...Euthanasia: Quality Above Quantity Inin Life and Death Leanna Smith Cuyahoga Community College ENG 1010 Professor Neel July 20, 2014 Author Note This outline research paper’s final draft was prepared as part of a research project for English 1020, taught by Professor Neel. Abstract Euthanasia is commonly known as physician-assisted suicide. This is the act of a physician providing a terminally ill patient with lethal drugs and administers the drugs in a safe environment. Assisted suicide on the other hand is when the physician or pharmacist prescribes the lethal drugs for the terminally ill patient to take at a time of his or her own choosing. Assisted suicide is legal in 3 states in the United States, while euthanasia is illegal in every state. There are many arguments for and against this debate. The objections are mainly moral or ethical. There are many benefits to allowing assisted suicide in the United States, a couple of them are: less suffering for the patients, keeping the patients’ debts low, and keeping medical resources available for those with hope for more than 6 months to live. Oregon has provided the United States a good example of a state providing an opportunity for a terminally ill patient to control his or her own future. Hopefully with the first 3 states leading the way, the rest of the country will follow. Euthanasia: Quality Above Quantity in...
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...Euthanasia has been an ongoing hot topic within the medical field, and it seems like an equilibrium will never be met, but what exactly is euthanasia? Euthanasia is defined as “The deliberate killing of someone when it is believed that their life is so worthless it should be ended” (Jackson p. 4). This request from the patient is typically viewed as a “mercy killing”, this treatment is usually requested by someone that is terminally ill and they are experiencing pain they state as unbearable. There are a variety of diverse styles of euthanasia, and they can be described as voluntary, non-voluntary, active, indirect, or passive. The first, and most recognizable, style of euthanasia is voluntary euthanasia. Voluntary euthanasia is carried out...
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...Euthanasia is killing someone from perspective of pity, based on patient's request to avoid further pain or suffering from a terminal illness. Euthanasia is a very complicated issue and it's legalizing or illegalizing is strongly debated around the world. Euthanasia became legal in many countries such as united kingdom , Philippines , France , Australia and Belgium but it also legalized in many countries such as turkey , some states in America, Egypt and all the middle east ( Derek Humphry, 2015). some people who called supporters of euthanasia repeated that every patient has it's freedom or everyone should be able to control over her/his death or life , However euthanasia called a mercy killing but if any type of euthanasia permitted all...
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...of their life with dignity and called it as the euthanasia. It turned out that it has two sides about the point of view towards the euthanasia issue in a positive and negative ways. Although some people against these ideas and claim that it is an unacceptable manner, I certainly disagree about that because it can be proved that the euthanasia is one of the most peaceful ways to escape the great pain for dying people. Euthanasia can be one of the way to relieve the pain and suffering for dying people. As everyone knows that people who have to struggle with the terminal illness always end up in physical and psychological suffering, so some of them wanted to die before the pain is getting worse. According to the news of the Telegraph in 2008 which reported about Val McKay, the British woman who was diagnosed with the multiple sclerosis. She commented with the reporter before she went to the Dignitas, where is the only Swiss facility to accept foreigners for the euthanasia that people should not suffer with their illness, they should...
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...Euthanasia Euthanasia is an assisted suicide, also known as mercy killing. In other words, it is the act of killing someone who has a painful incurable disease. Actually, euthanasia is a very controversial issue. Some people claim that it is a solution for patients who are terminally ill. However, I totally disagree with this kind of solution. 3.1 Autonomy People's autonomy or self-determination is an important concept in the debate on legalizing euthanasia. Proponents argue that the ban on euthanasia imposes too great a limit on the individual's scope for controlling the end of his or her life and what shape death will take. Opponents, on the other hand, argue that self-determination would be false autonomy with respect to euthanasia, or...
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...Article: A critique of “The Language of Euthanasia” This essay is a critique of the article “The Language of Euthanasia” written by Sheila Grant. After careful evaluation of this article, it is impossible to accept Sheila Grant's’ view on Euthanasia as it commits the fallacies of red herring, hasty conclusion and slippery slope making her persuasive view problematic. The fallacy of the red herring is committed when a person making an argument presents an argument (that can be valid or invalid) but does not address the issue or the question directly. In the article, Grant says “What makes this discussion of this subject so difficult is that there is a great public confusion about the terminology”. I feel that the reference and in-depth debate of the many meanings of the word Euthanasia avoids the subject rather than addressing its ethical value. This fallacy is also committed when the author beings discussing the different types...
