It is no secret that death is a part of life. Everyone will die eventually, and there is no avoiding it. What people can control, however, is how they die. In recent years, there has been an increasing debate over whether or not physician-assisted suicide should be legal. The two sides of the argument are those who believe that everyone has the right to end their life when they see fit, and those who believe that assisted suicide is morally wrong.
There are a few key points to consider when thinking about this issue. First, it is important to understand the difference between euthanasia and assisted suicide. Euthanasia is when a physician deliberately ends a patient’s life at their request. Assisted suicide, on the other hand, is when a physician supplies a patient with the means to end their own life, but the patient actually carries out the act themselves.
Second, it is important to consider the motivations of those who are requesting assisted suicide. In most cases, these individuals are suffering from a terminal illness or debilitating condition that causes them a great deal of pain. They may feel that they have no quality of life and that death is the only way to end their suffering.
Finally, it is also important to consider the potential implications of legalizing assisted suicide. One worry is that vulnerable people could be coerced into ending their lives against their will. Another concern is that assisted suicide could become a more accepted option for dealing with difficult life situations, instead of other solutions such as hospice care or palliative care.
Throughout the twentieth century, significant scientific and medical advancements have significantly extended human life. However, there are several occasions when doctors may prolong a person’s life artificially. In these situations where the patient has a terminal illness or is in a “persistent vegetative state” (PVS) from which they cannot communicate their desire to continue or end their lives, the issue arises as to whether or not the patient has the freedom to choose whether or not to extend their life even though it would include pain and discomfort.
Euthanasia is defined as the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or in an irreversible coma. Euthanasia can either be active, which hastens death by means such as administering a lethal injection, or passive, which consists of withdrawing life-sustaining treatment such as feeding tubes. Assisted suicide is defined as when someone provides the means for another person to commit suicide but does not actually participate in the act.
For example, a doctor prescribing a terminally ill patient with a lethal dose of medication would be considered assisted suicide. In this paper, I will discuss both sides of the argument regarding whether physician-assisted suicide should be legal and make a claim as to which side I believe is more valid.
There are many arguments for and against physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia. One argument in support of physician-assisted suicide is that it allows patients to die with dignity. When someone is terminally ill, they often have to endure a great deal of pain and suffering. They may be unable to do the things they enjoy or even take care of themselves. In some cases, they may be confined to a hospital bed or nursing home and feel like they are a burden on their families. Physician-assisted suicide gives these patients the opportunity to end their lives on their own terms rather than waiting for death to come naturally. It allows them to avoid further pain and suffering and die with dignity.
Arguments against physician-assisted suicide typically focus on the potential for abuse. If physician-assisted suicide is legalized, there is a fear that some people will be coerced into ending their lives. For example, if someone is terminally ill and their health insurance company finds out, they may pressure the person into choosing assisted suicide in order to save money on their treatment. There is also a concern that some people may choose assisted suicide simply because they are depressed or feeling hopeless. These people may not be able to make a rational decision about whether or not to end their lives and may regret their decision later.
I believe that physician-assisted suicide should be legal. I think that it is a personal decision that should be left up to the individual. If someone is suffering from a terminal illness and they believe that their quality of life is not worth prolonging, then they should have the right to end their lives. I also think that assisted suicide can be a way for people to die with dignity. We should respect the wishes of terminally ill patients who want to die on their own terms rather than prolonging their suffering.
In response to this concern, proponents of physician-assisted suicide, notably Dr. Jack Kevorkian, believe that patients should be allowed to stop treatment and seek out the aid of a doctor to speed up their death as quickly as possible with as little pain as feasible. The pros and cons of legalising doctor-assisted suicide are highlighted here, as well as where state courts stand on such a difficult topic.
The Euthanasia Debate: Pros and Cons
In order to make an informed decision on whether or not physician-assisted suicide should be legal, it is important to understand the euthanasia debate from all sides. The following are some of the key arguments for and against legalizing physician-assisted suicide.
Arguments for Physician-Assisted Suicide:
1. People have a right to die. If someone is in pain and wants to end their life, they should be able to do so with the help of a doctor. It is their body and their life, after all.
2. It can be seen as a mercy killing. If someone is suffering and has no hope of recovery, ending their life can be seen as a way to end their suffering.
3. It can save money. If someone is terminally ill and wants to end their life, it can save the healthcare system a lot of money that would otherwise be spent on trying to prolong their life.
4. It can be seen as a way to make death less scary. If people know that they have the option of ending their life if they are in pain, it can make death less scary for them.
Arguments Against Physician-Assisted Suicide:
1. It is against the Hippocratic Oath. The Hippocratic Oath is a code that doctors live by that includes the pledge to “do no harm”. Assisting someone in suicide goes against this pledge.
2. It is against the sanctity of life. Many people believe that life is a gift from God and that it should not be ended prematurely.
3. It could be abused. If physician-assisted suicide was legal, there could be a risk of abuse, with people being pressured into ending their lives when they may not really want to.
4. It could lead to more suicides. If physician-assisted suicide was legal, it could lead to more people taking their own lives, as they would know that they had the option of getting help to do so.
Where the States Stand:
Currently, physician-assisted suicide is only legal in a few states, including Oregon, Washington, and Montana. In Oregon, the law requires that patients must be terminally ill and have a prognosis of six months or less to live in order to be eligible for physician-assisted suicide. In Washington, the law requires that patients must be terminally ill with a prognosis of six months or less to live, and must also be competent and able to make their own decisions. In Montana, the law is a little different in that it does not require patients to be terminally ill in order to be eligible for physician-assisted suicide.