...Euthanasia: Freedom to Die with Dignity Charletta R. Anderson Strayer University ENG 215 Dr. Aaron Miller December 12, 2011 Euthanasia: Freedom to Die with Dignity The word “Euthanasia” comes from a Greek phrase meaning “good death”. However, in today’s society it means killing a terminally ill person as a way to end that person’s pain and suffering (Cundiff, 1992 ). In the year 2007, my grandfather the Honorable Leon Davis was dying. This American war hero had made a request to die with dignity. He was dealing with a failed kidney, pneumonia, dementia, hypertension, MRSA foot infection, a broken hip, and terrible living conditions at a nursing home. All these problems left him weak and physically dependent on others. For terminally ill patients like my grandfather, where death was inevitable and would have been less painful than living, euthanasia should be a consideration or an option. Euthanasia is a way of relieving terminally or severely ill people's pain and save them from the agony of their illness. People claim that the right to die is protected by the same constitutional safeguards that promise such rights as marriage, and the refusal or termination of life-saving medical treatment. This essay will discuss why or why not ill people should have the right to end their suffering with a quick, dignified, and merciful death by the means of Euthanasia. Legalizing Euthanasia In the 1970s , a movement that had tried to legalize some form of...
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...the research some might be slightly ok with using the animals. Often there is controversy over whether or not humans and animals should be held to an equal level, and even more whether or not animals can feel pain just as humans. Some just like Peter Singer who Francis Fukuyama discussed in his essay, seem to believe that animals should be held to a higher power and be considered more valuable than that of humans. Fukuyama quotes from Peter Singer in his article “Human Dignity”, “the need for animal rights, since animals can experience pain and suffering as well as humans, and the downgrading of the rights of infants and elderly people who lack certain key traits, like self-awareness, that would allow them to anticipate pain. The rights of certain animals in his view, deserve greater respect than those of certain human beings” (Fukuyama 190). Overall, Singer is saying that depending upon the mental ability of the human and depending upon the animal it may be in demand of much more reverence than the human. Of course, there are several opinions in which other would throw this out just as Fukuyama would. He believes in the exact opposite and focuses on the importance of “human dignity.” Fukuyama is a strong believer in everyone being held equal no matter “race, gender, disability, or virtually any...
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...PHI103: Informal Logic Kurt Mosser June 6, 2011 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...
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...Lauren Redmond 14236331 lertz5@mail.missouri.edu English 1000: Exposition and Argumentation What if Dying Becomes a Thing of the Past? How would you feel if someone came up to you tomorrow and told you they have what it takes to enable you to live forever? My immediate reactions would be those of excitement and curiosity for what the future would be like. But as the idea becomes more of a reality, and more research on the topic is done, hesitation and reluctance would replace my excitement. In her essay “On Immortality,” Susan McCarthy introduces many scientists’ perspectives on the advancement of genetic research that could lead to humans living immortally. McCarthy uses emotional appeals, such as diction and choice of examples, to inform her readers about the ongoing genetic research and its potential risks. She challenges her readers to weigh the benefits of living longer with the reality of all humankind coexisting peaceably. One aspect of McCarthy’s emotional appeal is the way she emphasizes the risk of cancer and the despair that most people feel when they hear that word, leading them to doubt the genetic advancements. McCarthy uses repetition in an effort to tell us how moving forward with the idea of human immortality could take a turn for the worse. Cancer is first brought into her essay when she explains the telomerase gene. After talking with Dr. Huber Warner, the director of the biology of aging program at the NIA, McCarthy notes, “Cancer cells are all about telomerase...
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...suggestions on how we should move forward with either a Doctor Visit or in house rehabilitation. With this responsibility comes opposition from both parents and coaches as they insist I clear an athlete for play or don’t deliver the whole truth to the parents and or coach. Although not as controversial as assisted suicide it poses significant risks and eyebrow raises in the sports world. Doctors, nurses, and various medical personal have a harder role. They wager people’s lives and future and decide in some countries whether or not to permit such an act. In this essay we will explore the facts on Euthanasia: Assisted Suicide, my view, the world view and its progress. Before I begin, however, let me note what I will not try to do. I will not try to show you that Physician Assisted Suicide is a fully justifiable course of action what I will do is give you facts and statistics of this rapidly growing controversial issue.. What I will show you is the compatibility to the commitment to good end-of-life care. One of the most important public policy debates today surrounds the issues of euthanasia and assisted suicide. The outcome of that debate to whether or not it should be made available will profoundly affect family relationships, interaction between doctors and patients, and concepts of basic ethical behavior. Although not accepted widespread, the thought and ease of relocation to a place where it is available is an option many people are considering. By definition Physician-Assisted...