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...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...
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...2 April 2014 Rhetorical Analysis: Euthanasia Particular Analysis There are three key audiences of the text for William F. May's “Rising to the Occasion of Our Death.” The first audience, in this case, would be legislative organizations or lawmakers who have researched and studied similar cases regarding euthanasia. Since May was as an ethics professor at Southern Methodist University, his tone is decidedly intellectual. An uneducated individual would find it more difficult to read his essay; for example, in declarations such as “Advocates of active euthanasia appeal to the principle of patient autonomy,” May's syntax and tone is formal, informative, and utilizes heavy technical jargon (May 662). In other words, it is authoritative, and enables the audience to view him as a credible source due to his syntactical confidence. Other organizations, lobbyists, or lawmakers who are researching evidence on euthanasia would certainly benefit from reading his expert opinion on the matter. Moreover, his desire to develop a “judicious, regulated policy” is a certain acknowledgement that he is attempting to legally call for regulations on euthanasia (May 662). The second audience that May is appealing to are conservative Christians, who are distinctively pro-life. As his article was originally published in well-circulated The Christian Century magazine, addressing this audience exposes members of May's audience who are unfamiliar with euthanasia to its technicalities by debating...
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...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...
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...WORKING OUTLINE I. Introduction A. Euthanasia is defined as a “good and painless death” B. Active Euthanasia, Passive Euthanasia and Physician Assisted Suicide or Mercy Killing are the different kinds of euthanasia that most people consider to be immoral C. The reasons of people in favor of euthanasia bases on the situation of the patients 1. The patient’s inability to afford expensive medication 2. The patient requesting to end his life 3. Families who could not bear the pain of seeing their loved ones suffer D. THESIS: Among the factors that affect the decisions of people engaging in euthanasia, poverty, specifically the inability to afford medical services and medicines, is the greatest. II. The different cases of euthanasia presents the contrasting views of society A. Most physicians feel painful in maintaining their vegetative patients’ medications despite the fact of them knowing that these persons could no longer survive and even if they would survive, would not have a worthy life. B. The Philippines being a Christian country prohibits euthanasia because it sees it as a form of suicide, but gives an exception to those people who are emotionally distressed due to expensive medications. III. The depressing economic crisis and the high budget coverage of health care expenses lead states to consider the acceptance of euthanasia. A. Health care expenses for patients with terminal illnesses are currently covering the largest percentage of...
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...Assisted Suicide Assisted Suicide is when the physician provides the necessary means or information and the patient performs the act. Euthanasia is where the physician performs the intervention defined as the “act of bringing about the death of a hopelessly ill and suffering person in a relatively quick and painless way for reason of mercy (as cited in Mosser 2010). Physician Assisted Suicide has grown to be a controversial issue and one of the major disputes is; can an incurable ill patient be able to choose Physician assisted suicide? This phenomenal dilemma has risen debates on rather to legalize PAS or keep it illegal because of the different issues concerning the different religion, moral and ethical views people have on the topic. In this essay I will discuss issues of why many people and I believe assisted suicide should be legalized. There are different laws around the world concerning physician assisted suicide and only a few states that has legalized the procedure. In 2005, there were only four places in the world that open and legally authorize assistance in dying patients: “Oregon (since l997, physician-assisted suicide only); Switzerland (1941, physician and non-physician assisted suicide only); Belgium (2002, permits 'euthanasia' but does not define the method and the Netherlands (voluntary euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide lawful since April 2002 but permitted by the courts since l984.)(Assistedsuicide)” Since then there have...
