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Euthanasiawhat does this Euthanasia EUTHANASIA Euthanasiawhat does this word mean? It comes from the Greek words eu and thanks which translate to good death (Euthanasia World Directory, web). Though this is the very literal meaning, it has become a more complex concept in our current society. Assisted suicide, self-deliverance, auto euthanasia, aid-in-dying are all terms that deal with the choice of achieving a good death; the choice of deciding for oneself when it is time to escape unimaginable pain and have the chance to die with the dignity we all deserve. According to the Euthanasia Research &# 038; Guidance Organization (ERGO! ) there are two main forms of suicide (Euthanasia Research &# 038; Guidance Organization, web). One is emotional suicide, which is defined as an irrational self-murder in all of its sadness.
While most common, this form of suicide has no practical purpose. The second form is justifiable suicide, or planned self-deliverance from a painful and hopeless disease which will shortly end in death (Euthanasia Research &# 038; Guidance Organization, web). Though still considered suicide this form has practical purpose and, therefore, should be looked upon in an entirely different context. One problem society has with assisted suicide is that it is still suicide. A person is ending their life prematurely for some reason. Often with regular suicide this reason is an emotional response to something such as the death of a loved one or unemployment.
Society feels that these are also reasons people engage in assisted suicide. This concept is totally false. Assisted suicide is used only in two specific cases. One is if the person has an advanced terminal illness that is causing unbearable suffering to the individual.
Examples of this would be late forms of cancer or AIDS. This is the most common reason to seek an early end to ones life. The other case is if the person has a grave physical handicap which is so restricting that the individual cannot, even after due consideration, counseling, and re-training, tolerate such a limited existence (The Verbal Battle Over Euthanasia, web). This is a fairly rare reason for suicide since most people learn to cope with their situation, but there are some who would, at a certain point, rather die. Since, at the current time, assisted suicide is not widely legal there are no laws giving the ethical parameters. The public often thinks that since regular suicide has no rules or restrictions, neither does assisted suicide.
This is incorrect. Most every suicide bill currently trying to gain approval shares several guidelines that must be met before the suicide may be preformed. The person must be a mature adult. This is essential. The exact age depends on the individual, but the person should not be a minor who comes under quite different laws (The Verbal Battle Over Euthanasia, web). The person must have clearly made a considered decision.
Currently, an individual has the ability to indicate this with a Living Will and can also, in todays more open and tolerant society, freely discuss the option of euthanasia with health professionals, family, lawyers, etc. Also, the euthanasia cannot be carried out at the first knowledge of a life-threatening illness, and reasonable medical help must be sought to cure or at least slow down the terminal disease (The Verbal Battle Over Euthanasia, web). Life should not be given up the minute a person is informed that he or she has a terminal illness. (This is a common misconception spread by its critics. ) Life is precious and is worth a fight. It is when the fight is clearly hopeless and the agony, physical and mental, is unbearable that a final exit is an option.
An alternative to assisted suicide is entering into a hospice program. A hospice is similar to a hospital but it is only for people with terminal illness who are near death (Key Points in Assisted Suicide, web). It is simply a place to die. Stated bluntly, hospices make the best of a bad situation.
The right-to-die movement does support their work, but not everyone wants a lingering death, which is what a hospice provides. Today many terminally ill people utilize the comforting benefits of home hospice programs and still accelerate the end when suffering becomes too much (Key Points in Assisted Suicide, web). A few hospice leaders claim that their care is so perfect that there is absolutely no need for anyone to consider euthanasia. These programs are all very good but are wrong to claim perfection. Most terminal pain can be controlled with the sophisticated use of drugs, but the point these leaders miss is that personal quality of life is vital to some people (Key Points in Assisted Suicide, web). If ones body has been so destroyed by disease that it is not worth living, then the decision to die is one that should be considered.
In some cases, during the final days of hospice care, when pain is very intense, the patient is drugged into unconsciousness (Key Points in Assisted Suicide, web). If that way is acceptable to the patient, so be it; however, some people do not wish to live in that condition. Another consideration is the religious aspect. Is suffering and its relationship to Christs suffering on the cross a part of preparation for meeting God? Is life merely a gift of God, which only He may take away? If you answer yes to these questions then maybe euthanasia is not right for you.
But remember there are millions of atheists and agnostics, as well as people of various religions, and they all have rights too (Euthanasia World Directory, web). Many Christians who believe in euthanasia justify it by reasoning that the God whom they worship is loving and tolerant, and would not wish to see them in agony. They do not see their God as being vengeful by refusing them into Heaven if they end their life to escape unbearable agony (Euthanasia World Directory, web). Many people feel assisting a suicide is just another form of murder and should be a felony if committed. They feel even though the person is acting under total consent, they are still committing a crime. This form of thinking must be changed.
Suicide is no longer a crime anywhere in the English-speaking world (This used to be the case and was punishable by giving the deceased's money to the government. ). Attempted suicide is no longer a crime, although under health laws a person can, in most states, be forcibly placed in a psychiatric hospital for three days of evaluation (IAETF Fact Sheets, web). However, giving assistance in suicide remains a crime, except in the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, Norway, and Uruguay. The remainder of the world punishes assistance in suicide for both the mentally ill and the terminally ill, although the state of Oregon recently passed a law legalizing limited physician-assisted suicide (IAETF Fact Sheets, web). Even if a hopelessly ill person requests assistance in dying for the most compassionate of reasons, and the helper acts from the most noble of motives, it remains a crime in the Anglo-American world. Punishments range from fines to fourteen years in prison (IAETF Fact Sheets, web).
It is this catch-all prohibition which needs to be changed. In a caring society, there must be exceptions and compassion. Assisted suicide, or self-deliverance as it should be called, has been considered both immoral and illegal in our country since the existence of laws. Throughout the past century, many individuals and groups have tried to legalize such action but were always confronted with a cry of, Thats immoral and always has been! In our current society, one of new and open viewpoints, shouldnt we allow people the right to die? Since suicide by ones own hand, truly a death of vulgar means, is legal, why should a much more peaceful and sensible form be outlawed?
People seeking euthanasia have experienced pain unimaginable to the common human. They have fought and struggled but unfortunately have lost. Shouldnt they be allowed to die a good death with the dignity they deserve? The United States of America was founded on the principles of freedom. Our laws regarding euthanasia should enable people to exercise these basic fundamentals by allowing them the freedom of this most important final choice.
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Research essay sample on Assisted Suicide Terminally Ill
