Preview

Ethical Arguments Against Euthanasia

Better Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1150 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Ethical Arguments Against Euthanasia
Euthanasia, or assisted suicide, is a procedure that allows the patient to die under the conditions that the disease is uncurable and only results in death in a short period of time. So for an example if a person has cancer and their estimate of life is one to three months then they could opt for a mercy killing. However if a person has another terminal disease longer than six months, such as AIDS, then it would be deemed “moral to let the person live in slow suffering.
Euthanasia is controversial when it comes to a bio ethical stand point. Is moral to let a person die if he or she is suffering or she we keep applying the medicine that would relieve the suffering but won’t cure the person? It should be noted that there are diseases that were deemed terminal but most certainly beatable as well as there being such things as misdiagnosis by physicals. And if we implore the idea of Euthanasia than all that is being promoted is death and mental trauma to the patients and their loved ones. Euthanasia is an unethical procedure and shouldn’t be practiced.
Before I continue on as to why euthanasia is unethical I want to explain the two types of euthanasia and its perceived ideas as to why it’s the way to go. Euthanasia has two forms passive and active euthanasia. …show more content…
He explains throughout his article that no matter what there is no moral difference between passive and active euthanasia. He states “… passive euthanasia the doctor does nothing, for he does do one thing that is very important: he lets the patient die.” a physician is letting the patient suffer because of passive euthanasia. But he asks isn’t that a crueler thought? Because the physician gave up or even the patient gave up now the patient has to suffer? In that case they should opt for a mercy killing because at least the patient doesn’t have to wait to die
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    Natural Law Theory: Passive Vs. Active Euthanasia
    • 969 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Natural Law Theory: Passive Vs. Active Euthanasia

    With that being said, there are two main types of euthanasia called active euthanasia and passive euthanasia. Active euthanasia describes actively attempting to end a patient’s life by means of drugs or a lethal injection. Passive euthanasia is defined as removing or withholding a medicine or treatment that could have prolonged the patient’s life. Recently, there has been much debate on whether or not passive euthanasia is as morally wrong as active euthanasia. Some claim that passive euthanasia is not a direct violation of the basic good of human life, therefore it is morally permissible. They declare active euthanasia, on the other hand, is a direct violation, and therefore is not morally permissible. I will concede that this statement is technically true in a few rare situations, but in the majority of passive euthanasia cases, the patient is being taken off life support because he is tired of living and simply wants to die. And if that is the case, who’s to tell some terminally ill patient that he’s just going to have to live out his remaining days off treatment in pain and without hope. If a terminal patient wants to die, he should be accommodated not simply ignored. If some patients would like to refuse treatment, and live out the rest of their days naturally, that’s their decision too. It’s the patient’s life. Doctors should act on the requests of their patients, not what…

    • 969 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    My Objection to James Rachels’s Argument
    • 1302 Words
    • 4 Pages

    My Objection to James Rachels’s Argument

    In his well-known article “Active and Passive Euthanasia,” Rachels denies the seemingly popular viewpoint that passive euthanasia is more morally permissible than active euthanasia. He believes both types of euthanasia should be either allowed or disallowed all together because, “active euthanasia is not [morally] worse than passive euthanasia.”2 My paper will evaluate the soundness of the four paragraphs, from the article, that begins “One reason why….” and ends with “no defense at all.”3 In these paragraphs, he argues that killing is not in itself morally worse than letting die.…

    • 1302 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Examples Of Euthanasia In 1984 By George Orwell
    • 432 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Examples Of Euthanasia In 1984 By George Orwell

    Medical News Today explains euthanasia as the act of consenting to the termination of one’s life legally through a doctor. Although the general idea of euthanasia is thought of as assisted suicide, this treatment branches into several different aspects. There is passive euthanasia, which is more commonly found in Physician Assisted Suicide, and there is active euthanasia that uses lethal substances to end one’s life. The majority of controversy surrounding this topic is actually caused by the active form of euthanasia.…