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...Active and Passive Euthanasia James Rachels was an American philosopher who specialized in ethics and animal rights. Over the course of his career has written six books and over 85 essays. In 1975, Rachels wrote the article “Active and Passive Euthanasia”, in which he argued that the distinction so important in the law between killing and letting die which was based on the principle of double effect. He argued that if we allow passive euthanasia, we should also allow active euthanasia because it is more humane and that there is really no moral difference between the two. In my paper I have chosen two questions to answer concerning the article written by James Rachels. Rachels offers two principal arguments against the distinction between active and passive euthanasia. What are these arguments? Passive euthanasia is when the doctor does not do anything to bring about the patient’s death because the patient ends up dying at whatever illness they may have. While active euthanasia is when the doctor does something to bring about the patient’s death, for example, the doctor gives a patient with cancer a lethal injection which causes the death of the patient. Rachels claims that "killing is not itself any worse than letting die." What support does he offer for this claim? Do you agree? Why or why not? Rachel argues that there really isn’t a moral difference between the two because many believe that killing someone is morally worse than letting someone die...
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...Advantages and Disadvantages of Euthanasia Discursive Essay Diara Utebay ID 20140542 Academic Reading and Writing 1 Yelena Zhacheva SEPTEMBER 23, 2014 Discursive Essay Outline Essay question: Should the whole world recognize physician-assisted suicide? I. Introduction Thesis statement: Euthanasia would be recognized by the entire world because physician-assisted suicide leads to easily leaving our world without any pain and suffering and it is another case of freedom of choice. However, mercy-killing is contrary to the Hippocratic Oath. II. Body A. Main idea 1: Euthanasia changes view of life, thereby helps not to be afraid of pain before death 1. It improves quality of life. 2. The best way to relieve the pains. 3. Death is the opposite of life, but the process of dying is part of life. B. Main idea 2: Physician-assisted suicide is another case of freedom of choice 1. If the dying process is unpleasant, people should have the right to shorten it. 2. Countries which protect rights of their citizens. C. Main idea: Mercy-killing is contrary to the Hippocratic Oath. 1. Doctor’s job is to protect and save life. 2. Providing deadly drugs is contrary to the oath. III. Conclusion Everything goes to the fact that euthanasia will be recognized by the entire world, however, medical professionals are not in hurry to make the most important decision, which is related to euthanasia. It has been argued that euthanasia is one of the most pressing...
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...Legalizing Euthanasia: A Practical Approach Theressa Thacker RN Excelsior College Abstract We are all in the process of dying from the day we are born. The prevalence of catastrophic diseases that once killed swiftly such as pneumonia, cholera, and massive heart attacks, have been replaced by chronic and, often, degenerative diseases such as advanced cancers, diabetes, lung disease, and Alzheimer’s, leading to a slow death for most (Gardner, 2012). This places a great financial burden on the Medicare system as well as patient’s families. Atul Gawande (2010) reports that twenty five percent of all Medicare spending is for the five percent of patients who are in their final year of life, and most of that money goes for care in their last couple of months, which is of little apparent benefit (p. 3). Even more concerning is the suffering that many patients are forced to endure due to the lack of other options. Patients must have the right to make autonomous decisions regarding the end of their lives. They need to be confident that those decisions will be upheld, even if they conflict with the wishes of their families or physicians. However, patient confidence in knowing that their final wishes will be met is complicated by a lack of education and empowerment for those who face these difficult decisions (Frank & Anselmi, 2011). The purpose of this essay is to discuss the benefits to patient autonomy and the Medicare budget, by the legalization of physician-assisted...
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...ETHICAL ISSUES IN HEALTH To evaluate the impact of moral philosophy on medical practice we must first look at what a moral philosophy is, also which philosophies that will be included. Moral philosophy is the area of philosophy concerned with theories of ethics, with how we ought to live our lives. Deontology and utilitarianism are the two philosophies that I shall be evaluating and applying throughout this essay. These are two time-honoured philosophical positions that apply to a wide variety of topics. Deontology is an ethical system that is attributed to the philosophical tradition of Immanuel Kant. Deontology demands that the actions, or means themselves must be ethical. This philosophy is based upon principles of duty and obligation, we have the freedom to act morally (right) or otherwise (wrong) based on General Universal Laws. To respect life means that you must not kill, to respect others is not to steal these moral laws are black and white as you must do what is right and do not do what is wrong regardless of circumstance or outcome. Deontologists argue that there are transcendent ethical norms and truths that are universally applicable to all people. Deontology holds that some actions are immoral regardless of their consequence; these actions are wrong in and of themselves. We should not act out of feeling, inclination, love or compassion, but out of our moral duty according to the universal moral laws. Kant gives a ‘categorical imperative’ to act morally at all times...
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