Preview

Is Euthanasia Inherently Wrong Essay

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1104 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Is Euthanasia Inherently Wrong Essay
Some might say that euthanasia is not the moral equivalent of murder as this action only affect an individual well-being, it is often valued for its own sake, as well as necessary for pursuit of all other goods within a life. Others might argue that euthanasia is the moral equivalent of murder as every human being has a natural inclination to continue living. Both arguments contrast in helping us evaluate more about euthanasia is the moral equivalent of murder or not. For me, I think euthanasia is inherently wrong as I think this action is a rejection of the importance and value of human life. In the following part, I will define what euthanasia is and base on J. Gay- William’s The Wrongfulness of euthanasia to explain why the thought is wrong. …show more content…
Euthanasia is an act that intentionally taking the life of a person suffering from some illness or injury, from which recovery cannot reasonably be expected. In our daily lives, we exercise the caution and care necessary to protect ourselves. When we are cutting our capillaries seal shut, our blood clots, and fibrogen which is produced to start the process of healing the wound, euthanasia does not only violence to this natural goal of survival. He recognizes that human body and our patterns of behavioral responses make the continuation of life a natural goal, we recognize euthanasia sets us against our own nature. Besides, he points out that life is full of suffering. Suffering is a natural part of life with values for the individual and for others that we should not overlook and illness is a kind of suffering .Thus, euthanasia is not permissible. However, there is a difference between these examples with euthanasia. Let me use the above example again, when we are cut, it will definitely start the process of wound, and the suffering of cut will finally get over, but actually this case has some differences between euthanasia, euthanasia specifically means the terminal illness person that will only gain great suffering and has become border and they want to end their life because of hopeless, the extremely illness people injury can never be recovered or healed. Life is no longer to consider any benefits but it’s full of difficulties and suffering. The blood clot painfulness will just only hold a bit time but terminal illness people have to stand a long term torture and suffer. Blood will clot because it does not want us to suffer anymore. Same as euthanasia, euthanasia is performed to defer from suffering. Therefore, euthanasia does not contradict to the nature of continuation of life in the event should be taken as a last resort as a way to help the patient to avoid the unnecessary conscious

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    The word Euthanasia derives from the Greek words Eu and Thanatos which means easy or good death. Euthanasia is is defined in the Oxford Dictionary as the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or in an irreversible coma[1]. Euthanasia exists in various forms, each one specific in its criteria. Firstly there is active and passive euthanasia. Active euthanasia involves the use of direct action in order to end the patient’s life whilst passive euthanasia is the withholding of medical aid in order to allow the patient to die naturally such as not performing life-extending surgery or turning off a life support system. The next distinction is between Voluntary and Involuntary euthanasia. Voluntary euthanasia involves the patient’s termination at their own request whilst involuntary euthanasia occurs when the patient is unable to ably make a decision and therefore a suitable person makes the decision for them. Indirect euthanasia involves treating the patients pain but with the side effect of death, the primary intention is often used to justify the outcome. This is often referred to as the doctrine of double effect and in reality is not considered euthanasia given that the real purpose of the treatment is pain relief and death is merely seen as the side-affect. Finally there is assisted suicide which involves a patient incapable of committing suicide themselves asks for assistance in doing so. Euthanasia is a controversial topic that contradicts the age old moral injunction “thou shalt not kill”[2]. But similarly denying patient’s of this choice is defying medical practice cornerstones such as the patient’s autonomy and promoting their best interests. Different countries hold varying stances on Euthanasia but it is currently illegal in the UK. Most recently the case of Tony Nicklinson, a man totally paralysed by locked-in syndrome requesting euthanasia, has come to the forefront of the debate. Given the right to take his case to…

    • 5500 Words
    • 22 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    In his well-known article “Active and Passive Euthanasia,” Rachels denies the seemingly popular viewpoint that passive euthanasia is more morally permissible than active euthanasia. He believes both types of euthanasia should be either allowed or disallowed all together because, “active euthanasia is not [morally] worse than passive euthanasia.”2 My paper will evaluate the soundness of the four paragraphs, from the article, that begins “One reason why….” and ends with “no defense at all.”3 In these paragraphs, he argues that killing is not in itself morally worse than letting die.…

    • 1302 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Research Paper on Euthanasia

    • 2719 Words
    • 11 Pages

    One of the most hotly debated ethical issue of our time is one of Euthanasia. Euthanasia comes from the Greek words “Eu”, meaning well or easy, and “Thanatos”, meaning death. In modern terms it is the intentional premature termination of another’s life by direct intervention or by withholding care.[1] Within that it can be either voluntary (expressed or implied consent), or involuntary. The two sides of this debate are the rights of an individual to decide when he or she is to die, or the sanctity of life and the states responsibility to protect people.…

    • 2719 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Euthanasia is currently legal in the United States, but still considered cruel to some people. Animals that are in agony and need mercy are euthanized. Some think that it's cruel to put animals out of there misery, but some think it's cruel not to. Euthanasia, mercy killing used on animals, is fair to animals in suffer. If a dog got hit by a car and was in great pain, you could either wait until it dies on its own, or euthanize the dog, putting it out of its misery.…

