... INTRODUCTION TO CHRISTIAN ETHICS TOPIC: EUTHANASIA COURSE NO.: RELT 255 INSTRUCTOR: KIGUNDU NDWIGA, PhD BY: CHRISTINE W. THAIRU STHACH 1511 OCTOBER 2014 EUTHANASIA 'Euthanasia' is a compound of two Greek words - eu and thanatos meaning, literally, 'a good death'. Today, euthanasia is generally understood to mean the bringing about of a good death - 'mercy killing,' where one person ends the life of another person for the sake of this person whose life is to be ended. Euthanasia, also refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering, and a deliberate intervention undertaken with the express intention of ending a life to relieve intractable suffering. It incorporates an agent; a subject; an intention; a casual proximity, actions of the agent lead to the outcome. A non-voluntary euthanasia is illegal in most countries. For voluntary euthanasia the process has to:- i) Include patient request ii) Take into consideration the amount of suffering the patient is experiencing iii) Discuss and pursue alternative course of action iv) Presented to the patient all available information A person who undergoes euthanasia usually has an incurable condition. In many cases it is carried out at the person’s request but there are times when they may be too ill and the decision is made by relatives, medics or courts. Very often people will call euthanasia “mercy killing”, perhaps thinking of it for someone...
Words: 1367 - Pages: 6
...IssUEs Of EUThANAsIA: ARGUmENTATIvE EssAy Bilal S. H. Badr Naga Majd T. Mrayyan (1) Bilal S. H. Badr Naga., MSN, RN, Prince Sultan Cardiac Center in Qassim, Saudi Arabia (2) Majd T. Mrayyan., Prof, RN, The Hashemite University, Jordan Correspondence: Bilal S. H. Badr Naga., MSN, RN, Prince Sultan Cardiac Center in Qassim, Saudi Arabia Email: Bilal_badrnaga@yahoo.com Case scenario Abstract Euthanasia is one of the issues that has been the subject of intense debate over time. It has been a pertinent issue in human rights discourse as it also affects ethical and legal issues pertaining to patients and health care providers. This paper discusses the legal and ethical debates concerning both types of euthanasia. It focuses on both the supporter of euthanasia and the opponent of euthanasia. Several statements for the Euthanasia argument arediscussed: a merciful response that alleviates the suffering of patients which is sometimes wrongly perceived to be otherwise unrelievable; the autonomy in which the patient has the right to make his own choices; the regulation and legislation of existing practices of euthanasia to protect health care providers and patients. In this heated debate religious, political, ethical, legal and personal views are also included. Among all these, those who desperately want to end their lives because they simply cannot go on in any way, are the ones who suffer. Every individual or group has a different viewpoint regarding euthanasia. Euthanasia is considered...
Words: 7058 - Pages: 29
...Euthanasia Euthanasia - Deep sympathy for the suffering Introduction Euthanasia is the deliberate killing either by omission or commission of a dependent person for their benefit. Arguments against euthanasia claim that the concern for happiness and human life and not their obliteration is the objective of any good governance. They say that the terminally ill are people who require protection from social, economic and family pressures, and who are particularly prone to this pressure as a result of chronic depression, pain and effects of continued medication. Arguments for euthanasia say it is impossible to maintain quality of life if a patient is dead. While there have been massive arguments, debates and campaigns against euthanasia, this paper will seek to support euthanasia because of the moral issues that relate to the topic. This paper supports that when a personal is physically dead, the only reason anybody wishes to keep them alive is for their selfish clinging onto them with the hope of a miracle and the fear of closure without regard to the wishes of the person. It supports the practice of euthanasia and seeks to evaluate the reasons why euthanasia should be legalized. This paper will have a general audience because of the controversy that it sparks every time it comes up Death is a dreaded subject for all human beings because it signifies leaving the known to go to the unknown. This is the reason why by its nature euthanasia is a hugely hushed up topic...
Words: 1514 - Pages: 7
...nurses around the world have been discussing different topics to try to find cures for all kinds of health issues people are faced with. One main topic that has been discussed is Euthanasia, which is the act of killing or permitting the death of hopelessly sick or injured individuals in a relatively painless way for reasons of mercy. Euthanasia is also called medically assisted suicide by a lot of people. It was also originated from the Greek language and occurs in every race of people. Euthanasia should not be forced on anyone but has good reasons in some cases. “There are two types of Euthanasia, active and passive. Active Euthanasia is death by commission. Passive Euthanasia is death by emission.” (Mcmanaman 2). Active Euthanasia is very simple from a moral point of view. It is never justified though because it always amounts to murder. Passive Euthanasia can be of good and of immeasurable value regardless of the condition of the patient. (McManaman 2). If you are not very ill or in a dying state these actions will not be performed on you, because then it will just be just like murdering a patient. Either type of Euthanasia should only be able to be legally processed. If it is not legally processed whoever is a family member of one who has been killed by it can sue whoever was given the euthanasia to kill their family member. This is a very serious and offensive case so therefore the...
