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Ethical arguments for and against euthanasia
Cons of euthanasia
Arguments with and against euthanasia
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If I was a terminally ill patient, I’ll definitely consider the option of dying with dignity. The main reason is very simple, I’ll not suffer anymore and neither my family seeing me very sick, maybe it’ll be a big discussion at first but then they’ll accept it. I know some people will think and say that’s a sin or something like that but suffering has no argument and neither being a burden to someone, and that’s what a terminally ill patient is even if their family cares for them. In Colombia euthanasia is not prohibited, in other words it is legal therefore it can be used but not explicitly. Research suggests that euthanasia has been practiced in Colombia for over 10 years specifically since 1997. Some studies show that the first euthanasia process was for a male dying cancer patient. …show more content…
A pro of this is that I could be able to say goodbye to the people I love at the right moment, to solve inconclusive things and to say that I’m sorry to the people I’ve hurt, besides I can prepare my death and surely my family will accept this after a lot of debate about the advantages and disadvantages of this
As selfish as it might sound, the decision of ending your life to avoid suffering is more about ending the suffering of your loved ones. It is way more painful to watch your family being sad, crying, getting frustrated and tired because there is nothing else they could do. As much as family tries to hide their distress, or as much as they try to avoid thinking about the inevitable, sometimes the feelings can't be avoid. I wouldn't want my family to go through this, and I wouldn't want to watch them being miserable. It is just not fair for them. Why wait longer for something that will eventually happen, especially when the patient is bed bound and has to depend on others for the most basic needs. I couldn't and wouldn't want to do that to my loved ones and to myself.
The decision to end a life is a difficult one no matter the situation presented. It stirs a great deal of emotions when thinking about a loved one choosing to die in situations where they are terminally ill. Death is a scary thought for most people, but we need to remember that it is just a fact of life, no matter how morbid it sounds. There is some dignity in ending a life for a patient is who terminally ill and suffering, although it may be a tough decision, it can sometimes be the right one.
...o through when they are in their final stages. In addition, because the lethal medication is always to be requested and not encouraged by a doctor, requesting death with dignity gives patients a feeling of autonomy and power as they do have some control over their last parts of life during a time when they usually feel helpless. With proper legislation and training for professionals, death with dignity could be properly regulated and not be abused. The Death With Dignity Acts found in the states that have already legalized it have been successful with giving terminally ill the rights and choices they deserve while also have specific and strict guidelines. The rest of the country should take these states as role models because it still remains that legalizing death with dignity across the nation would benefit a lot of people who are suffering from a terminal illness.
It’s hard for a family to go through this and the terminally ill want to save their families from as much heart break as they can.
Should euthanasia be allowed or not? It has become a very controversial issue nowadays. Velleman and Hooker have different perspectives on euthanasia, and whether there should be laws permitting voluntary and non-voluntary euthanasia. Although there are well-reasoned arguments on both sides, I would strongly agree with Hooker's argument that there should be a law permitting voluntary euthanasia when it is for the wellbeing of the person and that each individual should be able to make their own decision.
But not all people, and the Death with Dignity Act can provide relief for them,” (“Assisted Suicide” 2013). Death with Dignity is not for everyone. It may not even be for most people. But it is for some and they deserve the right to have control. I, personally, do not know what I would do if I were terminally ill. I have no idea, and I’m sure many of us are the same way. There is no way to know how we would feel or what we would want. In the end, I think all we really want is comfort. We want to feel like we have some sort of control. Sandeen said, “I think it’s a peace-of-mind thing. You’re terminally ill and you’re facing the possibility of some pretty tremendous suffering, and just the idea that you have this [prescription] and tomorrow you can take it if it gets really bad provides some comfort,” (“Assisted Suicide” 2013). I believe that the Death with Dignity Act needs to be adopted nationwide. Thank
Another reason a patient may opt to euthanasia is to die with dignity. The patient, fully aware of the state he or she is in, should be able choose to die in all their senses as opposed to through natural course. A patient with an enlarged brain tumor can choose to die respectively, instead of attempting a risky surgery that could leave the patient in a worse condition then before the operation, possibly brain-dead. Or a patient with early signs of Dementia or Alzheimer’s disease may wish to be granted euthanization before their disease progresses and causes detrimental loss of sentimental memories. Ultimately it should be the patient’s choice to undergo a risky surgery or bite the bullet, and laws prohibiting euthanasia should not limit the patient’s options.
