ETHICS OF EUTHANASIA

An investigation in ethical issues surrounding euthanasia and assisted suicideWriter's Name

Institution's NameAn investigation in ethical issues surrounding euthanasia and assisted suicide

Thesis Restatement

Ethical concerns of euthanasia for one who is dying must be taken into account, and his judgment should be respected.

Introduction

Meaning of Euthanasia

“Euthanasia comes from Greek, meaning "pleasant death". It typically refers to the killing of a person for their own (or another) good, usually to end their suffering” (Firth. L 2011, p.1)

British Humanist Association defines Euthanasia as "a gentle and easy death", and now it is mean "the act of inducing an easy death". The act of Euthanasia results to terminate life without bearing pain and end the suffering of pain which has no chances for revival. Voluntary euthanasia, occasionally called "assisted suicide", occurs when someone is suffering from unrecoverable disease to show his willingness to die in order to end suffering. When sufferer cannot express his will or consent, the result is involuntary euthanasia. Its further definition is: “Non-voluntary euthanasia-where patients cannot express a wish to die (patients in comas, infants, cases of extreme senile dementia, those who cannot communicate for other reasons)”. (Donnellan. C 2005, p.28)

Current situation

Now the argument is that if a person decides to terminate his/ser life, should the other assist him/her? Normally a doctor would assist him/her and administer the lethal injection that would terminate his/her life painlessly. The difference between voluntary euthanasia and involuntary euthanasia is that involuntary euthanasia involves putting down someone against their will, which is a murder in other means. Dr. Jack Kervorkian, with nick name of Dr. Death in U.S, has assisted at least 45 people in euthanasia. Netherlands' law allows voluntary euthanasia and around 3000 individuals requesting it per year. Australia legalized assisted suicide in Northern territories with the help of the majority population, but it banned it before someone uses it. Switzerland clinics assist a number of people to terminate their lives, including those who come for a purpose of suicide from other countries who do not allow assisting suicide. It is debatable that should it be practiced or not.

Discussion

Discussion on death is not as easy as it looks. Thinking about the end of life is difficult or unacceptable for many people, but bioethicists are struggling for this issue consistently. Coverage of many cases by media such as Terry Schiavo and Dr. Jack Kevorkian pointed to a public and political attraction. “Nature is no longer defined for us. We create it anew daily as we innovate technologically,” (Seegert. L 2008, p.1)

The extent to euthanasia is ethically acceptable and should be approved and legally is, rather, for years in our society lively debate. This means: To what extent is done in reality, euthanasia depends largely on the discretion and consequently also of the ideological and moral attitude of the individual physician. The state of uncertainty is largely arbitrary and for the citizen, who is always a potential patient, in such a crucial issue, which is all ultimately a matter of ...