Euthanasia Essay -- essays research papers fc

EUTHANASIA IS NOT FOR EVERYONE. Years ago, talking about death was a social taboo. Although, some civilizations have not open their minds that much, each day more people have opened their minds to a new way of looking at death. People have realized that as humans, they are not here to suffer; instead, they are here to enjoy life. Euthanasia is a word that in the past years has appeared on the media. Cases appeared each day, and people are not still reacting to it in a good way, probably because they do not know what it is really implied on it. People think of it as only a way of killing people, not in the way of helping patients with a better departure. People think that euthanasia has been accepted, by few, as the first and only option that ill patients have to. But instead, it is the last option, the last door to open and give patients a peaceful passing. Opposite sides conceive of euthanasia as a lower and non ethical way to help patients. Also they claim the fact that sometimes euthanasia has been practiced wit hout the consent of patients, but at the will of doctors and families. Euthanasia is a very complex issue, and it can not be looked at as the answer for every single patient. Otherwise, it has to be thought of as a very rare and non usual way of helping people. Euthanasia is there to let people know that they have an open option to rely on in any moment, without thinking of any legal consequence, obviously with the appropriate precautions that corresponds. Euthanasia is known as mercy killing. What euthanasia simply gives is a better ending to those patients who seem to not have any deserving end. There are various ways of practicing it, and many definitions around it have born. A pro-euthanasia group defines assisted suicide as when someone â€Å"provides the means (drugs or other agents) by which a person can take his or her own life† (ERGO). There also exists what is called as physician-assisted suicide, in which a doctor prescribes lethal drugs in order to help the patient commit suicide. One of the most famous cases in the world concerning physician assisted suicide is the one of Dr Jack Kevorkian. Dr Kevorkian, who currently is 70 years old, has been convicted for 7 years for helping in almost 130 cases on assisted suicide. Dr Kevorkian has shelter in compassion. It means his only defense is that he was just helping all his patients that his int... ... they have an option, that instead of endless suffering and spending amount of time and money they have an option. WORKS CITED "Arguments for Euthanasia Are Unconvincing" by International Anti-Euthanasia Task Force. Euthanasia. Opposing Viewpoints ® Series. Greenhaven 2000. http://0galenet.galegroup.com.librus.hccs.edu:80/servlet/OVRC Campbell, Courteney S. â€Å"Euthanasia and Religion† Infotrac. January 2000. p 37 http://web3.infotrac.galegroup.com.librus.hccs.edu ERGO. 5.Nov. 2004. www.finalexit.org Lockwood, Frank E. â€Å"Choosing to die† Miami Herald. 24.June. 2001 http://0-www.sirs.com.librus.hccs.edu:80 Los Angeles Times. â€Å"Ashcroft seeks power to punish Oregon euthanasia doctors† Los Angeles Times 10.Nov. 2004 http://0-web3.infotrac.librus.hccs.edu Not Dead Yet. 5 Nov.2004 www.notdeadyet.org Palmer, Larry I. â€Å"Endings and beginnings: law medicine, and society in assisted life and death. Westport, Conn. Praeger.200 The hemlock society. 5 Nov. 2004 http://www.compassionindying.org Urofsky, Melvin. â€Å"Rights of the people: individual freedom and the bill of rights -- Privacy† SIRS Government Reporter. 2003