StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

Do Individuals Have the Right to End Their Lives by Euthanasia - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
The essay "Do Individuals Have the Right to End Their Lives by Euthanasia?" focuses on the critical analysis of whether individuals have the right to end their lives employing euthanasia. Assisted suicide is a concept that is facing many controversies in legal and ethical terms…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER91.7% of users find it useful
Do Individuals Have the Right to End Their Lives by Euthanasia
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Do Individuals Have the Right to End Their Lives by Euthanasia"

Some patients believe that they have their “constitutional right” (Goldman & Schafer, 2011, p.7) to make a decision about their life and opt for a more dignified death. Forman (2008, p.7) writes that the concept of assisted suicide is common to euthanasia which means good death. There is a thought that such a practice is a blessing for those who are suffering from endless pain that cannot be lessened even with the use of medicine or years of treatment. Panzer (2000, par. 8) states that “One method of hastening death used by physicians, nurses and even family members is to administer overly high dosages of narcotics, sedatives or antidepressants when the patient does not need for them.” Lethal injections are also used to hasten death. High doses of morphine are also given. Hence, the primary aim is never to kill and to get relieved ourselves but to help the patient to die an easy death and relieve him of his pain.

Moreover, an individual’s consent matters the most (Behuniak & Svenson, 2003, p.11). Otherwise, it becomes murder. After all, it is he who is suffering from all the pain and distress. It is a very hard task to decide whether or not to take a patient’s life deliberately. Consider a patient with a deadly disease or cruel debility which has made his life so unbearable and so troublesome with pain that pleasing, significant, focused survival has ceased to exist. If such a patient says, “I am unable to bear this pain. This is becoming intolerable for me and I no longer want to become a burden on my family. Please relieve me of this torment.” After considering all alternatives, it would be wise for the physician to respect and honor his choice of a dignified death. The role of the physician is to do what is in the best interest of the patient (Orfali, 2011); and sometimes, it becomes better for the patient to die instead of living in torment and despair when there is no chance for him to get better.

However, legislators have a controversial view on the issue. They think that assisted suicide should not be legalized even with the individual’s consent. According to Forman (2008, p.8) and Lo (2013, p.149), Oregon passed the Death with Dignity Act in 1997, which legalized physician-assisted suicide, but later the Act was challenged by the Federal Authorities and was argued in the Supreme Court in 2005. In 2006, the decision was in its favor.

To sum it up, physician-assisted suicide is an issue of controversy on legal and ethical grounds. Some people think that it should not be legalized since the matter of life and death is in the hands of God; while, others think that it is a wise option when the patient has no chances to get better and is showing intolerable pain. The survey attempted to persuade the audience that assisted suicide should be legalized with the individual’s informed consent and under extreme conditions of pain and torment.

Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Should individuals have the right to end their lives by means of Essay”, n.d.)
Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/miscellaneous/1689280-should-individuals-have-the-right-to-end-their-lives-by-means-of-euthanasia-physician-assisted-suicide
(Should Individuals Have the Right to End Their Lives by Means of Essay)
https://studentshare.org/miscellaneous/1689280-should-individuals-have-the-right-to-end-their-lives-by-means-of-euthanasia-physician-assisted-suicide.
“Should Individuals Have the Right to End Their Lives by Means of Essay”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/miscellaneous/1689280-should-individuals-have-the-right-to-end-their-lives-by-means-of-euthanasia-physician-assisted-suicide.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Do Individuals Have the Right to End Their Lives by Euthanasia

Circumstances That Lead to Euthanasia

This can occur through having a medical practitioner providing a patient with drugs that can easily terminate their lives ahead of time, for any of the various reasons that the practitioner may deem appropriate.... In such a situation where the patient opts to have their lives terminated on such grounds, then, such termination of life prematurely, is known to be through informed consent (893).... While some considers it appropriate to have patients suffering from a disease that gives them intense pain, have their lives terminated to save them from experiencing such pains, other considers this wrong and unethical....
4 Pages (1000 words) Essay

Different Christian Views Surrounding Euthanasia

Some religious ethicists believe that passive euthanasia should not be included under the umbrella at all because according to Catholic moral teachings, "unless the actual intent to end a person's life is present, euthanasia has not occurred'.... It is evidently clear from the discussion that euthanasia can be active or passive.... When a physician takes action to induce death using morphine or insulin, it is known as active (also known as direct) euthanasia....
8 Pages (2000 words) Essay

Medical Negligence & Malpractice

Both these theories are closely linked to the question of euthanasia as would be evident in the course of this work.... The classical exposition of such a theory is by Kant when it is stressed by him that every person must be treated as an end in himself rather than as a means to an end.... The paper 'Medical Negligence & Malpractice' arises from the age-old Hippocratic oath which all doctors have to swear by before entering the profession....
13 Pages (3250 words) Essay

Ethics Research Paper on Euthanasia

The elderly, the terminally ill, and the physically debilitated would feel pressured to end their lives so as not to cause financial burden to their families.... The sickening consequence of euthanasia would be evident in the public's distrust in the physician's credibility to treat patients, alleviate them from pain, and extend their lives (“An Overview on Euthanasia; Are we the Master of our own Destiny?... Voluntary active euthanasia for the terminally ill and the constitutional right to privacy....
2 Pages (500 words) Research Paper

Ethical Analysis of Euthanasia

In order to do this study, the research will undertake critical analysis of the theory of euthanasia and identify the ethical dilemmas involved in it.... After that, the researcher will examine the relationship between This will be done through the application of a medical theory to the problem of euthanasia decisions.... As a social phenomenon, euthanasia intervenes in the work of nurses in two ways.... First of all, the legal position of euthanasia will influence specific rules in medical ethics which will in turn define how a nurse must behave in a given situation....
9 Pages (2250 words) Essay

Arguments for and against Euthanasia

The paper examines the moral concerns surrounding euthanasia, clarify the meaning of the term, present arguments both for and against the practice and conclude with a recommendation to resolve an issue.... Opponents to legal euthanasia rightly claim that the practice would be in violation of the Hippocratic Oath.... more so than in many other countries, therefore, the decisions other countries make regarding euthanasia are not relevant The practice would lessen the urgency to develop new medicines designed to prolong life....
10 Pages (2500 words) Term Paper

An Analysis of the Ethical Aspects of Euthanasia for Practicing Medical Professionals

The aim of this measure is to recognize the dignity of life and the autonomy of the patients to make informed decisions about their lives.... The author states that euthanasia is being administered to patients with terminal diseases with a view to ending their extreme suffering, as a last resort.... While people suffer from diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer's and different types of commas, on the one hand, controversies on the ethical validity of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide rage on the other....
6 Pages (1500 words) Research Paper

Key Ethical and Legal Issues of Euthanasia

If euthanasia could be allowed, members of the public could freely choose to end their lives so that they could be free from pain.... Patients suffering from terminal diseases such as cancer can have a choice to either end or continue to suffer from the diseases they suffer; they would choose the time they would like to end their lives.... The paper "Key Ethical and Legal Issues of euthanasia" focuses on the critical analysis of the main ethical and legal issues of the dilemma of euthanasia....
12 Pages (3000 words) Coursework
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us