I have chosen to discuss assisted suicide and the use of euthanasia; whether they are morally right or wrong. I have found a range of ten articles about various situations which all include the question of this discussion; some for and some against these issues. I chose this topic because I sometimes ponder on such things as death, and can't decide if suicide is brave, cowardly, or plain selfish. Brave in the sense of facing death, cowardly in the sense of fearing the pain of life and the future enough to prefer death, and selfish in the sense of being so focused on your own pain, that you don't consider the feelings of the people left behind.
And so I came across the issues of assisted suicide and euthanasia. This idea was new to me at the beginning, and it made me wonder. Is it okay to kill someone who wants to die and gives you permission? And if euthanasia is legalised, won't that introduce problems of dishonest doctors killing a patient who wants to die naturally or wait a bit longer, pretending that they wanted it? Even if they think it's showing mercy by putting someone out of their misery; we may do that to animals, but are we animals? Not everyone believes that they just disappear when they die.
Saturday, 12 May 2012
Friday, 11 May 2012
Around the World and Case Studies
Upon looking into this, it seemed like assisted suicide and euthanasia was wrong. But then to think about illnesses where people die slow, painful deaths, it's completely understandable that they want to go before the pain becomes unbearable. Because there is such indecision over this global issue, countries all round the world have varying laws against or for assisted suicide, and some have no laws at all. In these countries with no laws to do with assisted suicide, such as Sweden, Finland and Germany, charges such as manslaughter or murder are given instead. On the other hand, only four countries have openly and legally authorised the use of Euthanasia, a form of assisted suicide: Oregon, Switzerland, Belgium, and the Netherlands. These countries have introduced additional laws that require multiple medical staff to be involved in any case of assisted suicide, to ensure there are no mistakes or misunderstandings. Massachusetts is currently considering legalising physician-assisted death as a prescription for those who are deemed to have six months or less to live. They also have a Catholic stronghold which is fighting against it.
Japan had legalised Euthanasia in 1962, but the cases there are rare due to taboos surrounding suicide and assisted suicide. Germany's society also has a taboo over this due to the Nazi mass murders, and the strong influence of the church there, even though assisted suicide isn't against the law there.
Thinking simply, it's common knowledge that it's wrong to kill another person, so why should one person aid the death of another, even if they're going to die anyway? Doesn't that mean that one person killed someone? It is in these delicate cases of death where the line is most blurred. In the UK there is an MP who stands up for assisted suicide because he believes in his father's choice of death. When his father was diagnosed with lung cancer, he couldn't bear the thought of dying a "lingering, degrading death", and thought killing himself with carbon monoxide alone in his garage was better. Because of the law against assisted suicide, he was unable to have the support of his family around him at this time. The MP, Mr Bloomfield, believes that when someone chooses to kill him/herself, they should have the right of support for their decision. This is the kind of situation that makes it hard to decide if assisted suicide is right or wrong. It is very hard for friends and families to watch their loved ones suffer slow and painful deaths, and this is where assisted suicide is considered merciful. Even so, to aid the death of another still seems wrong. If someone really wants to commit suicide, it's their choice to face any consequences, and they should do it themselves. They shouldn't place the burden on another.
Another case in the UK is of a paralyzed man who can only communicate through a machine that reads his eyes when they blink. Even with a wife and two grown daughters, he can't stand the degrading quality of his life, and has been going to court to demand legal right for euthanasia. His situation's understandable, but it's more a case of his attitude.
Thursday, 10 May 2012
Very Brief History, and Moral Beliefs
Possibly the earliest known reference to assisted suicide was The Hippocratic Oath, estimated to be written in the fourth century B.C.: "I will not give a lethal drug to anyone if I am asked, nor will I advise such a plan." It also includes abortions. Most modern doctors, however, no longer take the Oath.
Over the centuries, with our Western laws and society deriving from Christianity and the Ten Commandments, it was generally considered that assisted suicide was murder, and so against the law. Over the past few decades, with more global contact, changes of beliefs, and the increase in atheists, what were once strong lines are now being blurred and challenged.
Here in New Zealand there was a case in January where an American woman assisted in the death of a woman from the North Shore. Back in America, she refused to return to go to court, due to heath issues. In the way she defended herself, her reason was for mercy.
Garth George, a Herald columnist, keeps his perspective simple by looking up the words "euthanasia" and "murder" in the dictionary and coming to the conclusion that without "the emotive and emotional claptrap", euthanasia, effectively assisted suicide, is murder. He is clearly strongly against it and shows much concern for our society's respect for life. With all the modern advantages in medicine, birth control and abortion, and now consideration for death control as well, it's understandable to be worried about assisted suicide becoming legal and socially accepted. While it may start only with the terminally ill, it may continue with the severely handicapped and disabled. Perhaps one of the more subconscious reasons of people for assisted suicide, that no one speaks of, is prevention of overpopulation. An article from Santa Clara University, in discussing ethics, acknowledges compassion in easing the pain of the ill and severely suffering through assisted suicide. Giving both sides of the argument, it also mentions the risk in people changing their minds at the last minute, severely handicapped infants, and senile people who don't have a say. It would be easy to devalue these lives with the power to so easily take them away.