    • 432 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Arguments Against Euthanasia Ethical
    • 207 Words
    • 1 Page

    Arguments Against Euthanasia Ethical

    Euthanasia is currently legal in the United States, but still considered cruel to some people. Animals that are in agony and need mercy are euthanized. Some think that it's cruel to put animals out of there misery, but some think it's cruel not to. Euthanasia, mercy killing used on animals, is fair to animals in suffer. If a dog got hit by a car and was in great pain, you could either wait until it dies on its own, or euthanize the dog, putting it out of its misery.…

    • 207 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Is Euthanasia Ethically Wrong
    • 1537 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Is Euthanasia Ethically Wrong

    Living is more valuable than dying and threatening to diminish the value of life is dangerous. Euthanasia, also called mercy killing, is the practice of doctors intentionally ending a terminally ill patient’s life in what is purportedly a gentle and dignified manner. The term originated in ancient Greek and means “easy death.” Doctors perform euthanasia by administering lethal drugs or by withholding treatment that would prolong the patient’s life. Physician-assisted suicide is also a form of euthanasia, but the difference between the two methods is that in euthanasia, doctors end the patient’s life with lethal injections, whereas, in physician-assisted suicide, patients kill themselves with a lethal amount of drugs prescribed by the doctors.…

    • 1537 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Chapter Three: The Idea Of Active And Active Euthanasia
    • 248 Words
    • 1 Page

    Chapter Three: The Idea Of Active And Active Euthanasia

    In Chapter Three, the idea of passive and active euthanasia is discussed in order to learn which seems to be more ethically right. In my opinion the use of active or passive euthanasia depends on the case at hand and the decision of the individual who is requesting it. In terms of someone who is in unimaginable pain or on their deathbed, the decision is up to them. Whether it be active or passive that individual should be able to decide which option is best for himself and it shouldn’t be seen as unethical if such patient chooses to wait it out and suffer or seek out other means in which they die as a result of an injection or whatever else it may be. Although the decision of active or passive euthanasia shouldn’t be thrown around as something…

    • 248 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Argument Against Euthanasia
    • 1545 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Argument Against Euthanasia

    The study of Bioethics involves the consideration of ethical issues arising from advancements in medicine and/or biology. The study of bioethics helps with determining the proper decision in regard to medical or biological issues. Bioethics is highly influential in academia, where scholars investigate the various scenarios arising from advancements, but is also influential in the applied realms of biology and medicine. Albert Jonsen, in his book Bioethics, claims "This field has established itself as an integral part of practical or applied philosophy and as a valuable adjunct to health policy and medical practice" (Jonsen 4). When dealing with the human body, ethics must be considered in order to preserve the value of human life. A highly…

    • 1545 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Arguments Against Euthanasia And Physician Assisted Suicide
    • 915 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Arguments Against Euthanasia And Physician Assisted Suicide

    Euthanasia, “also called mercy killing. The act of putting to death painlessly or allowing to die,as by withholding extreme medical measures, a person or animal suffering from incurable ,especially painful,disease or condition.” (Dictionary) . Physician assisted suicide is a personal choice patients in great pain chose to find relief. By law in most places of the world, it is illegal for a doctor to take part in helping someone end their own life. A doctor or physician can go to jail for many years or possibly even for life for doing what their jobs are supposed to be dedicated to - helping people. It should be common sense to realize it is one’s own civil right to decide what to do with his or her own body, life, and fate. If a person would…

    • 915 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Active and Passive Euthanasia
    • 383 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Active and Passive Euthanasia

    I agree with James Rachels’ Active and Passive Euthanasia, and I wish to provide further support for those premises. Rachel’s argues that killing is not in itself any worse than letting someone die. Active euthanasia is not any worse than passive euthanasia. An example of how Active euthanasia is killing is when one helps another by providing the right medication and dosage instructions to put that person to death. An example of Passive euthanasia is allowing a person to die by starving or not giving treatment needed to keep the patient alive. They are to be treated the same because the intentions and ending result are the same. There is no difference between these since they both end in death.…