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...FACULTY OF SCIENCE DEPARTMENT OF LIFE AND HEALTH SCIENCES NURSING PROGRAM COURSE TITLE COURSE CODE: Nursing Ethics/ NURS-121 INSTRUCTOR NAME: Ms. Savoula Ghobrial STUDENT NAME: Amal Alzubi Introduction 1. What is Suicide? ”Suicide” is difficult to define. This is because it is a value-laden term. Whenever we apply the label of “suicide” to an individual’s death, we typically presuppose a number of significant moral issues. To see the problem, let’s posit a definition: Suicide: Is the intentional and voluntary taking of one’s own life. At first glance, this is a simple and appealing definition. It seems to capture the core phenomenon of self-killing pretty succinctly. There are, however, all sorts of cases that would test the limits of this definition. Consider the “voluntariness” requirement. Many people may take their lives under conditions of coercion, duress or necessity. Does that mean they don’t commit suicide? Take the example of Hitler. He killed himself in order to avoid the humiliation of execution. Was his decision voluntary? What of the Japanese Samurai, who had a form of ritual self-killing (known asseppuka or hari-kari) that they used to “die with honor” rather than fall into the hands of their enemies? Or the soldier who throws himself on a grenade in order to save his comrades? I suspect we would say that each of these counts as an example of “suicide”, but depending on how we understand the voluntariness condition; they may not meet...
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...Death with Dignity If we assume that every human being born into this world has a "right to life," then it logically follows that every human being has a right to end their life (or a "right to die"). Because death is a part of life, a person's right to life logically assumes a right to not have that life. Thus, any law upholding a person's right to life has inherent within that same law a person's right to die, otherwise it would not be a right to life in the true sense of the term. But there is a legal battle going on in America right now over whether or not a person has a right to die. Does the government have the right to prolong your life by artificial means whether you desire it or not? With the passing of this law nationwide, you, as the voter will simply be saying, “It is YOUR choice” (Patashnik, 2004) The issue of “Having a Personal Right to Die,” has been long simmered beneath the surface in legal and political circles: under what circumstances do terminally injured and ill Americans have the right to choose to die? The Supreme Court made a definitive statement in the landmark 1990 case Cruzan v. Director, Missouri Dept. of Health that severely injured patients have a constitutional right to refuse medical treatment and die. But the court also ruled that states can require "clear and convincing" evidence of a patient's intent to forgo medical treatment, a rather high evidentiary standard to meet. History The actual word for “having a right to die” is Euthanasia...
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...Writing to Convince Argumentative and Persuasive Essays Sometimes we write to defend an opinion, to argue against somebody’s point of view, or to convince readers why and how we think a certain problem should be settled. The argument we develop should be a logical, properly thought-out presentation of ideas that makes a claim about an issue and supports that claim with evidence. Within this general frame, our argument consists of four basic components: (1) an issue, (2) a claim, (3) support, and (4) a recognition and refutation of the opposing view. A. The Issue. An argument is concerned with an issue – a case (like war, smoking, cloning, etc.) on which people hold opposite or different opinions. To build a convincing argument about an issue, it is essential that we be aware of the audience we are addressing: • Agreeing audience: When you write to people who already agree with your claim, the focus is usually to urge them to take a specific action and build emotional ties with them. • Neutral audience: In writing to a neutral audience, try to emphasize the importance of the issue and offer explanations that clear up your readers’ questions or misunderstandings about, or lack of interest in it. • Disagreeing audience: The most challenging audience combines people whose viewpoints contrast with yours; they may be hostile to your claim and have strong feelings about the issue. In writing to a disagreeing audience, your goal is to convince readers to consider...
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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...
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...EDUCATION AND TRAINING LEGAL AND EThICAL 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...
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...Marriage is a commitment made by two people, a husband and wife. The commitment usually consists of vows made between the couple to love, honor, and cherish one another until death nullifies the contract. Because marriage is the blending of two distinct personalities, even well-matched couples will experience conflict. The euphoric feeling of being attracted to someone is not an accurate gauge of what married life will be like following the wedding day. Each Marriage has its own unique challenges and problems. In the essay “He and I” the author discusses married life. She starts out with “He always feels hot. I always feel cold. In the summer when it is really hot he does nothing but complain about how hot he feels. He is irritated if he sees me put on a jumper in the evening. She continues to share with the reader the couple’s differences. They go places that he wants and stay at functions the duration he chooses. The husband criticizes the wife’s taste in food stating she does not understand anything about food and that she is like a great strong fat friar. He on the other hand is refined and has a sensitive palate. The husband continues to criticize almost everything about her; the way she shops, runs errands. She is not even allowed to get a driver license. It makes one question why he is even with her or why she stays with her husband. He wants to her to be reliant upon him. The message communicated is one of discontent. The husband’s treatment toward his...
