Preview

Active Voluntary and Nonvoluntary Euthanasia

Better Essays
Open Document
Open Document
2255 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Active Voluntary and Nonvoluntary Euthanasia
Active Voluntary and Nonvoluntary Euthanasia The term euthanasia originated from the Greek word for "good death." It is the act or practice of ending the life of a person either by lethal injection or the deferment of medical treatment (Munson, 2012, p. 578). Many view euthanasia as simply bringing relief by alleviating pain and suffering. Euthanasia has been a long-standing ethical debate for decades in the United States. Active euthanasia is only legal in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. Assisted suicide is legal in Switzerland and in the United States in the states of Washington, Oregon and Montana (Angell). Several surveys indicate that roughly two thirds of the American public now support physician-assisted suicide, and more than half the doctors in the United States do too (Angell). Active voluntary and nonvoluntary euthanasia matter because they allow the patient or family to relieve them of pain and suffering, and to die with dignity and respect. In this paper I will argue that it is immoral and unethical to deny a patient the right to die and that active voluntary and nonvoluntary euthanasia should be a legal practice in the United States. When denied the right to die one can endure a tremendous amount of physiological and emotional pain. The 1973 case of Dax Cowart is a great example of this. Dax went through fourteen months of grueling, barbaric treatments of skin debriding, tank soakings, and dressing changes. He compared the debridements to being skinned alive and the solutions poured over his skin were like having alcohol poured over raw flesh except it burns more and longer (Asher). Dax requested on several different occasions to just leave him alone and let him die but all of his physicians’ refused his requests and kept going with their treatment plan. The physicians were going against the principle of non-maleficence, which states, “ Physicians have an obligation to do no harm to the patient” (Munson, 2012, p. 892). Dax suffered


References: Angell, Marcia. "The Supreme Court and Physician-Assisted Suicide — The Ultimate Right." New England Journal of Medicine. 336 (1997): 50-53. Web. 1 Dec. 2012. Asher, Karen. (2003 May 30). UVA Newsmakers: Dax Cowart. Retrieved from: http://www.viginia.edu/uvenewsmakers/newsmakers/cowart.html Munson, R. (2012). Intervention and reflection: basic issues in bioethics. (9th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Wadsworth. Quill 1, Timothy E. “Terry Shiavo- a tragedy compounded.” New England Journal of Medicine. 352 (2005): 1630-1633. Web 1 Dec. 2012. Quill 2, Timothy. “Death and dignity- a case of individualized decision making.” New England Journal of Medicine. 324 (1991):691-694. Web 28 Nov. 2012.
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    Phi 208: Ethics And Moral Reasoning
    • 1769 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Phi 208: Ethics And Moral Reasoning

    Euthanasia means “good death” but today the term is deemed as a merciful action to rid someone of suffering. In many cases we have seen terminally ill patients euthanized active or passive, yet for the sake of my essay I will discuss active euthanasia. End of life issues is a topic many families are faced with everyday more than one likes to imagine; however, imagine that you were a significant other who has a loved one in the hospital suffering from a terminal illness and their pain is unbearable that your loved one has decided to end his life and the subject of euthanasia comes up. What would you do? The…

    • 1769 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Comparative Essay On Assisted Suicide
    • 784 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Comparative Essay On Assisted Suicide

    From the beginning of its existence, the sole purpose of the health care industry is to increase the quality of life. However, when a patient’s life is coming to an end, healthcare professionals strive to provide a comfortable death with minimal pain. With today’s doctors having new technology, medicines, and techniques, the ethics of assisted suicide has become a great debate between the public, the government, and health professionals. Dr. David Mayo and Daniel Callahan are both professionals in the healthcare industry and have varying viewpoints in regards to the effectiveness, position, and purpose of assisted suicide.…

    • 784 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    State Health Laws on Physician Assisted Suicide
    • 2028 Words
    • 9 Pages

    State Health Laws on Physician Assisted Suicide

    For decades, the public, government, and physicians have been debating over the “Death with Dignity Act” or “Physician-Assisted Suicide.” It started back in the Ancient Greek and Rome time. The debate originated around the Hippocratic Oath and the condemnation of the practice. With the upsurge of Christianity, many physicians continued to condemn the practice. Within the last two centuries the public has spurned many discussions about Physician-assisted suicide and Euthanasia from many different historic perspectives (Procon.org, 2012). Although this debate has been lengthy and many of the issues discussed over the centuries are repetitive, new ideas and concerns do emerge with the current debate. What do you think when you here assisted suicide? Would you want your family member to suffer with an illness that has put them in so much pain that they cannot function? Personally, I would not want to see my family member suffer in pain while they are dying with no cure.…

