ethanasia research paper
Adebayo Adedeji
Professor Snodgrass pgcc EGL 1010
Euthanasia: a Moral Good or Evil Abstract The debate over euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide is a multifaceted issue that surges throughout political, religious, legal, and social circles. Euthanasia comes from the Greek words, Eu (good) and Thanatosis (death) and it means "Good Death, "Gentle and Easy Death." This word has come to be as a term for "mercy killing" or assisted suicide. The Medical dictionary defines euthanasia as a deliberate ending of life of a person suffering from an incurable disease.
The history of euthanasia can be traced back to 400 B.C in ancient Greece and Rome. The majority of Spartans and Athenians believed that in order to make the state fit and functional, those who were ill, elderly, or deformed could end their lives or have others end it for them (Emanuel, 1994). Although most physicians saw it as a breach to the “Hippocratic Oath” which states that “...never (to) give a deadly drug to anybody if asked for it, nor…make a suggestion to this effect” the Roman and Greece leaders saw it on the otherhand, as a way to building a prefect society (Emmanuel, 1994). During the late 19th century the discovery of anesthetics (morphine, ether, and chloroform) facilitated the practice of voluntary and involuntary euthanasia by countries such as Netherlands, United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium and Albania.( Keown 2002). Though many continued to push for euthanasia, its opposition gained momentum with the outbreak of World War II and the discovery of Nazi death camps. The German Euthanasia Program began two full years before the outbreak of the war as a way to get rid of the non-Aryans and to purify the German race by means of involuntary euthanasia of individuals who had physical, emotional, or mental disabilities (Westendorf, 2008). The 20th century marked the formation of several organizations for addressing the concerns regarding euthanasia. In the U.S, the
Professor Snodgrass pgcc EGL 1010
Euthanasia: a Moral Good or Evil Abstract The debate over euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide is a multifaceted issue that surges throughout political, religious, legal, and social circles. Euthanasia comes from the Greek words, Eu (good) and Thanatosis (death) and it means "Good Death, "Gentle and Easy Death." This word has come to be as a term for "mercy killing" or assisted suicide. The Medical dictionary defines euthanasia as a deliberate ending of life of a person suffering from an incurable disease.
The history of euthanasia can be traced back to 400 B.C in ancient Greece and Rome. The majority of Spartans and Athenians believed that in order to make the state fit and functional, those who were ill, elderly, or deformed could end their lives or have others end it for them (Emanuel, 1994). Although most physicians saw it as a breach to the “Hippocratic Oath” which states that “...never (to) give a deadly drug to anybody if asked for it, nor…make a suggestion to this effect” the Roman and Greece leaders saw it on the otherhand, as a way to building a prefect society (Emmanuel, 1994). During the late 19th century the discovery of anesthetics (morphine, ether, and chloroform) facilitated the practice of voluntary and involuntary euthanasia by countries such as Netherlands, United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium and Albania.( Keown 2002). Though many continued to push for euthanasia, its opposition gained momentum with the outbreak of World War II and the discovery of Nazi death camps. The German Euthanasia Program began two full years before the outbreak of the war as a way to get rid of the non-Aryans and to purify the German race by means of involuntary euthanasia of individuals who had physical, emotional, or mental disabilities (Westendorf, 2008). The 20th century marked the formation of several organizations for addressing the concerns regarding euthanasia. In the U.S, the