People Should Have the Right to Choose When They Die
“People should have the right to choose when they die”
This statement creates many interesting points. It is written about taking your own life, be it suicide or euthanasia. On that subject it has clearly been written by a person with pro-choice ideals because it states “should have the right to choose.” This gives the meaning that they believe it is a basic human right to have a choice. A further meaning behind this wording is in the phrase “should have” this shows that the subject of choosing when to die is not currently legal but is likely to be widely debatable. The fact that the statement is not specific to a group of people, (be it old or terminally ill) or the mode of death, (euthanasia, assisted suicide, suicide) makes it a very open statement. Because of that fact it can be interpreted in many ways. It can be debated and could be argued by both sides. Many people will disagree with this statement because of many reasons. For example a first argument would be that many pain killing drugs can now help a patient die with dignity. Painkillers can relieve patients’ pain to the extent that they can have a long and suffering free life right until the end. On the other hand people could counter this by saying that the painkillers can only do so much and if the patient wants to die we should respect that wish.
A second argument that is often used to counter euthanasia is; a dying patient may not be able to make a rational decision. This basically says that if a patient is in too much pain they might say they want to die and not really mean it. In response to this others may say that “it is still their wish and it is in their best interest to uphold that wish.” This could also be countered with “what if it is a rational decision? In which case denying them that would be a serious moral crime.
A third argument against this is; a patient may have said they want euthanasia when they were nowhere near death; however, when faced with death they may change their
This statement creates many interesting points. It is written about taking your own life, be it suicide or euthanasia. On that subject it has clearly been written by a person with pro-choice ideals because it states “should have the right to choose.” This gives the meaning that they believe it is a basic human right to have a choice. A further meaning behind this wording is in the phrase “should have” this shows that the subject of choosing when to die is not currently legal but is likely to be widely debatable. The fact that the statement is not specific to a group of people, (be it old or terminally ill) or the mode of death, (euthanasia, assisted suicide, suicide) makes it a very open statement. Because of that fact it can be interpreted in many ways. It can be debated and could be argued by both sides. Many people will disagree with this statement because of many reasons. For example a first argument would be that many pain killing drugs can now help a patient die with dignity. Painkillers can relieve patients’ pain to the extent that they can have a long and suffering free life right until the end. On the other hand people could counter this by saying that the painkillers can only do so much and if the patient wants to die we should respect that wish.
A second argument that is often used to counter euthanasia is; a dying patient may not be able to make a rational decision. This basically says that if a patient is in too much pain they might say they want to die and not really mean it. In response to this others may say that “it is still their wish and it is in their best interest to uphold that wish.” This could also be countered with “what if it is a rational decision? In which case denying them that would be a serious moral crime.
A third argument against this is; a patient may have said they want euthanasia when they were nowhere near death; however, when faced with death they may change their