    • 2028 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Benefits Of Physician Assisted Suicide
    • 131 Words
    • 1 Page

    Benefits Of Physician Assisted Suicide

    In conclusion, if a terminal patient lives in steady anguish, he or she should not be forbidden to peacefully end his or her life with a doctor’s aid. Living in pain and practically waiting for death to arrive is not the way a human should spend their last couple months of life. Citizens with an incurable disease that progressively worsens should be able to die with dignity. If not these patients will spend their last days with complete misery and worry that death is not near enough. States throughout the country and the government need to revise their beliefs about an assisted death and consider the amount of benefits it provides life-threatening patients. Overall, Physician-assisted suicide should be an option for patients in more than…

    • 131 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Arguments Against Physician Assisted Suicide
    • 2793 Words
    • 12 Pages

    Arguments Against Physician Assisted Suicide

    The argument that has sent the world into a tailspin is whether or not people suffering from terminal or excruciatingly painful illness have the right to take their own lives by way of physician-assisted suicide. Proponents contend that what one does with one 's life is of no consequence to anyone else -- that it is humane to allow someone to be relieved of constant – if not unbearable – discomfort. On the other hand, critics claim that the act of euthanasia is nothing more than a fabricated form of murder. Indeed, both sides have pertinent points when it comes to understanding and assessing the conflict, but euthanasia supporters have a significantly stronger argument when considering the bigger picture. Clearly, physician-assisted suicide is not only the right thing to do for someone seeking such a decision, but it is ethical and humane for a physician to abide by the patient 's wish.…

    • 2793 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Euthanasia And Physician-Assisted Suicide
    • 889 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Euthanasia And Physician-Assisted Suicide

    If you were told you had a terminally ill disease and only had one more year to live, filled with suffering, what would you chose to do? This question leads us to the sensitive and controversial topic of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. Euthanasia can simply be defined as physician-assisted death for terminally ill patients. This issue has stirred debates that have drawn attention to the complex issues concerning the ethical implications of end-of-life care. Supporters of euthanasia argue that they seek only to prevent unnecessary suffering while the critics maintain that it is unethical to end an individual’s life. However, many public opinions have reported that over 80% of the general population support amendments in the law to…

    • 889 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Argument Paper - Physician-Assisted Suicide be Legal
    • 7882 Words
    • 32 Pages

    Argument Paper - Physician-Assisted Suicide be Legal

    I’m at the age in my life where I have seen my family members suffer with extreme pain from a terminal debilitating illness. I know they would prefer death at this point rather than life. My mother who died of cancer, talked about dying and would have liked to stop the suffering, but she elected to deal with the excruciating pain. Or do you not know that your body is a temple or the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from GOD? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify GOD in your body. (1 Corinthians 6; 19-20, Bible) I am not for and opposed to the legalization of voluntary euthanasia for terminally ill patients as administered by physicians. If you have the strength to administer a drug to your body when close to death, I’m opposed to involuntary euthanasia also. I love and have the upmost respect for dignity in dying, and I wish that our Continuations laws and GOD’s laws would let us have control over our last dying wishes, but that is not possible. Our physicians take an…

    • 7882 Words
    • 32 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Euthanasia Ethical Dilemma
    • 2102 Words
    • 9 Pages

    Euthanasia Ethical Dilemma

    Euthanasia is a social issue in today’s world because not only does it affect the lives of those who are terminally ill and/or comatose, and the physicians who have been entrusted with their care, but it also affects the patient’s ability to have control over their own life, whether they are aware of this decision or not, which is one of the reasons why euthanasia has become such a controversial issue around the globe. Caddell and Newton (1995) define euthanasia as “any treatment initiated by a physician with the intent of hastening the death of another human being who is terminally ill and in severe pain or distress with the motive of relieving that person from great suffering” (p. 1,672). Even though the concept of great…

    • 2102 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Physician Assisted Suicide Research Paper
    • 3211 Words
    • 13 Pages

    Physician Assisted Suicide Research Paper

    A hotly debated issue regarding the quality of life for terminally ill patients revolves around the morality and legal implications of euthanasia, or physician assisted suicide which is defined as the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease, or in an irreversible coma. There are already a multitude of laws in place regulating physician assisted suicide in some states and countries, as well as laws preventing the practice. But despite these preventative laws physician assisted suicide remains an underground practice to relieve patient suffering. In lieu of the supposed moral issues associated with physician assisted suicide,…

    • 3211 Words
    • 13 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Physician Assisted Suicide
    • 1899 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Physician Assisted Suicide