Legalising assisted suicide and euthanasia would put even more pressure on doctors and medical professionals who feel uncomfortable or don't believe in killing patients who want to die. And in the case when it's up to the family, they may not be so loving, or just want inheritance.
One of the main issues that have been found in places of legalised assisted suicide and euthanasia, is the pressure on the patients themselves to opt for death. With the American health system as it is, environments where necessary health care are restricted, patients an be made to feel like suicide is their preferred option. The cost of medicine and busy hospitals with full waiting lists and lack of staff can make people feel like burdens. Unloving families can make them feel even more undervalued, and they're made to feel their life is no longer worth much. I think that instead of thinking of assisted suicide, we should concentrate more on the support and comfort of our sick and needy, handicapped, disabled and terminally ill. Instead, we should give even more thought and support to the hospices, and other such charities, and be sure never to have a health system like America's.
Over the centuries, with our Western laws and society deriving from Christianity and the Ten Commandments, it was generally considered that assisted suicide was murder, and so against the law. Over the past few decades, with more global contact, changes of beliefs, and the increase in atheists, what were once strong lines are now being blurred and challenged.
Here in New Zealand there was a case in January where an American woman assisted in the death of a woman from the North Shore. Back in America, she refused to return to go to court, due to heath issues. In the way she defended herself, her reason was for mercy.
Garth George, a Herald columnist, keeps his perspective simple by looking up the words "euthanasia" and "murder" in the dictionary and coming to the conclusion that without "the emotive and emotional claptrap", euthanasia, effectively assisted suicide, is murder. He is clearly strongly against it and shows much concern for our society's respect for life. With all the modern advantages in medicine, birth control and abortion, and now consideration for death control as well, it's understandable to be worried about assisted suicide becoming legal and socially accepted. While it may start only with the terminally ill, it may continue with the severely handicapped and disabled. Perhaps one of the more subconscious reasons of people for assisted suicide, that no one speaks of, is prevention of overpopulation. An article from Santa Clara University, in discussing ethics, acknowledges compassion in easing the pain of the ill and severely suffering through assisted suicide. Giving both sides of the argument, it also mentions the risk in people changing their minds at the last minute, severely handicapped infants, and senile people who don't have a say. It would be easy to devalue these lives with the power to so easily take them away.
Legalising assisted suicide and euthanasia would put even more pressure on doctors and medical professionals who feel uncomfortable or don't believe in killing patients who want to die. And in the case when it's up to the family, they may not be so loving, or just want inheritance.
One of the main issues that have been found in places of legalised assisted suicide and euthanasia, is the pressure on the patients themselves to opt for death. With the American health system as it is, environments where necessary health care are restricted, patients an be made to feel like suicide is their preferred option. The cost of medicine and busy hospitals with full waiting lists and lack of staff can make people feel like burdens. Unloving families can make them feel even more undervalued, and they're made to feel their life is no longer worth much. I think that instead of thinking of assisted suicide, we should concentrate more on the support and comfort of our sick and needy, handicapped, disabled and terminally ill. Instead, we should give even more thought and support to the hospices, and other such charities, and be sure never to have a health system like America's.
Wednesday, 9 May 2012
References
Bingham, J., & Furness, H. (2012, March 27), Assisted suicide: MP tells Commons how dying father took own life. Retrieved 2012, April 5 from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9170160/Assisted-suicide-MP-tells-Commons-how-dying-father-took-own-life.html
George, G. (2010, July 29). 'Thou shall not kill' must be our guide. Retrieved 2012, April 5 from http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10661917
Humphry, D. (2005, March 1). Assisted suicide laws around the world. Retrieved 2012, April 5 from http://www.assistedsuicide.org/suicide_laws.html
Ne'eman, A. (2011, October 31). Death on demand: risks and responsibility. Retrieved 2012, May 5 from http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/death-on-demand-risks#copy
Pickert, K. (2009, March 3). A brief history of assisted suicide. Retrieved 2012, April 5 from http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1882684,00.html
George, G. (2010, July 29). 'Thou shall not kill' must be our guide. Retrieved 2012, April 5 from http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10661917
Humphry, D. (2005, March 1). Assisted suicide laws around the world. Retrieved 2012, April 5 from http://www.assistedsuicide.org/suicide_laws.html
Ne'eman, A. (2011, October 31). Death on demand: risks and responsibility. Retrieved 2012, May 5 from http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/death-on-demand-risks#copy
Pickert, K. (2009, March 3). A brief history of assisted suicide. Retrieved 2012, April 5 from http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1882684,00.html
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