Some of the cons to euthanasia are emotional distress depression, may be deemed as suicide, and poses the question are you god? Emotional distress/depression is a big deal when choosing to euthanize. Family suffer (differently) as they either allow injections or let them take a pill. Another con will be is this suicide? As we know in certain religions suicide is seen as a sin. Suicide is a sin that is said to lead a person to hell, which brings us to our next question who can play god? Having control/ power to end one’s life is supposed to be a role for god ultimately. These are just a few cons to mercy killing/
According to Immanuel Kant, a person has dignity that makes him autonomous. Thus, the decision of the autonomous patient to die has intrinsic value. Because patients are rational agent, they are able to make their own decision based on reason. A rational patient will reason that if continued existence is full of suffering and no-hope for better well-being, therefore, the best option is to discontinue his/her life to save him/herself from that future condition. It is the patient’s approach to manage his/her own life. Dan W. Brock is right in his article “Voluntary Active Euthanasia” when he said that, “self-determination [or autonomy] has fundamental value… [because]… individual [can] control the manner, circumstances, and timing of their dying and death” (75). The dignity of the patient lies in their “capacity to direct their lives” (Brock 75).
“Euthanasia is defined as a deliberate act undertaken by one person with the intention of ending life of another person to relieve that person's suffering and where the act is the cause of death.”(Gupta, Bhatnagar and Mishra) Some define it as mercy killing. Euthanasia may be voluntary, non voluntary and involuntary. When terminally ill patient consented to end his or her life, it is called voluntary euthanasia. Non voluntary euthanasia occurs when the suffering person never consented nor requested to end a life. These patients are incompetent to decide because they are either minor, in a comatose stage or have mental conditions. Involuntary euthanasia is conducted when it is against the will of the patient (Gupta, Bhatnagar, Mishra). Euthanasia can be either passive or active. Passive euthanasia means life-sustaining treatments are withheld and nothing is done to keep the patient alive. Active euthanasia occurs when a physician do something by giving drugs or substances that ends a patient’s life. (Medical News Today)
Coping with a terminal illness or having someone in your family that has a terminal illness is a very difficult thing to address. These things usually come up unexpectedly and we are never prepared for something like this. When you first hear of your terminal illness you might feel isolated and even numb to the world. People are usually not comfortable with talking about their own problems but when you are experiencing something like this the best thing you can do is talk about it. There are pros and cons that come with assisted suicide and no one can ever really tell what they would do until they are in the situation. If someone in my family had a terminal illness I personally feel that I would assist my family member in whatever decision they chose. I think that if you have a terminal illness you should have the decision to do whatever you would like. If you are experiencing a lot of pain and you believe you are ready to die I think you should have that right.
To die with dignity is everyone wish. Euthanasia is the practice of ending a life that releases the person from an incurable disease. It’s a quiet, easy and painless death. This can be done by doctors on patient’s wish. Previously, doctor was the person who treating the patient as companion. Now a doctor is person who cure the disease, but will not be companion always. What will never show sign of change is patient’s unbearable pain. Many times there is nothing a specialist can do to cure disease, except to wait for death of a patient. This make the patient and surrounding them to suffer. Thus to consent to euthanasia makes an individual free from increasing suffer, less economic burden and feel glad on self-choice.
Death is something inevitable which all human beings must have to face today or tomorrow, or some part of their life.There are many people around the world sinking their lives in the darkness of dignity. Each and every day individuals all throughout the U.S. are diagnosed with terminal illness. They are compelled to wait until they die naturally, at the same time their bodies deteriorate by their sickness that will eventually take their lives. Some of the time, this implies living excruciating pain ,and that most states in our nation cannot do anything about it legally. People should have the will to live or die as the death of dignity is one of those acts that promotes this behavior , as a result it should be legalized all over the states,
Only in extreme cases of terminally ill patients whose suffering cannot be relieved by any other means.
It is a human beings fundamental right to live. We all have the right to a life, but the right to live subsequently comes with the right to die. If a fatally ill patient who is in a good state of mind (not carrying a mental illness) wants to end their