This document discusses arguments for and against euthanasia. It begins by defining euthanasia as intentionally ending a person's life to relieve suffering, rather than allowing them to die naturally. It notes euthanasia is mostly illegal worldwide. The document then discusses positive arguments that euthanasia ends suffering and may be a humane or appropriate act from an ethics perspective. However, it also notes euthanasia goes against natural law ethics by interfering with the natural course of events. The document discusses various philosophers' perspectives on whether euthanasia should be considered a form of suicide or murder. It weighs the benefits of ending suffering against the ethical issues of intentionally ending a life.

1. Euthanasia Essay examples
Euthanasia is often called "mercy killing". It is intentionally making someone die, rather than
allowing that person to die naturally. It is sometimes the act of ending someone's life, who is
terminally ill, or is suffering in severe pain. Euthanasia is mostly illegal in the world today.
Euthanasia can be considered a form of suicide, if the person afflicted with the problem actively
does it. The person volunteering to commit the act to that person can also consider it a form of
murder.
The positive side of Euthanasia is that it ends a person's suffering in this world. Many physicians and
psychiatrists believe that it may a humane act. From a virtue ethics point of view, it may be
appropriate. What we seek in human existence is to be...show more content...
The benefits are numerous in that the person euthanized would cease suffering, and the families
would begin the healing process from grief and/or depression from the situation.
From Mill's perspective, the person volunteering for euthanasia has a liberty to do what he/she
wants. Mill has written that if the person does not cause harm to others, it is the person's right, or
liberty, to do what they please. If a person wants euthanasia, then that person has the sole liberties to
choose such an act, and depart society and life. Nobody is being other than the person wishing it,
and it is a volunteered act.
Brandt argues for approval of euthanasia, but killing human beings is wrong, because it injures that
person and goes against the preferences of self–preservation. However, Brandt says that the above is
not present in the issue of euthanasia, so it may be permissible. Brandt says that not all killing is
injury, so not all killing is wrong. One should pay attention to one's expressed wishes he says.
Euthanasia could be considered doing a person a favor, because you cannot injure something if you
are relieving it of pain.
The negative side of euthanasia is that it goes against natural law ethics, because we do not let
nature take its course. We are disturbing what is occurring or happening naturally to the person.
Every person has a natural inclination to continue living. It is also said
Get more content on HelpWriting.net

2. Ethics of Euthanasia Essay
As patients come closer to the end of their lives, certain organs stop performing as well as they use
to. People are unable to do simple tasks like putting on clothes, going to the restroom without
assistance, eat on our own, and sometimes even breathe without the help of a machine. Needing to
depend on someone for everything suddenly brings feelings of helplessness much like an infant
feels. It is easy to see why some patients with terminal illnesses would seek any type of relief from
this hardship, even if that relief is suicide. Euthanasia or assisted suicide is where a physician would
give a patient an aid in dying. "Assisted suicide is a controversial medical and ethical issue based on
the question of whether, in certain situations,...show more content...
Whether murder is done in a peaceful, non painful way or in a very gruesome, unimaginable way,
it is still considered murder. Physicians have no way of knowing 'what is best for the patient'
especially if that patient's terminal illness prevents them from speaking. Not only is assisted
suicide considered murder, it also goes against Physicians' Hippocratic Oath. "Hippocratic Oath:
An oath (or promise) all physicians must swear to uphold, regarding the ethical practices of the
medical profession" (Lee). By allowing doctors to stray from this oath, it will be easier for them to
aid in or carry out assisted suicides when it will never be entirely necessary for them to consider the
option. "In 2005, Texas doctors removed two patients from life support without advanced directions
and against the wishes of the patient's family" (Pawlick). By not legalizing assisted suicides, families
will be able to decide when their family member is physically unable to continue with the provided
treatments, but only when the patient themselves can no longer communicate their wishes and no
document stating how they should go about the situation has been left in their families possession.
Ethical issues are not the only problem. Some argue that euthanasia also creates issues from a legal
perspective. "One legal question is whether assisted suicide violates the Controlled Substances Act, a
federal law governing the distribution of drugs" (Lee). Such
Get more content on HelpWriting.net

