Euthanasia is defined by The American Heritage Dictionary as
             "the action of killing an individual for reasons considered to be
             merciful" (469). Here, killing is described as the physical action
             where one individual actively kills another. Euthanasia is tolerated
             in the medical field under certain circumstances when a patient is
             suffering profoundly and death is inevitable. The word "euthanasia"
             comes from the Greek eu, "good", and thanatos, "death," literally,
             "good death"; however, the word "euthanasia" is much more difficult to
             define. Each person may define euthanasia differently. Who is to
             decide whether a death is good or not? Is any form of death good? All
             of these questions can be answered differently by each person. It is
             generally taken today to mean that act which a health care
             professional carries out to help his/her patient achieve 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" for the
             following reasons: The first reason is that an advanced terminal
             illness is causing unbearable suffering to the individual. This
             suffering is the most common reason to seek an early end. Second, a
             grave physical handicap exists that is so restricting that the
             individual cannot, even after due care, counseling, and re-training,
             tolerate such a limited existence. This handicap 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. We say that there is a second form of suicide; justifiable
             suicide, that is a rational and planned self-deliverance from a
             painful and hopeless disease which will shortly end in death. I do not
             think the word "suicide" sits well in this context but we are stuck
             with it. Su...