According to history, euthanasia was practiced in Ancient Greece and Rome and comes from the Greek word “εὐθανασία” meaning "good death”. As well, in ancient Greece,…
EUTHANASIA – AN ETHICAL DILEMMA IN PALLIATIVE CARE The origin of the word euthanasia comes from the Greek word euthanatos – eu meaning good or pleasant and thanatos meaning death, more so when someone has control over their death, how they die and where they are when that happens. Unfortunately, as illness and suffering takes over health and wellbeing, this becomes nearly impossible for many, resulting in the question of a person ’s right to an assisted death to relieve pain and suffering (Starr 2014). Currently, Euthanasia remains illegal and a complex social issue in Australia which continues to be debated by the community (Byrne 2013).…
I. Physician-assisted suicide, under various names and colloquial definitions, has been a documented ethical issue for centuries – not to mention an undocumented ethical issue since the hypothetical dawn of life. By common understanding, physician-assisted suicide is death either directly or indirectly permitted or carried out by a physician. In simple terms, an “out” is provided. For this reason, it is often associated with chronic pain or terminal illness. Suicide where the doctor in charge is directly involved is perhaps the first situation which comes to mind when one thinks of euthanasia.…
A debatable and controversial topic of today's society would be if Euthanasia or physician- assisted suicide should be legal or illegal. This paper will discuss what is Euthanasia? Why doctors are against it, and where it’s legal or illegal? Euthanasia or PAS is an option for terminally ill people that have the option to end their suffering and pain. The process is quick and dignified using injections of potassium chloride for a peaceful death.…
The Bill of Rights is a name for the first ten amendments of the Constitution of the United States guaranteeing rights of American citizens. The House of Representatives had already approved of the Bill of Rights on September 24 1789. This decision was considered extremely controversial as it went against the anti-federalists will, assuring their fear that the federal government would be granted superabundant power which in turn would deprive the people of certain liberties. This resulted in the U.S. Supreme Court mandating that the state governments accept and protect the liberties stated in The Bill of Rights. It was ratified by certain states on December 15, 1791 and officially went into effect on March 1, 1792.…
In this paper, I am going to talk about the topic of euthanasia. I will argue that active euthanasia is morally permissible in the case of a terminally ill patient who is going through unbearable amounts of pain. Furthermore, the focus of this paper will only be on this type of euthanasia; active euthanasia. However, in the first part of my essay I will not only define what active euthanasia is but I will explain how it differs from other types of euthanasia such as physician-assisted suicide.…
Euthanasia is a word of Greek origin derived from eu 'well' + thanatos 'death' meaning a well death. REF etymology dictionary. Through history it has been described as a glorious, well, painless and peaceful death. The word euthanasia has been defined with some consistently since the 1700th century as to provide an easy, painless, happy death, and to alleviate the 'physical sufferings associated with dying.…
Almost every person on this earth has a heard of the term euthanasia to some degree. Even though there are many different forms of euthanasia the most common is when a person askes to be killed in a painless manor most times because of an untreatable illness. For most people there decision on whether it’s right or wrong have to do with their own morals or religion. In this paper I will be taking a stand on whether or not I feel euthanasia is right, while also showing how ethics places a part in it. Out of the many different theories such as Virtue Ethics, Natural Law Theory, Utilitarianism, or Deontological Ethical Theory ext.…
Euthanasia is derived from the Greek word euthanatos which means “easy death”. “Euthanasia is the termination of a very sick person's life in order to relieve them of their suffering. A person who undergoes euthanasia usually has an incurable condition. But there are other instances where some people want their life to be ended.” It is a very controversial topic not only in Australia but all over the world.…
In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the young prince of Denmark contemplates taking his life. In a soliloquy, he says “How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable/Seem to me all the uses of this world!” (1.2.133-134). Contrary to Hamlet’s situation, many in favor of physician assisted suicide argue that it should be limited to patients suffering from intractable physical pain; however, other advocates of euthanasia, think that an adequate justification for physician assisted death, which exceeds intolerable physical suffering, is available. According to a leading advocate of this view, Dr. Jack Kevorkian, euthanasia is ethical insofar that one who desires to take their life provide consent.…
The discussion on physician-assisted death (PAD) and euthanasia has been fenced with controversy whether by the media or in philosophy. Considerably, the arguments that surround this issue has increased periodically due to the fact that health care and medicine has evolved continuously to safeguard not just patients and families, but all health care providers as well. Physician assisted death is “the voluntary termination of one’s own life by administration of a lethal substance with the direct or indirect assistance of a physician” (Westefeld et al., 2013, p. 539). Oftentimes, PAD is erroneously used interchangeably with euthanasia. According to Dieterle, euthanasia occurs when the active instigator of death is the physician.…
The word euthanasia derives from greek origins that translates to ‘good death’. The Merriam Webster dictionary defines euthanasia as the act or practice of killing or permitting the death of hopelessly sick or injured individuals in a relatively painless way for reasons of mercy. The controversy surrounding euthanasia stems from whether an individual with a disability is able to make the choice to put an end to their life. It is difficult to establish whether the individual has a rational state of mind. Philosophical theories of morality and rationality can be applied to an individual’s right to death with dignity.…
Should euthanasia be legalized? Euthanasia is the process of voluntary ending someone’s life, in a clinical environment. Euthanasia originally derives from a Greek term meaning good death, due to the fact that euthanasia it the process of ending someone’s life at a point in time that they could barely withstand the pain of the situation that they are in. Currently, euthanasia is illegal in Australia, but some Australian’s, mainly the older generation, are requesting the legalization of Euthanasia. Sometimes the term Euthanasia, is referred to the term, suicide, because Euthanasia is considered as legal suicide.…
Euthanasia in the United States Euthanasia, the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering. It’s been around since the time of ancient Greece. Although it’s been around for so long, one very important question has continued to pop up over time: Is it “right” or “morale?”. Many Americans claim that it is immoral and should not be legalized.…
Euthanasia means “good death,” it is the act of taking one’s life. In a sense it is a “good death,” euthanasia is often a pain free death whether it is physician assisted, a poison ingested by one self or the rejection of medical treatment. Those who considering to be euthanized are suffering. They may be struggling physically, emotionally, spiritually or mentally, or a combination of difficulties. Throughout this semester I have learned about several individual’s battles, thoughts and opinions on euthanasia.…