Words: 1948 - Pages: 8
...Euthanasia According to Webster’s dictionary, euthanasia is “intentional killing by act or omission of a dependent human being for his or her alleged benefit”. Clearly, everybody hopes that his or her death is gentle and easy, and bypasses pain and suffering and loss of dignity. However, the question of whether people can legally passively or actively end their own lives raise many issues. Some argue that by allowing euthanasia will permit people to look down on human life, as if it is not important and can be used for certain criminal circumstances. On the other hand, others argue that permitting people to take their own lives actually maintains human dignity, since people should not have to die painful deaths. I believe that human dignity and the value of human life can best be protected and preserved by permitting people to chose to stop treatments which prolong their lives, but without legalizing the active taking of lives. The philosopher Dyck is representative of the the position that euthanasia should never be legal, because it does not entail compassion for one, or one owns human dignity. Dyck proposes an alternative moral argument to euthanasia, the idea of “benemortasia.” Benemortasia is the belief that a “good” death doesn’t need to be painless or be fully controlled by the person.. Not only does Dyck argue that our definition of good death should change, but he has multiple arguments for why euthanasia is morally wrong. First off, one who causes someone...
Words: 998 - Pages: 4
... 1 9 December 2012 Euthanasia Controversy In today’s society, health care is a major issue. Healthcare is preventions of illnesses. There have been many debates on how to solve the problem. Many professional doctors and nurses around the world have been discussing different topics to try to find cures for all kinds of health issues people are faced with. One main topic that has been discussed is Euthanasia, which is the act of killing or permitting the death of hopelessly sick or injured individuals in a relatively painless way for reasons of mercy. Euthanasia is also called medically assisted suicide by a lot of people. It originated from the Greek language. Euthanasia should not be strained on a single person but could be helpful in some instances. “There are two types of Euthanasia, active and passive. Active Euthanasia is death by commission. Passive Euthanasia is death by emission.” (Mcmanaman 2). Many people make a moral differentiation between the two but if you are not severely ill or in a dying state these actions will not apply to you, because then it will just be just like murdering a patient. If it is not legally processed , this is a very offensive case so therefore the consequences will be highly looked at. The way of using Euthanasia is looked down upon because of the way it devalues human life. The Government should not have the power of making it legal to end someones life because it is such a moral issue. However, Euthanasia could be good when used...
Words: 1240 - Pages: 5
...Running head: EUTHANASIA Euthanasia: A Silent Plea for Mercy Shannon Curry University of Southern New Hampshire Professor Henson Tuesday December 23, 2014 Euthanasia: A Silent Plea for Mercy All over the world there are amazing technological advances in medicine happening every day, despite that there are neonatal patients suffering from painful life limiting medical conditions that have no treatment or cure. “Advances in medical technology make it possible to extend life, at times, the focus on ‘cure at all costs’ overshadows the obligation to provide dignified, humane, and compassionate care” (Rushton, 2005). In an effort to provide legal, humane and compassionate end-of-life care to infants, the Dutch developed the Groningen Protocol in 2003. Developed in collaboration with the prosecutor’s office, the Groningen Protocol was designed to guide a transparent medical and legal decision making process for parents and their doctors considering neonatal euthanasia (Catlin, 2008; Petrou, 2005). Neonatal euthanasia is the practice of hastening the death of a terminal ill newborn in an effort to relive their suffering. Most countries current laws make it illegal for the neonatal population to benefit from euthanasia. Research is suggestive that albeit in secret neonatal euthanasia maybe disguised and illegally practiced around the world. Legalizing neonatal euthanasia would not only allow transparency...
Words: 2327 - Pages: 10
...Euthanasia/Assisted Suicide Debate Marissa Burton HCA 322 Mark Metzger April 29, 2013 Dying has become a dilemma. The act of dying has transformed in recent technological advances by making it possible not only to lessen pain but also to extend life. However, when treatment fails and modern medicine has nothing more to present to patients, they may demand for a life ending act. When patients and their family become aware of the quality of life and a great deal of unbearable pain, conflict often introduces itself between health care professionals who are trained to save lives, and patients and their families, who desire to end all suffering. According to Pozgar (2013), the focal point of this conflict is on the concept of euthanasia and its position in the modern world. The issue has been at the middle of some very heated debates for many years (p.123). Euthanasia can be defined as the act or practice of terminating a person’s life in order to relieve them of their suffering from incurable conditions or diseases. Euthanasia is also known as “the mercy killing of the hopelessly ill, injured, or incapacitated”. The dividing of euthanasia into two categories, active and passive, is for many the most controversial aspect of this topic (Pozgar, 2013). Active euthanasia takes place when the medical professional, or another person, intentionally do something that causes the patient to die. Passive euthanasia takes place when the patient dies because the medical professional either...
Words: 1984 - Pages: 8
...look at euthanasia if positive or negative, history of euthanasia or where and how it began, what methods are generally used by nurses or doctors when euthanasia is asked by the patient and why it is an interesting research.) Here are the following ‘help’ question bases (make the nurse/doctor elaborate): 1. Pressure – dilemma 2. Situation with mercy killing applies. 3. Respondent (Ask the doctor & nurse OR 2 nurses) Hi Jessh, these are the following questions I have thought of for the Euthanasia Research Paper. Please ask the nurse more questions for you will be the one who will talk to him/her. 1. How long have you been a nurse? 2. How many patients have asked for assisted killing? 3. What are their age ranges? 4. What are the diseases? 5. Do you think you have the right to do euthanasia? 6. What methods have you done with assisted killing? 7. Do you feel pressure/dilemma while doing assisted killing? Can you explain this pressure/dilemma? 8. In which situations does assisted killing apply? 9. What are your feelings towards euthanasia? 10. Have you been caught? 11. Does the patient or the family of the patient desire assisted killing? 12. What do you think about euthanasia? 13. Do you feel guilt? 14. How do you inform the family members or the party about the death? 15. Do you think it’s cruel to end the suffering of one person if they still want to live? 16. Have you done euthanasia voluntary...
Words: 356 - Pages: 2
...Marc Vinkler E1 d. 04-12-2011 Essay - about euthanasia What happens when a patient is terminal ill and decides for euthanasia? What would you do if it was a member of your family? Many people have not done any considerations about the question. Is it because we are afraid of the thought, or because we are convinced that we would not end up in the situation? Do you think that people should have the right to decide whether they would like euthanasia or live on with an incurable illness or a paralyzed body? The word euthanasia comes from Greek and means good death. But is euthanasia a good way to die? You can answer that question with two widely different points of view. When a person has been involved in a car accident, where he got paralyzed and also suffers from a lot of pain. Most people would agree that it is best to take the medicine from the person if he or she begs to die. In that way you can say that it is a good death because the person escapes from the pain hell. But if a person makes the wrong decision because depression and ignorance it is tragic. Because in some cases you can actually have a relatively good life even though you are paralyzed. Just read the story about Vivian Berzinski who was paralyzed in 1972 when she was 17 years old. Her doctors felt she would never be able to move, never be able to talk and never be able to breathe without a respirator. But since then she armed only with the love of her family and her own fierce will, she has married...
Words: 712 - Pages: 3
...Euthanasia: Live and Let Die April 11, 2013 Euthanasia: Live and Let Die In 2004, Pope John Paul II said “A man, even if seriously sick or prevented in the exercise of its higher functions, is and will be always a man… he will never become a ‘vegetable’ or an ‘animal’. The intrinsic value and personal dignity of every human being does not change depending on their circumstances” (Pope John Paul II, 2004). Euthanasia or assisted suicide is the deliberate action of ending a life in order to relieve unstoppable suffering. Euthanasia is legal in Albania, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Switzerland, as well as some US states. In some of these countries, euthanasia is generally executed by a medical professional taking into account his patient’s needs and desires; but sometimes a medical professional can dispense the last medication ending his patient’s life without the patient’s consent. However, euthanasia and assisted suicide is forbidden in the majority of countries and could be penalized by a fourteen years prison sentence. (“Euthanasia and assisted, intro”). Legalizing euthanasia is extremely controversial moral and legal issue throughout the world, but achieving that goal is extremely necessary. Although legalizing euthanasia could cause negative effects for society, the positive side of this controversy indicates that asking for death is important for those patients who have decided that after a certain point, the pain has exceeded the desire of living. On the one hand...