    • 383 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Arguments Against Euthanasia
    • 920 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Arguments Against Euthanasia

    Euthanasia the assisted killing of a terminal patient is a controversial topic that medical professionals cannot avoid. Many health professionals face the ethical dilemma of whether or not they should end a patient’s misery. Patient’s rights are always the top priority, doctors are taught to find every possible way to treat and cure the patient, but the possibility of the patient being irremediable to what extent is the health care professionals willing to go to give the patient their wishes?…

    • 920 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Physician Assisted Suicide: Permissible or Not?
    • 1610 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Physician Assisted Suicide: Permissible or Not?

    To help strengthen my argument, I will use facts and opinions given by philosophers James Rachels and John Paul ll. James Rachels, an American philosopher who specialized in ethics, authored an article titled Active and Passive Euthanasia, which describes the difference between two forms of euthanasia. Active euthanasia is defined as a circumstance in which a doctor administers drugs into a patient’s body with intent to end their life. Passive euthanasia is when a doctor withdraws from giving their patient medical attention, knowing that without the care they will seize to survive. After reading Rachels’ article, I was able to differentiate between the two forms of physician assisted suicide, which essentially helped in my deliberation if it should be permissible. Additionally, my argument is based upon the definition and viewpoint philosopher John Paul II’s gave of euthanasia in his article The Tragedy of Euthanasia. In his article euthanasia is described as “an action or omission which of itself and by intention causes death, with the purpose of…

    • 1610 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Ethics of Euthanasia
    • 1579 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Ethics of Euthanasia

    One of the most hotly debated topics going on through the government is the one concerning the ethics of euthanasia also known as assisted suicide. Euthanasia comes from the Greek language meaning ‘Good death’. Euthanasia is suicide, but with the help of a doctor. The government and people argue about whether it should be legalized or not, this is because it can be seen as unethical and it taking the ills life. I think assisted suicide should be legal because we have the right and moral obligation to euthanize our beloved pets when they are suffering and in pain... why are we not morally obligated to provide the same options for ourselves and our loved ones who have no quality of life? Euthanasia fascinates me because not much people of my age are aware of what it is exactly and how much that it could actually help out in the society if it was to be legalized. Euthanasia should be legalized we have ‘the peoples rights’, it cost more to keep someone on life support and it is a way out of unnecessary suffering for the ill.…

    • 1579 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Euthanasia and Why Its Wrong
    • 443 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Euthanasia and Why Its Wrong

    There are several reasons why Euthanasia is wrong. I’m just going to name a few. First is because it doesn’t just effect the person choosing it, it also effects the family of the person choosing assisted suicide . Also another reason that euthanasia is wrong is because if you do choose assisted suicide you never know what’s going to happen after that moment. For all that you know it could get a whole lot better than what you are at that moment. The last but definitely not least is that Euthanasia denies the patients the final stage of growth.…

    • 443 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Assisted Suicide
    • 2527 Words
    • 11 Pages

    Assisted Suicide

    In George D.Pozgar’s book Legal and Ethical Issues for Health Professionals it defines euthanasia as “an act conducted for the purpose of causing the medical death of a person who is suffering from an incurable condition, such as providing a patient with medication to hasten his or her death” (2013, pg.535). The actual word euthanasia is a Greek word meaning a good death. There are two different types of euthanasia; passive and active. There are also two different categories; which are voluntary and involuntary. Passive euthanasia is usually consider more ethically and morally acceptable by many because it is…

    • 2527 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Euthanasia Argumentative Analysis
    • 768 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Euthanasia Argumentative Analysis

    In James Rachels' article, "Active and Passive Euthanasia" Rachels (1975) aims to argue that there is no moral difference in terms of the killing versus letting die argument. He argues, that should a significant moral difference exist between the…

    • 768 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics