Euthanasia2

The origin of the word 'euthanasia' comes from the Greek -- eu, "good," and thanatos, "death," meaning literally, "good death." But the word "euthanasia" has acquired a more complex meaning in modern times. It is generally taken nowadays to mean doing something about achieving a good death. Suicide, self-deliverance, auto-euthanasia, aid-in-dying, assisted suicide -- call it what you like -- can be justified by the average supporter of the so-called '"right to die" movement. It is advanced terminal illness that is causing unbearable suffering to the individual. This is the most common reason to seek an early end. Grave physical handicap which is so restricting that the individual cannot, even after due consideration, counseling and retraining, tolerate such a limited existence. This is a fairly rare reason for suicide -- most impaired people cope remarkably well with their affliction -- but there are some who would, at a certain point, rather die. What are the ethical parameters for euthanasia? The person is a mature adult. This is essential. The exact age will depend on the individual but the person should not be a minor who comes under

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My position is that euthanasia should be legalized for the terminally ill.

Even the most determined supporters of euthanasia hang on until the last minute -- sometimes too long, and lose control. During the 21-month trial period of the new law anyone assisting in a suicide can be sentenced to up to four years in prison and fined more than $2,000 (Reuters 1993).

As I have mentioned earlier, assistance in suicide is a crime in most places, although the laws are gradually changing, and very few cases ever came before the courts, until Dr. Today many terminally ill people take the marvelous benefits of home hospice programs and still accelerate the end when suffering becomes too much. In some cases of the final days in hospice care, when the pain is very serious, the patient is drugged into unconsciousness. Jack Kevorkian, are of the opinion that not only should patients be able to abstain from treatment, but if they have a terminal and/or extremely painful condition, they should be able to seek out the assistance of a doctor in order to expedite their death with as little pain as possible.

The results on mercy killing surprised me even more. Seventy percent think it is justified at least sometimes for a person to kill his or her spouse, if he or she is suffering terrible pain caused by a terminal illness. Another reason is euthanasia will lead to the "devaluation of life" (Low 37).

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