary euthanasia concerns itself with the consent of the person to die through the assistance of others. Voluntary euthanasia can be divided into two areas: passive voluntary witch is holding back medical treatment with the patient’s request, active voluntary killing the patient at that patient s request informing the assistant on how