We can work on Ethical Issues Surrounding Death

When is a person dead? How do we define death? Do people have a right to die? This issue becomes convoluted when attempting to revive a person or artificially sustain them. Death is, legally speaking, an irreversible state involving no response to stimulation, no movement or breathing, no reflexes, and no sign of brain activity. A living will states a person’s wishes about being kept on life support, attempts for revival, medication, feeding, and more, in case they cannot speak for themselves.

Mercy killing is the common term for euthanasia. Euthanasia is when someone is provided assistance that helps them die. It’s a dilemma because if someone provides assistance, they are both killing a person and providing mercy. Supporters of active euthanasia argue that there are some conditions so painful that a person should have the right to a doctor-assisted, speedier death. People who oppose this worry about the possibility that people could be killed prematurely, or that family members will encourage assisted death to avoid medical bills.

Five Arguments For Euthanasia (3:16)

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Five Arguments Against Euthanasia (3:16)

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You don’t have to watch the videos to consider this question. Are there circumstances that warrant Euthanasia? Does the patient have to request it or does his or her family have to request it?

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Sample Answer

Whether or not euthanasia is warranted is a complex question with no easy answer. There are strong arguments to be made on both sides of the issue.

Arguments in favor of euthanasia

  • Autonomy: Some people believe that people have the right to decide how they want to die, and that euthanasia should be available to those who are terminally ill and in severe pain.
  • Compassion: Others believe that euthanasia can be a compassionate act, allowing people to die with dignity and avoid unnecessary suffering.

Full Answer Section

  • Quality of life: Some people believe that if the quality of life of a terminally ill person is so poor that they are no longer able to enjoy life, then they should have the right to choose to end their life.

Arguments against euthanasia

  • The sanctity of life: Some people believe that all human life is sacred and that it is wrong to kill anyone, even if they are terminally ill and in severe pain.
  • The slippery slope: Others worry that if euthanasia is legalized, it could lead to a “slippery slope” where people are euthanized without their consent, or where euthanasia is used to kill people who are not terminally ill.
  • Abuse: Some people worry that euthanasia could be abused, and that people could be pressured to choose euthanasia even if they do not want to.

Whether or not the patient has to request euthanasia themselves, or whether their family can request it on their behalf, is also a complex question.

On the one hand, it is important to respect the patient’s autonomy and to give them the right to make their own decisions about their healthcare. On the other hand, there may be cases where the patient is unable to make decisions for themselves, and where their family members are in the best position to decide what is in the patient’s best interests.

Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to allow euthanasia is a difficult one that must be made on a case-by-case basis. There is no easy answer, and there are strong arguments to be made on both sides of the issue.

My personal opinion

I believe that euthanasia should be available to terminally ill people who are in severe pain and who have requested it themselves. I also believe that euthanasia should only be performed under strict guidelines, and that there should be safeguards in place to prevent abuse.

However, I also recognize that there are strong arguments against euthanasia, and I respect the views of those who oppose it.

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