Defending Euthanasia

Margaret Somerville, who has authored, edited, and co-edited a number of books and newspaper articles opposing the use of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide and who also is the Samuel Gale Professor of Law, Professor in the Faculty of Medicine, and Founding Director of the Centre for Medicine, Ethics, and Law at McGill University, Montreal, wrote the internet article titled “Against Euthanasia.” In the article Somerville blatantly states that any type of euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide is completely and totally wrong under all circumstances. She offers the two major reasons why she considers the practice of euthanasia to be entirely immoral and unacceptable. The first main reason that is given is, “that it is wrong for one human to intentionally kill another, except in self-defense.”The second key reason she provides is, “that the harms and risks of legalizing euthanasia and assisted suicide far outweigh any benefits” . Somerville believes that euthanasia proponents base their arguments on emotions rather than on logic and use dramatic and compelling stories to make their points. She later goes on to say, “To legalize euthanasia would fundamentally change the way we understand ourselves, human life and its meaning." It is also stated that if euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide are made legal then abuse and over use are inevitable and unstoppable. Another point made in the article is that if doctors and nurses are allowed to assist in the deaths of their patients that the trustworthiness of doctors would be skewed and patients would live in fear of going to the hospital and receiving care for whatever illness, disease, or problem they may have (Somerville). She brings her article to a close by stressing...

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...de provides a quick and painless death, in contrast to the expected months of suffering a terminally ill patient must endure under normal circumstances.” The reason euthanasia proponents want to legalize euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide is not to provide a new way for people to kill themselves or to allow doctors to kill their patients, but rather offer people who are in extreme pain and suffering a way to die with dignity on their own terms. In no way is it intended to be heinous or egregious. Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide are not meant to be forced or coerced in any manner on to a person, but to be options and only options for those that, after being informed of all other possible procedures and ways to live, see no further cause in continuing the fight for survival and would like to end their lives without any further suffering and pain.