Euthanasia: Is It about Intentionally Taking the Life of a Helpless Person?
Shelby Pringle
October 23, 2013
PHI 2630
Euthanasia is Intentionally Taking the Life of a Helpless Person Euthanasia is defined as causing the death of another person where the motive is mercy. I will specifically be focusing on voluntary euthanasia, in which the patient is competent and voluntarily requests euthanasia. Many philosophers argue against euthanasia because they feel it is inherently wrong, because it goes against human nature. In this paper, I will argue against the legalization of euthanasia because it will initiate the slippery slope that leads to involuntary euthanasia, the killing of a competent patient against their will. J. Gay-Williams contends that legalizing euthanasia could have negative effects on health care because doctors would feel less obligated to save patients because killing them would be an option (Gay-Williams 850). He is correct because killing a patient is much easier than performing complicated medical tests and procedures. Doctors and nurses do everything in their power to save patients but the legalization of euthanasia could corrupt the mindset of many medical professionals. Like the patients themselves, physicians would take the easy way out. The decrease in care for severely ill patients would ultimately transition into the decrease in care of less sick patients, causing an overall drop in the quality of healthcare (Gay-Williams 849). Yale Kamisar argues that the legalization of voluntary euthanasia will lead to the occurrence of involuntary euthanasia. He is justifiable in this argument because once the termination of a life is made legal, there is bound to be ramifications (Kamisar 181). The opposing side would argue that there are rules and regulations that can be put in place to prevent this from happening, but are unable to provide said regulations. A competent patient asking for a painless death is considered voluntary euthanasia, but if the patient is unconscious or incompetent, they cannot make the
October 23, 2013
PHI 2630
Euthanasia is Intentionally Taking the Life of a Helpless Person Euthanasia is defined as causing the death of another person where the motive is mercy. I will specifically be focusing on voluntary euthanasia, in which the patient is competent and voluntarily requests euthanasia. Many philosophers argue against euthanasia because they feel it is inherently wrong, because it goes against human nature. In this paper, I will argue against the legalization of euthanasia because it will initiate the slippery slope that leads to involuntary euthanasia, the killing of a competent patient against their will. J. Gay-Williams contends that legalizing euthanasia could have negative effects on health care because doctors would feel less obligated to save patients because killing them would be an option (Gay-Williams 850). He is correct because killing a patient is much easier than performing complicated medical tests and procedures. Doctors and nurses do everything in their power to save patients but the legalization of euthanasia could corrupt the mindset of many medical professionals. Like the patients themselves, physicians would take the easy way out. The decrease in care for severely ill patients would ultimately transition into the decrease in care of less sick patients, causing an overall drop in the quality of healthcare (Gay-Williams 849). Yale Kamisar argues that the legalization of voluntary euthanasia will lead to the occurrence of involuntary euthanasia. He is justifiable in this argument because once the termination of a life is made legal, there is bound to be ramifications (Kamisar 181). The opposing side would argue that there are rules and regulations that can be put in place to prevent this from happening, but are unable to provide said regulations. A competent patient asking for a painless death is considered voluntary euthanasia, but if the patient is unconscious or incompetent, they cannot make the
Bibliography: Demy, Timothy J., and Gary Stewart. "The Wedge Arguement." Suicide: A Christian Response : Crucial Considerations for Choosing Life. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1998. N. pag. Print. Kamisar, Yale. "Against Legalizing Euthanasia." Life and Death. 2nd ed. 1999. Print. “The Wrongfulness of Euthanasia” by J. Gay Williams in Intervention and Reflection, 7th edition by Ronald Munson Williams, Glanville, comp. "For Legalizing Euthanasia: A Rejoinder." Life and Death. 2nd ed. 1999 Print.