Is Euthanasia Ethically Wrong

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Euthanasia is when a terminally ill or suffering patient makes the decision to stop their pain and suffering. When the patient makes this decision for themselves, this is known as active euthanasia. If a patient is in a coma or are mentally impaired and someone makes the decision for them, this is passive euthanasia (ProCon.org, 2017). For example, a patient is suffering from brain damage and would be on feeding tubes and non-cognitive for the entirety of their life, the family then decides to have the family member not suffer; this would be passive euthanasia. The main legal issue surrounding euthanasia is if it is moral. How is it not considered assisted murder? Does euthanasia violate the oath that doctors must take? Morality would depend …show more content…

If a person was diagnosed with a terminal disease, there is no absolute way of knowing if that person was very depressed before the diagnosis and would use euthanasia to end their life (Maisie M, 2015). We cannot know if a person is truly making the decision themselves. Family members could influence the patient by saying it is what would be best for them because of their own selfish reasons such as an inheritance. This could also be turned the other way. Family members are also the reason some patients fight to save their lives and take treatment plans. Possibly the doctor helping the patient could influence them to along with euthanasia to lower costs for the hospitals or the doctor’s own explanations. We constantly learn and are influenced by others in every stage of our lives. It is for this very reason that euthanasia could be someone else’s decision and not the patients sole opinion on what they believe is best for them (Health Watch Center, …show more content…

Referring to the patient who is terminally ill, if this patient has tried all treatment plans suggested by the doctor and is still suffering from the illness, is it part of the doctor’s oat to help that patient not be in pain anymore? Maybe you see it as part of that doctor’s responsibility to help save and extend human life even if it is in pain and suffering. “I consider the benefit of the patients. . .” is a good example of the contradicting questions. Depending on how someone personally read it will answer the question differently. Your answer to this could determine that it means it is the profession of the physician to save the patients like at whatever extent possible. On the other hand, this could be determined as the benefit of the patient by helping relieve their pain and suffering. Ultimately, euthanasia comes down to the individual and their own understanding of what they would consider to be moral and not moral, if they have a reason to live or if they have already fulfilled their life. To make euthanasia openly available should not be left at the hands for everyone else to decide (Maisie M,

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