Running Head Premise On Euthanasia ✓ Solved

Running Head Premise On Euthanasia

Euthanasia is defined as the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or in an irreversible coma, and this practice is legal in a few countries and illegal in most of the countries in the world. This practice is also known as mercy killing or assisted suicide. Euthanasia has been legalized in some countries, and yet it is still illegal in others. This makes this act both legal and illegal depending on which country you are in. Both parties—those opposing and those proposing euthanasia—have sufficient reasons for their support or dismissal of the act of euthanasia. My goal is to determine whether this act is ethically correct or wrong.

Reasons for Euthanasia

Right to Die

Everyone has a right to die. The right of a knowledgeable, incurably ill individual to circumvent unbearable pain and encircle an appropriate and honorable death has enduring justification in history and is embedded in the conception of ordered liberty. The application of this right is as fundamental to individual autonomy and bodily integrity as rights safeguarded by this individual’s pronouncements concerning marriage, family associations, procreation, contraception, child education, and the rebuttal or termination of life-saving medical treatment.

Patient Suffering at End of Life

Research shows that many patients with incurable diseases who are in great pain seek euthanasia to end their lives, which have lost quality and meaning. They desire to die and put an end to their misery and rest in peace. Americans should legalize euthanasia and enjoy a right assured in the European Declaration of Human Rights, which provides the freedom not to be enforced to agonize. It should be considered as much of a wrongdoing to force someone to live who rationally does not desire to remain alive as it is to take life without consent.

Economic Considerations

Many proponents of euthanasia argue that it saves money. For instance, a family with a patient suffering from an incurable disease in a coma incurs substantial annual costs to keep the patient on life support. The financial burden can lead families into significant debt for a patient who will ultimately die anyway. Research indicates that approximately $40,000 is spent on most terminally ill patients, especially during their last days. This financial strain could be alleviated through the option of euthanasia, ending both the patient's suffering and the family's financial difficulties.

Preference for Euthanasia Over Alternatives

Euthanasia is viewed by some as the best option for several reasons:

  • The patient does not suffer and dies an honorable death that they have agreed to.

  • Family members do not need to expend substantial resources on prolonged treatment, allowing them to lead better lives.

  • Euthanasia helps alleviate pressure on healthcare facilities, especially where resources are limited.

In contrast, not performing euthanasia leads to:

  • The patient enduring significant pain with no effective means to alleviate it.

  • The family facing severe financial hardships due to expensive medical care.

  • Ultimately, the futile prolongation of life ends with the patient's inevitable death.

Reasons Against Euthanasia

Potential for Misuse

Opponents of euthanasia express concerns that it may not only be used for terminally ill patients but could also extend to others, leading to abuses of the practice.

Religious Objections

Many religious groups condemn euthanasia, asserting that humans do not have the authority to end life, even if the individual desires it. They argue that suffering has its purpose and that life should not be ended prematurely. Religious beliefs often include the idea of miracles, suggesting that even terminal conditions can change for the better.

Ethical Considerations

Critics also argue that euthanasia signifies a lack of respect for human life. They contend that it undermines the dignity of life and reduces the value of human existence to mere suffering, akin to harmful practices seen in nature.

Conclusion

I contend that there is nothing inherently wrong with euthanasia. As far as it is concerned, it saves patients from their agony and allows them to pass peacefully. It also provides families relief from financial burdens associated with ongoing treatment. Therefore, I support the ethical perspectives that favor euthanasia as a dignified choice in end-of-life care.

References

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  • Boudreau, J. D., & Somerville, M. A. (2014). Medicolegal & Bioethics, 4, 1-12.

  • Draper, H. (1998). "Euthanasia". In Chadwick, R. Encyclopedia of Applied Ethics 2. Academic Press.

  • Friedel, M. (2013). International Journal of Palliative Nursing, 20(6), 265-267.

  • Kohl, M. (1974). The Morality of Killing. New York: Humanities Press.

  • Naseh, L., Rafiei, H., & Heidari, M. (2015). International Journal of Palliative Nursing, 21(1), 43-48.

  • Olasunkanmi, A. (2015). Ethics & Medicine: An International Journal of Bioethics, 31(1), 31-38.

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  • Wreen, M. (1988). "The Definition of Euthanasia". Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, 48(4), 637-653.

  • Tulloch, G. (2015). Feminism & Psychology, 25(1), 113-117.