Euthanasia Devalues Human Life - 2084 Words

â€Å"Euthanasia is the practice of ending the life of a patient to limit the patient’s suffering. The patient in question would typically be terminally ill or experiencing great pain and suffering. The word â€Å"euthanasia† itself comes from the Greek words â€Å"eu† (good) and â€Å"thanatos† (death). The idea is that instead of condemning someone to a slow, painful, and undignified death, euthanasia would allow the patient to experience a relatively good death.† The technical definition of euthanasia is the act of ending life painlessly, often someone suffering from an incurable illness. However it is impossible for any life to end free from pain. The actual killing may be peaceful, but the suffering endured throughout the disease will never be†¦show more content†¦Human life is invaluable and doctors should not be involved directly in causing death. The trust a patient has in their doctor is unlike any other bond because the patient trusts the physician with their life. In order to become a doctor, physicians must recite the Hippocratic Oath which begins with the words, â€Å"First, do no harm.†(Messerli 1). Participating in a patient’s suicide would obviously break this oath. This occurred during a case in 1999 when Jack Kevorkian was sentenced to a ten to twenty-five tear prison term for giving fatal medication to a patient (â€Å"Facts and Statistics on Euthanasia†1). Although it is illegal in most sta tes, in some cases euthanasia can be done non-voluntarily (â€Å"Pros and Cons- Euthanasia†1). The non-voluntary option presents doctors with too much power; a life should not be taken because it is no longer convenient or cost efficient. The power then given to the doctors would provide the insurance companies with an opportunity to put undue pressure on the physicians to avoid heroic measures and to end life prematurely simply to save money or avoid hassles. Euthanasia is suicide and should not be legal because it devalues human life. Psychologists agree those making the decision to commit suicide are not in sane mental places. Technically the law states that, â€Å"†¦Every human being of adult years and sound mind has a right to determineShow MoreRelatedIs It Life Over Death?1620 Words   |  7 PagesValuing Life Over Death Life should always be the sovereign choice for all patients questioning whether life or death is best, even if the physical and mental suffering is extreme. Euthanasia is a topic that has been speculated all over the world for several years. It is defined as ‘dying well’ or ‘good death’ in Greek (Ahmed 306), and it was discovered to help give patients another way to ease their pain and suffering. It has only been legalized in four states and three countries, but has been consideredRead MoreOpinions on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide1347 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Opinions of euthanasia and assisted suicide vary by country to country, and only a few nations permit euthanasia in the case of terminally ill patients (van der Heide et. al., 2007, p. 1957). The public discourse surrounding the ethical, and subsequently legal status of euthanasia is frequently heated and somewhat polarized, because the debate cuts to the very heart of notions of human rights and e thics. Unfortunately, this only tends to further obscure the issue at hand, which is in reality a fairlyRead MoreEuthanasia Should Not Be Legal959 Words   |  4 PagesIs it better to be dead than sick or disabled? Who decides when it is times for us to go? In the case of Earle Spring, his life depends on the court order. Earle Spring was an old man whose mental and physical health declined as he aged. 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