Free Essays on Euthenasia

Euthanasia is often called â€Å"mercy killing†. It is intentionally making someone die, rather than allowing that person to die naturally. It is sometimes the act of ending someone’s life who is terminally ill, or is suffering in severe pain. Euthanasia is mostly illegal in the world today. Euthanasia can be considered a form of suicide, if the person afflicted with the problem actively does it. The person volunteering to commit the act to that person can also consider it a form of murder. The positive side of Euthanasia is that it ends a person’s suffering in this world. Many physicians and psychiatrists believe that it may a humane act. From a virtue ethics point of view, it may be appropriate. What we seek in human existence is to be happy, and find happiness. Suffering from a terminal illness, or affliction, could inhibit one’s happiness in life. If the goal is to be happy, then Euthanasia would be an answer for this person. Euthanasia may even bring about happiness in that it is what the person desires and wants, in order to no longer to be a burden to his/her family. Also, Euthanasia would stop the pain and not prolong the dying process. In the utilitarian point of view we all have a duty to our happiness, and a duty to the society. Euthanizing a person based on the society aspect makes sense. With greater and greater emphasis put on managed care today, many doctors are at a financial risk when they provide treatments to patients who are in the dying process. These patients may also feel like not becoming a burden to the society at large, and choose to fulfill a duty – Euthanasia. If the person is in a coma or is brain dead, that person is no use to himself or herself, or society anymore. Euthanasia is a viable method to end an otherwise futile attempt at recovery. The family of the person being euthanized may not want their family members in pain – to suffer. It can be a family duty to do the right thing for the p... Free Essays on Euthenasia Free Essays on Euthenasia Euthanasia is often called â€Å"mercy killing†. It is intentionally making someone die, rather than allowing that person to die naturally. It is sometimes the act of ending someone’s life who is terminally ill, or is suffering in severe pain. Euthanasia is mostly illegal in the world today. Euthanasia can be considered a form of suicide, if the person afflicted with the problem actively does it. The person volunteering to commit the act to that person can also consider it a form of murder. The positive side of Euthanasia is that it ends a person’s suffering in this world. Many physicians and psychiatrists believe that it may a humane act. From a virtue ethics point of view, it may be appropriate. What we seek in human existence is to be happy, and find happiness. Suffering from a terminal illness, or affliction, could inhibit one’s happiness in life. If the goal is to be happy, then Euthanasia would be an answer for this person. Euthanasia may even bring about happiness in that it is what the person desires and wants, in order to no longer to be a burden to his/her family. Also, Euthanasia would stop the pain and not prolong the dying process. In the utilitarian point of view we all have a duty to our happiness, and a duty to the society. Euthanizing a person based on the society aspect makes sense. With greater and greater emphasis put on managed care today, many doctors are at a financial risk when they provide treatments to patients who are in the dying process. These patients may also feel like not becoming a burden to the society at large, and choose to fulfill a duty – Euthanasia. If the person is in a coma or is brain dead, that person is no use to himself or herself, or society anymore. Euthanasia is a viable method to end an otherwise futile attempt at recovery. The family of the person being euthanized may not want their family members in pain – to suffer. It can be a family duty to do the right thing for the p... Free Essays on Euthenasia Euthanasia Euthanasia has been a controversial topic for quite some time but made a huge impact in the media when Dr. Jack Kevorkian sentenced to a 10-25 year prison term for giving a lethal injection to Thomas Youk. Euthanasia, meaning â€Å"good death† is the intentional killing by act or omission of a dependent human being for his or her alleged benefit. People today try to differentiate between the distinction of killing someone and allowing someone to die. When we look at this topic some questions are raised; specifically who gets to decide when you should live or die? At what point does an individual get to end his or her life with active euthanasia, which the immediate cause of death is not the patients’ disease but something that is done or given to the patient to cause his or her death. One argument on euthanasia from a Utilitarianism perspective, says that if the pain of one person is causing pain to others, that it is in the best interest to end that person’s life. If a persons’ life has lost all value and is causing the person nothing but pain, then why not end the pain for them and their families. The philosopher James Rachels states: â€Å"Terminal patients sometimes suffer pain so horrible that it can hardly be comprehended by those who have not actually experienced it†¦ The argument form mercy says: euthanasia is justified because it provides an end to that.† (Velasquez, 2005) Some terminally ill patients are in unbearable pain and/or experience an intolerably poor quality of life. They would prefer to end their life rather than continue until their body gives in. Who is anyone to deny them their wish or right? I believe that the person’s right whether they live or die comes from the mere factor that we have free will and choice. Who is someone to say that you cannot die? A prime example of this controversial topic is about a woman named Teri Schiavo, who spent the last 15 years of her life ...