The Five Forms of Euthanasia

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Euthanasia can come in a variety of five forms and it is important to know the distinctions among them. The main types that euthanasia encompasses are first voluntary euthanasia which refers to when a person has selected and specified that they wish for their life to end and have taken measures to say as such (What). Normally this is done through an Advanced Directive which is created ahead of time so that if a person becomes unable to make medical decisions (such as in the cases of coma, dementia and other debilitating afflictions) their wishes and thoughts will be made in their stead (qtd. in Bonin). The other main procedural type is non-voluntary euthanasia, which transpires when the death has neither been requested nor consented to (this is also typically in cases of coma and dementia). This form of euthanasia is the one that is most strenuously fought against and worries the anti-euthanasia proponents the most as it is the type that most closely resembles murder (and could even possibly qualify as such). There are two procedural ones with the first being passive euthanasia, which is where any life-sustaining surgeries, equipment (including respirators) or treatment are ceased or withheld; passive euthanasia is generally acceptable by law and the majority of religions as it is not seen as deliberately ending a life but instead not trying to use extra measures to prolong it. The second procedural type is active euthanasia, which is where an individual’s death is caused purposely and through specific actions (qtd. in Bonin). The last type of euthanasia is euthanasia by omission, which results through the planned causation of fatality through the withdrawn or suspended lack or essentials necessary to life (Bonin; What). This i... ... middle of paper ... ...hilip, Dr. "Euthanasia: Hope You Never Need It, but Be Glad the Option Is There." Editorial. CNN.com. Cable News Network, 27 Nov. 2013. Web. 14 Mar. 2014. Shakespeare, Jocasta. "Euthanasia: 'We Should Not Be Made to Suffer like This'" The Telegraph. The Telegraph Media Group, 25 Feb. 2008. Web. 14 Mar. 2014. Somerville, Margaret. "What Would We Lose by Legalising Euthanasia?" ABC. N.p., 24 May 2013. Web. 14 Mar. 2014. "State-by-State Guide to Physician-Assisted Suicide - Euthanasia - ProCon.org."ProConorg Headlines. N.p., 2014. Web. 30 Apr. 2014. United States. US National Library of Medicine. National Institutes of Health. NCBI. By J. Pereira, MBChB MSc. N.p., Apr. 2011. Web. 14 Mar. 2014. "What Is Euthanasia (assisted Suicide)? What Is The Definition Of Assisted Suicide Or Euthanasia?" MNT Knowledge Center. Medical News Today, 19 Mar. 2010. Web. 14 Mar. 2014.

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