    The argument over physician-assisted suicide (PAS) and the right-to-die movement has plagued American society, for decades. A large amount of people are concerned that legalizing doctor assisted suicide is irrational and violates the life-saving tradition of medicine. Nevertheless, the main issue surrounding the issue of assisted suicide is who has the right to choose when someone dies? There are countless of questions in different levels, and views surrounding this right. Physician-assisted suicide should be a legalized medical practice for terminally ill patient who needs to be relieved from suffering so that they may have a peaceful death.…

    • 1899 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Physician Assisted Suicide Argumentative Analysis
    • 1640 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Physician Assisted Suicide Argumentative Analysis

    Physician assisted suicide is a highly controversial bioethical issue that has been increasingly debated in recent years. Advocates of physician assisted suicide argue that it champions patient autonomy and reduces suffering while opposers suggest the benefits outweigh the risks and that there are other acceptable alternatives to the practice. This paper attempts to demonstrate the permissibility of physician assisted suicide as a regulated, medically reliable end-of-life option that can help end the suffering of individuals struggling with terminal illnesses. This will be achieved while still providing a comprehensive view of both opponents’ and supporters’ perspectives on the issue, specifically regarding the nature of the death that comes…

    • 1640 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Assisted Suicide Arguments Against Euthanasia
    • 959 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Assisted Suicide Arguments Against Euthanasia

    In recent years, assisted suicide has become a rather controversial topic regarding whether or not a dying patient has the right to die with the assistance of a physician. While some are against it due to moral beliefs, others support it as a result of their respect for those suffering. However, physicians remain divided on the issue, being torn on the difference between relief from dying and murder. After analyzing the issue in depth, it is clear that terminally ill patients should be granted the right to assisted suicide in order to end their suffering, reduce financial burdens placed upon their families, and preserve the right of individuals to determine their own fate when facing death.…

    • 959 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Would euthanasia ever be justified?
    • 952 Words
    • 28 Pages

    Would euthanasia ever be justified?

    Would euthanasia ever be justified? Should we listen to what the patient would want? Should we put ourselves in the patient 's place? Should we do to others what we would want done to us? The answers to these questions are not as easy as it may seem. This is because many moral issues are involved. Everyone dies eventually. When it happens, however, it is not the same for all of us. For some, it is fast and almost painless. For others, however, it comes with what seems like endless suffering. Also, the patient is not the only one who is hurting. The patient 's family and friends suffer. With all this being said, euthanasia looks like a good solution. Euthanasia is morally permissible. Euthanasia comes in two forms: active and passive. "Active euthanasia is direct killing and is an act of commission. Passive euthanasia is an act of omission"(Munson, 579). In addition, these two forms can be further broken down: voluntary, involuntary, and nonvoluntary. The debate happens when we have to consider all the possible combinations. There is a lot of gray areas. It is illegal to kill someone. However, it is not illegal to let someone die. Of course, these laws are not always black and white. There are certain situations where these laws do not hold up. For example, it is not illegal to kill someone if you are protecting yourself. Also, it is wrong to let someone die without trying to help them. These circumstances can create quite a debate for some people. Many people cannot take measures to perform euthanasia for themselves. These same people are very close to death and in a lot of pain. John Lachs said that " Callahan fails to grasp the moral problems leading people to consider euthanasia. They are not interested in it as an escape from the suffering inherent in the human condition, but as an end to pain and a burdensome life" (Munson, 601). These people are suffering from diseases and illnesses who do not think that living like this…

    • 952 Words
    • 28 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    euthanasia
    • 629 Words
    • 2 Pages

    euthanasia

    Death with dignity is not a threat to anybody, it is merely plead for help. Who are we to determine when it is appropriate for a human in pain to die? Sometimes, the doctor’s job is not only to prevent a patient from dying but also to improve their patient’s quality of life. Many times there is nothing a doctor can do to prevent a terminal illnesses to take their course. Therefore, euthanasia should be acceptable in order to relieve themselves from not only physical but also psychological pain and to die with dignity.…

    • 629 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Synopsis on Euthanasia
    • 1323 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Synopsis on Euthanasia

    Euthanasia is a complex and complicated issue. There are many arguments for and against, and the debate is highly relevant as we often have to deal with it. Is it okay to take another person's life, although the person requested to be killed? Who is responsible, the doctor or the patient? What is the difference between euthanasia and murder? These are just a few questions you might have to deal with. In most cases of euthanasia, the person who is killed made a request to be killed, but in some cases the person wasn’t able to make such a request. Due of the massive debate and relevance I chose this subject.…

    • 1323 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More

Related Topics