    • 207 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Euthanasia derives from the Greak for a "good death". Euthanasia is practice of mercifully ending a person's life in order to release the person from an incurable disease, intolerable suffering, or undignified death. This essay will show that the negatives outweigh the benefits for a number of reasons.…

    • 278 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    In this paper, I will discuss euthanasia and demonstrate its immoral implications using J. Gay-Williams’ essay, “The Wrongfulness of Euthanasia”; more specifically his attempt to show the wrongfulness of euthanasia through an argument from nature. I believe that the argument is valid and presents a very good approach for those who are opposed to euthanasia. Below is my effort to summarize this view by placing it in the standard argument format.…

    • 976 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Living is more valuable than dying and threatening to diminish the value of life is dangerous. Euthanasia, also called mercy killing, is the practice of doctors intentionally ending a terminally ill patient’s life in what is purportedly a gentle and dignified manner. The term originated in ancient Greek and means “easy death.” Doctors perform euthanasia by administering lethal drugs or by withholding treatment that would prolong the patient’s life. Physician-assisted suicide is also a form of euthanasia, but the difference between the two methods is that in euthanasia, doctors end the patient’s life with lethal injections, whereas, in physician-assisted suicide, patients kill themselves with a lethal amount of drugs prescribed by the doctors.…

    • 1537 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Definitions of euthanasia abound in the medical community. John Keown in his book Euthanasia, Ethics and Public Policy: An Argument Against Legalisation, creates a succinct definition of euthanasia based on various understandings of the process, "Euthanasia involves doctors making decisions which have the effect of shortening a patient's life and these decisions are based on the belief that the patient would be better off dead" (Keown 10). One often sees manifestations of euthanasia on the death beds of those close to death. Doctors, loved ones, or the patient himself decides that it is better to be dead than alive. However, a major distinction must be made between active and passive euthanasia.…

    • 1545 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Euthanasia is one of the most talked about issues related to biomedical ethics today. This paper will discuss the ethical findings on the topic of euthanasia from a philosophical point of view. The paper examines the moral views of philosophers and then will end with an argument as to why euthanasia should be allowed in United States.…

    • 3241 Words
    • 13 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    The concept and practice of physician assisted suicide is a highly debated topic in today’s news. People often question the morals of the physicians who practice euthanasia and there are some who believe that they should not even be considered doctors. Euthanasia is the ending of someone's life through a doctor's help and is still illegal in most countries. One of the most well known advocates for the practice of euthanasia is Jack Kevorkian, who has also been referred to as Dr. Death. He was tried and convicted of second degree murder, however his practice gained a lot of support from the publicity of his trials. Although he is responsible for over 130 deaths, Kevorkian is a hero in today’s standards because of his involvement in the practice…

    • 1044 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Euthanasia is defined in Webster's Dictionary as "the act or practice of killing or permitting the death of hopelessly sick or injured individuals in a relatively painless way for reason of mercy (Webster's Dictionary 401). The Hemlock Society defines it as "justifiable suicide, that is rational and planned self-deliverance". The word euthanasia comes from the Greek- eu, which means good and thanatos death. No matter what your definition, euthanasia is ethical, and physicians should be allowed to assist in it legally (Derek Humphry, 18).…

    • 997 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Firstly, what exactly is euthanasia? Euthanasia, as defined by the Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life, is when a patient is intentionally killed by another person. This definition says that euthanasia can be requested by the patient, requested by someone else for the patient, or carried out without the patient’s permission. They later go on to define assisted suicide. Assisted suicide is when a patient is provided with instructions on how to intentionally kill themselves. In this paper, euthanasia refers to a mixture of the two definitions. Euthanasia is the intentional killing of a patient by a health-care worker, upon the patient’s request, where the patient is informed exactly how things will be carried out before the procedure is conducted.…

    • 1048 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The decision for euthanasia is a pure moral decision; one that brings with it both positive and negative consequences. The main leading argument is that it allows those who will severely suffer to alleviate their pain before they ultimately pass. This assisted death puts less of a strain on medical supplies and allows the patient to die rather than remain in pain. Contrary, some argue that we do not have the humane…

    • 369 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Antigone

    • 1169 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Euthanasia is a topic that is rarely covered in the news. The moral ramifications of killing someone, even for the sake of mercy, seems too heavy of a topic for in depth discussion. No one wants to think about the day they will die, however when someone becomes terminally ill it can soon become their only thought. When pain and suffering enter this scenario, the option of ending a life more quickly may also enter the thought process. According to Life and Hope Network “9% of all deaths in America are caused by Euthanasia” 1 We are given the gift of life at birth. I believe Euthanasia is a violation of the most precious gift we are given… life…

    • 1169 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Millions of children around the world are living with terminal illnesses, which they fight every day to finally overcome. Some are successful, but others live their lives hooked up to machines or on treatments that lessen their quality of life. Children under the age of eighteen are considered unfit to make decisions regarding their own health care; therefore, the responsibility is in the hands of the parents or legal guardians of the child. What happens when the decisions are not in the best interest of the child, or if the child disagrees? This is where a physician and parent have to decide if they want their child’s life to be based on quantity or quality. Do they want the child to live a long life while being unhappy or a short life while…

    • 738 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays