Assisted Suicide/Euthanasia: a Slippery Slope Effect
ASSISTED SUICIDE/EUTHANASIA: A Slippery Slope Effect
Melanie Hart
PHI200 Mind and Machine
Dr. Martha Stillman
June 19, 2011
There are numerous pros and cons for Assisted Suicide/Euthanasia that can be argued many times over. The reasons for these arguments include less pain and suffering for the patient as well as their families, a person’s right to die with dignity, and lower health cost; to name a few. However, there are those that feel that legalizing Physician Assisted Suicide/Euthanasia could lead Physicians down a slippery slope. So, that leads to the question of: Who has the right to make those determinations, and when are they morally correct? Because euthanasia has several definitions in which each form represents various moral view points, it is important to ensure that people have a full understanding of their meanings and the issues that can arise from the different forms. “Many proponents of euthanasia want more than hospice availability or more effective palliation” (Lillehammer 2002, pp.545-550). Keown contends that proponents of euthanasia feel that doctors, under certain circumstances, should control the decision of ensuring the patient has an easy and painless death. In this paper I will define both Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia; and present two sides of the argument of Assisted Suicide/Euthanasia causing or not causing a slippery slope, and conclude with my position on both. Euthanasia (VAE) is a Greek word which stands for good death and means to intentionally administer medicine or interventions that cause the death of a patient at their request (Runge, Royle, Slater, 2004). However, there are two forms of euthanasia; Active euthanasia and passive euthanasia. Active euthanasia is when “lethal substances or forces are used to end the patient’s life; which also includes life-ending actions conducted by the patient or somebody else” (Nordqvist, 2010, pp.1, para. 4). There is also voluntary
Melanie Hart
PHI200 Mind and Machine
Dr. Martha Stillman
June 19, 2011
There are numerous pros and cons for Assisted Suicide/Euthanasia that can be argued many times over. The reasons for these arguments include less pain and suffering for the patient as well as their families, a person’s right to die with dignity, and lower health cost; to name a few. However, there are those that feel that legalizing Physician Assisted Suicide/Euthanasia could lead Physicians down a slippery slope. So, that leads to the question of: Who has the right to make those determinations, and when are they morally correct? Because euthanasia has several definitions in which each form represents various moral view points, it is important to ensure that people have a full understanding of their meanings and the issues that can arise from the different forms. “Many proponents of euthanasia want more than hospice availability or more effective palliation” (Lillehammer 2002, pp.545-550). Keown contends that proponents of euthanasia feel that doctors, under certain circumstances, should control the decision of ensuring the patient has an easy and painless death. In this paper I will define both Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia; and present two sides of the argument of Assisted Suicide/Euthanasia causing or not causing a slippery slope, and conclude with my position on both. Euthanasia (VAE) is a Greek word which stands for good death and means to intentionally administer medicine or interventions that cause the death of a patient at their request (Runge, Royle, Slater, 2004). However, there are two forms of euthanasia; Active euthanasia and passive euthanasia. Active euthanasia is when “lethal substances or forces are used to end the patient’s life; which also includes life-ending actions conducted by the patient or somebody else” (Nordqvist, 2010, pp.1, para. 4). There is also voluntary
References: Dyer, Kristi, M.D. 2006. Definition of Physician Assisted Suicide. Retrieved from http://www.endoflife.northwestern.edu./physician_assisted_suicide debate Hendin, Herbert, M.D. 1996. Lessons from the Dutch Experience. Retrieved from http://www.life.org.nz/euthanasia/abouteuthanasia/history-euthanasia 11