Euthanasia Ends Suffering Essay -- Euthanasia Physician Assisted Suic

Euthanasia Ends Suffering Death is deeply personal, generally fe atomic number 18d, and wholly inescapable, but medical technology now can prolong our biologic existence virtually indefinitely, and, with these advances, comes the question of whether we should pursue the extension of life in all cases. Most people would agree that, under certain circumstances, it would be best-loved to cease our hold on life. Nearly everyone can agree that there are situations when terminally ill patients have the right to call for a staunch to life-extending treatments, and that their physicians bequeath have the moral obligation to comply. What appears to be quite difficult for us as a community to come to terms with is the thought that individual would actively intervene in the cancel process of the death of another human being. Why is it tolerable, even desirable, to intervene (with decidedly unnatural technology) in the natural process of death when it results in extending life, but intolerable and morally abhorrent when we act to speed the patient to his or her unavoidable death? Certain members of society see active euthanasia as killing, where passive euthanasia is viewed in the more favorable light of letting one die. My question is this how are the two morally different? Examine the following case Perry L. was a nineteen-year-old who played in a local band, loved the outdoors, and planned to become a doctor. One night in 1989 while driving a skidoo he ran headlong into a tree. Perry no longer has any cognitive abilities, he does not recognize anyone that he once knew, he cannot communicate in any way, and he has no meaningful control over his body or its functions. Perry will never recove... ...Brody, Baruch. Life And Death Decision Making. New York Oxford University Press, 1988. Chapman, Carleton. Physicians,Law,& Ethics. New York New York University Press, 1984. Friedman, Emily. Ethics Issues For Health Care Professionals. Baskerville Ameri can Hospital Publishing, 1986. Gay-Williams, J. The Wrongfulness of Euthanasia, affable Ethics righteous and Social Policy, McGraw-Hill, 1982. 48-52 Low, Charlotte. Euthanasia - Opposing Viewpoints. San Diego Greenhaven Press, 1989. Maguire, Daniel. Death By Choice. Garden City Doubleday & Company, 1984. Rachels, J. Active and Passive Euthanasia, Social Ethics Moral and Social Policy, McGraw-Hill, 1982. 52-56 Reich, Warren. Quality Of Life. New York Paulist Press, 1990. Rothenberg, M. & Chapman, C. Barrons Medical Guide Second Edition, Barrons Educational Series, 1989