As with all moral problems, a decision has to be made as to whether the action is a just one or not. An objective perspective must be taken to see the bigger -universal- picture. This is quite difficult when dealing with Biomedical Ethical problems, as issues like abortion and euthanasia evoke some strong emotions. Emotions may be said to cloud our reason and judgement and as a philosopher, these are the most important tools, but it is also important to follow your heart, as it usually has the right solution to ethical problems. Using both reason and emotion, I will throw myself into the can of worms that is Euthanasia.
             Euthanasia is currently in the news with the Dutch Parliament passing a Bill to "legalise mercy killings" –The Guardian, Wed.29th Nov. 2000.For an age old practice, why is Euthanasia considered to be such a contemporary moral issue? In the Western World, diseases such as small pox, tuberculosis, malaria, pneumonia, polio, influenza and measles have been kept under control by modern medicines. Diseases such as these rarely cause death in otherwise healthy individuals who are given the proper treatment. Life expectancy has also increased to almost 75 years old in some countries. Yet a change in modern day lifestyles has lead to other diseases such as heart disease, adult onset diabetes, cancers and AIDS. With these new diseases, suffering is often more prolonged and treatment is frequently quite painful. Also as people live longer lives, diseases of the aged have become increasingly prevalent. More people are now suffering from senile dementia and Alzheimer's disease. These diseases ruin the mind while preserving the body, allowing life to continue long after any quality that life might have is gone. Having set the social scene that has roused and renewed the public debate about Euthanasia, I will, in this essay, explain what is meant by Euthanasia, discuss the ethics of Euthanasia by examining both...