3. Essay Pro Euthanasia
When someone is inevitably dying and in inexplicable pain is it really a crime to grant their wishes
and end their suffering? As of right now euthanasia is illegal in many countries and is a very
controversial topic. Is it compassion for the patient helping them in ending their life or murder? The
doctor is not giving death as an option, it is the patients choice and even where it is legal there are
many rules. Euthanasia should not be considered a crime because the patient is not being murdered;
they are having their suffering end in a painless, humane way out of compassion for the patient and
their family.
Euthanasia is defined by the World Book Millennium 2000 encyclopaedia as, "the practise of
painlessly ending the lives of people...show more content...
The reason to legalize euthanasia is clear, these people need to have the choice to die with dignity.
Dr. Jack Kevorkian more commonly known as Dr. Death is greatly known for his opinion that
euthanasia should be legalized and his work with patients seeking help. He was very important in
showing euthanasia and voicing his opinion on the subject so the public could not ignore the
importance of the matter. Dr. Kevorkian was said to have been involved with 130 suicides by
patients who wanted to end their own lives (Nicol and Wylie 17). He had two machines he used to
help the patients, one an injection and the other a mask, however both machines were operated by
the patient and although Dr. Kevorkian was taken to court many times for these he was not
convicted because the patient was in control. He was very careful as to not actually commit the act
himself until he was contacted by Thomas Youk, a young with Lou Gheric's disease; Lou Gheric's
disease is when the muscle stop working and eventually the patient chokes to death. Tom's condition
prevented him from actually operating the machines and therefore Dr. Kevorkian decided that he
would operate the machine himself because he cared greatly about all his patients and could not let
Tom live in his constant fear (Nicol and Wylie 11). Dr. Kevorkian taped Tom's wishes and then
himself hooking up the machine and pushing the button to inject the drugs. He then proceed to
Get more content on HelpWriting.net

4. Essay Pro Euthanasia
Pro Euthanasia
Most people want to live their life with dignity and die with dignity. People make important
choices and decisions through out their life. Some of these decisions are very difficult and even life
changing. We live in a democratic society where we are free to make these decisions.Death is an
unavoidable event and happens to everyone. Death can be quick or it can make our love ones suffer
miserably. Some people become very ill or have devastating physical problems they must deal with
daily. They have a constitutional right to refuse treatment. Most patients trust in their doctor to help
them deal with their illness. As their suffering increases, their self–respect decreases. A person
should have the freedom to end their life...show more content...
These events are also described in (1 Chronicles 10:3–7). Saul took his life because of his injuries.
He knew when the Philistines arrived; he would be tortured and brutally killed by them. Saw knew
his death would be dragged out like a helpless person, slowly and painfully dying, so he quickly
killed himself.
Think if someone you cherished was dying due to an organ failure or the need of a new organ.
There are long waiting lists for hearts, kidneys, livers, and other organs that are necessary to save the
lives of people who can be saved. Doctor–assisted suicide allows physicians to preserve vital organs
that can be donated to others. However, if certain diseases are not stopped quickly and spread, the
organs may weaken or stop working all together. Friends and family of the patient suffers just as
much or more than the patient themselves. Death should not be a dragged out painful thing and
"Assisted suicide shows compassion for the dying"(Rifkin 18). Right now there is a shortage of
medical staff in this country, especially nurses. If someone is going to eventually die and is
desperately hanging on, why not grant their last wish and use that unneeded medical attention on
someone who can be saved. Dr. Pieter Admiraal, and anesthesiologist and the first Dutch physician to
express his opinion stated," The main reason patients request euthanasia are the loss of dignity that
may accompany the
Get more content on HelpWriting.net