SRL Archive - Discussions & Debates

Euthanasia is ending your life in a painless way. In the countries where it is allowed, this is only done with very ill people who don't have a future any more, like when you got cancer with lots of disseminations, where there is endless suffering, and no chance of recovering.
It's quite a controversial subject, some call it murder, and think that someone should only die because of a natural cause, as there is the the sanity of life. Others call it a right, because it's done out of free will.
Euthanasia must be done deliberately, there must be an explicit request of the patient him/herself, and it should be done by a medic.
There are two forms of euthanasia: passive and active. Passive is when the medical threatment is ended, like the machines keeping the patient alive are shut off, or when no medication is given anymore. Active euthanasia is giving a certain drug to the patient, which will cause a painless death.
Because of the controversiality of it, there are only a few places where it is allowed, which are the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, the states Oregon and Washington and in Andalusia (Spain).
The main arguments of the supporters of euthanasia are choice (can someone decide about his own life?), quality of life (if the life is really bad, why and there is no future, why not help someone if he wants it himself?), and human resources (why keep someone alive who wants do die, while due to him there aren't enough resources to save someone who wants to stay alive, but now dies?).
The main arguments of the opponents of euthanasia are morality (is it moral to aid someone in killing himself), theological reasons (God made life, and it should be respected) and necessity (is it really necessary to die?).


In my opinion, euthanasia should be allowed, when done under the circumstances and conditions as I stated before. Someone should not just die because he is depressed because his girlfriend dumped him, but when you are full of tumors, I think it should be allowed, as you can justify it then.


Discuss.

Please note this is copied/pasted from a presentation I'll have tomorrow for English, so save me xD

Yeah:(

^ not very detailed. i have done about 3/4 weeks on this at school now. i think it should be aloud if the patient is in good mental health and their condition is lowering their standard of living.

Something short I wrote a while back:

Euthanasia


There has always been an ongoing debate in my mind, mainly on whether the controversial issue of voluntary active euthanasia will ever come to an end. One side of me thinks that people will always argue about such matters, while the other side of me thinks that eventually, all democratic countries will have a common view.

Voluntary active euthanasia is such a controversial issue not only because of the moral dilemmas associated with it, but also because of the meaning of euthanasia. Some people consider it to be a merciful and dignified form of death, while others believe it may result in extra vulnerability and unwanted deaths.

Firstly, and foremostly, loved ones prefer to spend as much time as possible with the sick person before they move on. It isn’t surprising that if you walk through a hospital corridor, there are people sleeping on chairs, people lying on the floor and people just roaming around, all the effort just to be as close as possible to their loved ones in case something unexpected occurs.

Euthanasia can only be classified as voluntary if the patient is mentally competent to make the decision to die. Their competence is based on whether they know the consequences and possible alternatives to euthanasia. Logically, it can be difficult to define and prove a patient’s competence to make a decision.

If we turn our attentions to the moral and ethical viewpoints on euthanasia, it becomes an extremely unacceptable act. Euthanasia itself can be simplified to mean ‘killing’, and voluntary euthanasia can be defined as ‘suicide’. Nowadays, people are sent to mental hospitals, and are consulted by counsellors if they ever attempt suicide. If voluntary euthanasia should become legal, attempted suicide should become legal, and so the use of counsellors to existentialists becomes abolished.

A significant point brought up against the idea of euthanasia is that of a religious perspective. The arguments against euthanasia from a spiritual background include the dignity of a human, the holiness of a human life, human rights, the importance of charity and the unavoidability of death. Islam permits that an ill person refuse treatment or resuscitation, however strictly forbids euthanasia.

It is also important to consider the number of deaths that are uncalled for which will result from the legalisation of euthanasia. There will always be the self-sacrificing people in this world, who will take into account the financials associated with their physical state. Simply, some people will pressure themselves into permitting euthanasia, in order to free their loved ones of the financial burden. In countries where health costs are covered by public money, hospital staff may try to advise people subjectively into euthanasia consent.

Ultimately, if the arguments for and against euthanasia were going to fight till the death, no pun intended, the arguments against would clearly demolish the arguments for euthanasia. Euthanasia is evidently not the right thing to legalise, and I don’t think many new arguments supporting the idea will sprout any time soon. Euthanasia, is wrong.

Basically a controlled suicide. Im pro choice on really anything I can think of.

I think people should be able to decide whatever they want to do with their own lives.

seems most people who oppose euthanasia do so for religious reasons or because they follow the morals taught to them by religion.

so this debate ends up very similar to an abortion debate.


just watch, in a few posts time, it will mostly be the religious right from america arguing against euthanasia, and the left-wing europeans arguing for it.

Don't forget the American Widget arguing for it too ;)

I feel just like kitchenrange, so long as I can't accidentally get suicided I'm perfectly fine with it :)

Should be allowed, but totally controlled…

Dr. Michael E. Debakey was a pioneer in heart research. He created the peristaltic pump when he was a medical student in the 1920s, and it wasn't until 20 years later that people realized it was a very useful invention. He pioneered several new forms of heart surgery, transplantation, and treatment of something called Aortic Dissection, where the lining of the aorta detaches from the wall and obstructs blood flow.

He had a long and celebrated life. He won practically every award possible for someone in his field. A couple of years ago when he was in his 90s he realized that he himself suffered an aortic dissection, and diagnosed himself. All the doctors he had trained were surrounding him, and he adamantly refused to have the necessary surgery that he himself pioneered. His wife was devastated and desperate. After sitting in the hospital for some time, he lost consciousness. His wife begged them to perform surgery on her husband, even though he had clearly made his will known not to do so. As he lay there dying, the ethical board for the hospital quickly met together, and decided that they would perform the surgery. It took about 7 hours, but he survived. It took him months to recover. But months later, he thanked the doctors and the hospital for saving his life.

Even if someone is of sound mind, and believes it's their time to go, that may not be true one week from now or one month from now. I think the finality of death is a strong argument against euthanasia for this reason. People change their minds about things all the time. It's bad enough if it's over a hair style or a tattoo or a career choice. Choosing death doesn't give you an opportunity to change your mind.

Suppose the patient has a chronic illness that can't be treated and causes considerable pain (either mentally or physically). Should they be able to opt for it then?

We had a 'Hip-Hop' dibate about this 1 month back, and the general verdict was that it shouldn't be legalised.

If Euthanasia was legalised in England most of the people that, go to switzerland to die, would end up here. Now thats alot of immigrants.

When my grandmother died she didnt even know who I was, which is bad considering I basically lived with her for the previous 6 months. Going from that, I think it should be legalized, she was miserable. It was very clear she did not want to be here anymore, and it made it somewhat painful to see her. I think if this was legalized then some of those painful times could have been avoided. No its not a good thing to take someones life, but in some cases it IS doing them a favor.

There is both legel and illegal Euthanasia. I do not support the latter.

I also support Youthinasia

From: tarajunky
His wife begged them to perform surgery on her husband, even though he had clearly made his will known not to do so

From: Markus

where there is endless suffering, and no chance of recovering.

Contradiction anyone?

Even if someone is riddled with cancer, they still have to WANT it. And just because they WANT it today doesn't mean they will still WANT it next week or next month. My point stands.

you could quite easily turn that around.

just because someone WANTS to live today, they might not want to live next week or next month.
therefore we should kill them now, because its possible that they'll change their mind about living in the future.

I think it goes to personal opinion, if the PERSON dieing wants it, but if the person is a vegetable, then it goes to next of kin what to do. and with the Abortion thing I think it should be allowed UP TO a certain time in pregnancy, like when it develops all the signs of life. But thats just my opinion :)

-The_Shermanator