Euthanasia
A dying man needs to die, as a sleepy man needs to sleep, and there comes a time when it is wrong, as well as useless to resist."
-Steward Alsop, Stay of Execution
has become an issue of increasing attention because of Dr. Jack Kevorkian's assisted suicides. As of October 21 Kevorkian has assisted in nineteen suicides. Because of the increasing number of suicides in Michigan, Gov. Engler signed an anti-suicide law in late February that made doctor-assisted suicides a felony. During the 21-month trial period of the new law anyone assisting in a suicide can be sentenced to up to four years in prison and fined more than $2,000 (Reuters, 1993).
With the passing of this law I thought that most ...
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only thirteen percent disapproved of the laws. Also seventy percent think the family should be allowed to make the decision about treatment on behalf of the patient, while another five percent think this is suitable only in some cases (Colasnto, 1991, p. 62).
The results on mercy killing surprised me even more. Seventy percent think it is justified at least sometimes for a person to kill his or her spouse, if he or she is suffering terrible pain caused by a terminal illness. Even suicide is starting to be accepted. About half the public thinks a "moral right" to suicide exists if a person has an incurable disease or is suffering great pain with no hope of recovering (Colasnto, 1991, p. 63).
About half of those with living parents think their mothers and fathers would want medical treatment stopped if they were suffering a great deal of pain in a terminal disease, or if they became totally dependant on a family member. Forty percent of their parents would want medical treatment ...
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should be legalized so people will only have to think about the difficult decision of the present and not about the consequences of the future.
One of the base reasons people for euthanasia give is, a person has the right to die with dignity. People should be allowed to control their own deaths. Why should a patient be forced to live if they think their present standard of life has "degenerated to the point of meaningless", when doctors can no longer help, and perhaps the pain has become unbearable? At this point, if the person is of sound mind, they should have the choice to continue on or to peacefully die, even if they need assistance in doing so (Larue, 1988, p. 153).
If the person ...
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Euthanasia. (2005, March 15). Retrieved December 23, 2024, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Euthanasia/23763
"Euthanasia." Essayworld.com. Essayworld.com, 15 Mar. 2005. Web. 23 Dec. 2024. <http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Euthanasia/23763>
"Euthanasia." Essayworld.com. March 15, 2005. Accessed December 23, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Euthanasia/23763.
"Euthanasia." Essayworld.com. March 15, 2005. Accessed December 23, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Euthanasia/23763.
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