Summary and Response Essay

“A Case of Assisted Suicide” In today’s modern world it is believed that all kinds of suicide are considered to be completely wrong no matter how you look at it. In this case, we are to think about assisted suicide, and if it is ethically okay. In the article “A Case of Assisted Suicide” by Jack Kevorkian he gives an example of when he had to perform a case of assisted suicide in order to help a woman who did not want to continue to live on with her life because of her recent diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. Would you consider Dr. Kevorkian a savior or a criminal? That is all determined on your view of the facts. In Kevorkian’s article, he explains how a specialized doctor will assist people to help kill themselves to put them out of their misery; thus, Assisted Suicide. Kevorkian tells the story about a faithful woman, Janet, who decides that she no longer can live and does not want to if she is going to suffer with Alzheimer’s disease through her later years. In the beginning when she is diagnosed, she instantly decides and the author tells us“…she would not live to experience the horror of such a death”. Before going to a specialized doctor, she discusses with her husband that she would never want to live in distress with her diagnosis and would prefer to die peacefully than go through suffering with this disease. Her husband and a very her close friend are heartbroken at the time, but wanted to respect her wishes. They assured her they would make sure that if she was suffering they would let her go peacefully. The family finds a doctor that specializes in what is called “assisted suicide.” This type of doctor would help her with the process of dying, but he would not just kill her. The doctor would set up a machine and, after doing everything he needs to on his behalf; he leaves the last switch for the patient to commit themselves. Therefor letting the patient make the final call on when they choose to end their life. Legally