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...Terrorism Scapegoating Islam for Terrorism Name: Maryam Khalil Class: Social Science HSP3U1 Date: May 30, 2014 Essay Most of the westerners today see Islam as a religion of hate and violence. This is due to the events of the terrorist attacks that have been happening around the world. Islam has been associated with terrorism more and more often due to few extremists who are doing terrible crimes in the name of Islam (Islam Way). The whole world knows what has been happening to Muslims in America after 9/11, but blaming 1.6 billion Muslims for the crimes of less than 10,000 people is not ethical. Those people who have never read the Quran and know nothing about Islam says that Islam teaches to kill people and to commit act of terrorism. The purpose of this essay is to resolve the misconception that Islam teaches terrorism. Islam teaches us to practice peace in every area of our daily life. The real reason why people really become terrorists is hidden from most of the people in world. Today’s media is also misrepresenting Islam and Muslims. Tragic events such as attack on World Trade Centre in New York and bombing of London and Madrid are supposed to be justified by Islam in the minds of some people (Islam Way). The actual origin of terrorism was from the Cold War between Russia and America and the place of its origin was Afghanistan. Islam is a religion of peace. To understand Islam’s point of view on terrorism one must refer to its original source which is definitely...
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...Argument Essay Rough Draft Local Views and Legislation of Euthanasia Euthanasia is defined in Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary as; “1. Dying easily, quietly, and painlessly. 2. The act of willfully ending life in individuals with an incurable disease. Ethical considerations of this act are being actively debated. One difficulty is how will the physician or society determine that the time for acting to kill the patient has come.” (Taber, Pg. 683). I choose this particular dictionary to reference the definition of euthanasia specifically because of the detailed explanation that ethical considerations are being actively debated. Some may contend that euthanasia is a practice to be upheld in the U.S.A. due to being a country of freedom and liberty, and that is kind to allow one’s suffering to stop. However, others remain opposed and stand firm on the notion that assisting death is unethical, un-Godly, and to be illegal. The debate of assisted-suicide is argumentative amongst society, doctors, and legislators in Hawaii and throughout the nation; with recent regards to changing current law, euthanasia should remain to be illegal. Assisting in death, encouraging death, and advocating for death is wrong in many ways. Societal opinions differ and are found to be expressed throughout Hawaii in organizations, churches, and personal testimonials. What causes one to even think that assisted suicide is an acceptable foreseeable option? An example pros for debate is the notion...
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...Bernard Maclaverty This essay is written on a short story by Bernard MacLaverty called “Secrets”. I will explore on the way the author conveyed loss and suffering as the main themes of the story. “Secrets” helped me to understand how easily life can change instantly : from possession to loss; happiness to suffering. The story “Secrets” is written in a form of a flashback and as it progresses, it introduces the reader to the story’s protagonists: Aunt Mary and ‘the boy’. At the beginning of the story, the author introduces the dying aunt Mary and her nephew she seems distant from. The author then creates a flashback that progressively explains the reason behind the boy’s and aunt’s cold relations. The reader also discovers how the central characters were not always on distant terms, but that they used to share a very close bond. After aunt Mary dies, the boy remembers moments of childhood he shared with aunt Mary, how he betrayed her trust and how aunt Mary never forgave him. Throughout the plot of the tale, the reader is brought in to the themes of loss and suffering. In the beginning of the story, Bernard MacLaverty introduces the reader to the death of aunt Mary. In this the author partially reveals a portion of aunt Mary’s character. “ She lost all the dignity he knew her to have“ This description is provided by aunt Mary’s nephew. ‘She lost’ symbolises loss and ‘dignity’ suggests aunt Mary’s dignified, natural grace she had before her death. This means that during her death...
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...Katie Oliveira February 22, 2013 Essay #3: Of Mice and Men The American idea of justice sometimes operates under a layer of mythology. Our “innocent until proven guilty” principle predicates itself on the idea that those accused of a crime will have a fair trial and will be justly judged by their peers. It is an elaborate system established to thwart prejudice and to prevent the public from jumping to conclusions, to protect the innocent and to punish the guilty. In John Steinbeck’s Great Depression-era story Of Mice and Men, justice is carried out without a trial. No laws are taken into consideration, but instead an angry mob of men with guns is present. Mobs react with violence for real or imagined crimes at their own discretion, not waiting for legal justice to take course. Steinbeck expresses the idea that when justice fails people take matters into their own hands through George’s decision to kill Lennie. On the surface, the answer seems obvious to most people. Of course George should not have killed Lennie; murder, after all, is wrong no matter what the circumstances. Yet it is not as simple as that. Throughout the book, Lennie seems to be unaware of what is right and wrong, and this makes him a burden to George. Every time Lenny did something bad, they had to quit their jobs and start somewhere else. If George had let Lennie live, Lennie would not have been able to look after himself properly. Lennie couldn’t look after a puppy – let alone himself. Lennie...
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