Words: 1548 - Pages: 7
...in the world today is to legalize euthanasia, and already several countries are considering the passing of legal bills to make euthanasia legal. Argument I: Euthanasia in our modern time is seen as a merciful solution, not as a crime, and it is justified by human feelings and understanding. A- Counter Argument: Euthanasia is nothing than an act of suicide, and hence, it is as morally wrong and unacceptable as suicide is. B- Refutation: Suicide and euthanasia are morally different because suicide is the choice of death as one of several options whereas in euthanasia it is the only choice to end permanent and unbearable pain and suffering. Argument II: Euthanasia should be legalized because this is the only way to regulate a concept that is practiced all over the world anyway. A- Counter Argument: Doctors who assist patients to commit euthanasia should be punished as criminals, because according to their oath, they are supposed to elongate the lives of their patients, not to end them. B- Refutation: Doctors who assist euthanasia cannot be treated as criminals if their intentions are to relieve patients of permanent and unbearable suffering. Medical assisted euthanasia is not in violation with the oath that doctors take to relieve their patients of unbearable and permanent pain. Argument III: Euthanasia has deep roots as it has been practiced by human civilizations. A- Counter Argument: Euthanasia was practiced by barbarian and inhuman...
Words: 1641 - Pages: 7
...Christian decision. Mainline and Liberal Christian denominations: Pro-choice statements have been made by the United Church of Christ, and the Methodist Church on the US West coast. The 'Episcopalian (Anglican) Unitarian, Methodist, Presbyterian and Quaker movements are amongst the most liberal, allowing at least individual decision making in cases of active euthanasia The BBC wrote in an Aug. 3, 2009 online article titled "Religion & Ethics - Christianity: Euthanasia - the Christian View" on www.bbc.co.uk: "Christians are mostly against euthanasia. The arguments are usually based on the beliefs that life is given by God, and that human beings are made in God's image. Some churches also emphasise the importance of not interfering with the natural process of death... Christians believe that the intrinsic dignity and value of human lives means that the value of each human life is identical. They don't think that human dignity and value are measured by mobility, intelligence, or any achievements in life. Valuing human beings as equal just because they are human beings has clear implications for thinking about euthanasia: • patients in a persistent vegetative state, although seriously damaged, remain living human beings, and so their intrinsic value remains the same as anyone else's • so it would be wrong to treat their lives as worthless and to conclude that they 'would be better off dead' • patients who are old or sick, and who are near the end of earthly life...
Words: 7225 - Pages: 29
...Voluntary Euthanasia According to the Philosopher Helga Kuhse, she writes that 'Euthanasia' is a compound of two Greek words - eu and Thanatos. These words literally mean “a good death”. Today, 'euthanasia' is generally understood to mean the bringing about of a good death - 'mercy killing,' where one person, A, ends the life of another person, B, for the sake of B." Euthanasia is putting to death of a very sick person's life in order to alleviate them from their agony. A person that usually request for euthanasia services has an untreatable condition but there are special cases where some people want their life to end. In many situation, it is implemented when the patient ask for it but there are occasions when the patients is too ill and cannot make the decision themselves but the requests is made by relatives, medics or, in some instances, the courts. The country of United Kingdom’s law is against the practice of euthanasia and it is illegal to help anyone kill him or herself. The punishment of euthanasia can lead to detention of up to 14 years. This issue has been at the centre of very intense debates for many years and is surrounded by religious, ethical and practical considerations. Euthanasia have different categorize which include voluntary, non-voluntary, or involuntary. Voluntary euthanasia is lawful in some countries such as United States Of America and Canadian Provinces. Non-voluntary euthanasia is banned in all countries because it is considered a murder...
Words: 2617 - Pages: 11
...Charles Coon Professor Chapla Verma Introduction to Ethics 1 May 2016 Active Euthanasia When you think about euthanasia most think of this as being an assisted suicide and or assisted murder. One has to think about the circumstances and or situation that the individual is in at the time of making the decision to end their life. Many of the physician assisted deaths or euthanasia is due to terminal illnesses or one is in such pain and suffering from a disease or a non-curable virus. When you look at these factors one would have to ask themselves, even though it is properly regulated, should euthanasia be legalized or not because everyone has the right to die, it has been proven to saves lives, and has been known to encourage vulnerable people to end their lives. First, should euthanasia be legalized or not because everyone has the right to die. There was a story that I read about a guy’s grandmother was suffering from advanced heart disease and during surgery she acquired a bacterial infection, and ended up to where she could not take care of herself. She ultimately did not want to live anymore. Matthew Hayes went on to say that to his grandmother “Life was not worth living, she told me, without autonomy. She wanted to die happy and with some dignity left” (Hayes, 2014). Since she could not end her life legally in New York, she went on to suffer for two years before finally dying a slow and painful death. Oregon passed a law in 1997 called the Death with Dignity act, where...
Words: 1236 - Pages: 5
