A Right to Die

Abstract

The study sheds a comprehensive light on the physician's assisted deaths. People want to make choices for their own death. In some of the countries, it has been legalized under very controlled circumstances. The paper also encompasses the difference between assisted deaths and euthanasia. The religious restrictions on the provision of the right to die are also discussed. Many people think they are the masters of their own life and death. Hence, the right to die must be given to people specially those who are terminally ill. The study discovers that there are certain restrictons imposed on the practice of assisted deaths. There is also a need to design a code of ethics for granting the right to die so that no medical person can misuse it.

A Right to Die

Thesis Statement

An individual has a right to seek happiness and relief even if it is in the death.

Introduction

People think if they have a right to live, they must have right to die. They must be free to make choices about how and when to die. The right to die is a principled prerogative of a person which allows an individual to eliminate his own life through suicide or euthanasia. Euthanasia is a Greek word which means a good death. Hence, it refers to eliminating a life in an effortless manner.

The right to die covers many aspects. Under this right, an individual is permitted to conduct suicide, assisted suicide or to refuse the long painful treatment of diseases. Never ending debates have been done on the question as who should be allowed to make these choices.

Difference between Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide

Practically, there is no difference between the two terms, but in the context of law, they are slightly different. In euthanasia, the physician introduces the fatal medications. He is the one who brings an end to the patient's life. On the other hand, physician assisted deaths are not linked with the administration of harmful drugs by the doctor. It is the patient who takes such medicines and kills himself (McClatchy, 2012).

Concept of the Right to Die

The idea behind right to die is that everybody is the master of his own body. People possess the right to live. Similarly, they must have a right to die freely, and that must not count in the bracket of crime. Several arguments are proposed in negating the idea regarding the choices to die. However, discussion on the topic will not complete without considering the religious aspect behind committing suicides (McClatchy, 2012).

Hinduism allows its followers to commit suicides if they are living a miserable life, suffering from a terminal disease, or those who do not wish to live. People who have no responsibilities to fulfill can also eliminate their lives under Hinduism. As far as Jainism is considered, it also permits its followers for the practice; whereas, Islam and Christianity strongly prohibit their followers about suicides. In their doctrines, no tolerance will be shown to the people who kill their ...