Defending Euthanasia Essay - 1034 Words

Margaret Somerville, who has authored, edited, and co-edited a number of books and newspaper articles opposing the use of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide and who also is the Samuel Gale Professor of Law, Professor in the Faculty of Medicine, and Founding Director of the Centre for Medicine, Ethics, and Law at McGill University, Montreal, wrote the internet article titled â€Å"Against Euthanasia.† In the article Somerville blatantly states that any type of euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide is completely and totally wrong under all circumstances. She offers the two major reasons why she considers the practice of euthanasia to be entirely immoral and unacceptable. The first main reason that is given is, â€Å"that it is wrong for†¦show more content†¦Somerville’s piece presents seemingly legitimate points against euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. One point that advocates of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide can to some exten t agree on is that abuse and over use are inevitable and unstoppable. Both parties understand that if euthanasia is legalized that there will be no perfect way of preventing the unlawful use of euthanasia no matter how many laws, safeguards, and obstacles could be written and put in place. This can be seen currently in almost every law. One example would be that it is illegal to rob a person or place, but no matter how many obstacles are created to prevent robbery it still occurs. So in the same way, the prohibited use of euthanasia would be inevitable no matter what is done to prevent it. This inevitability though does not mean it will be rampant. Due to the nature of euthanasia and how it is done it would be practically impossible for doctors to unlawfuly euthanize patients without being caught. The way that euthanasia is performed is its own deterrent. Now concerning the over use of euthanasia, â€Å"On March 27, 1998, an Oregon woman in her eighties who was near death from breast cancer legally ended her life with barbiturates supplied by a physician. Another fourteen persons would join her in utilizing the Oregon Death with Dignity Act (ODDA) in its first year of operation.† If Somerville is right about the over use ofShow MoreRelatedActive Euthanasia Pros and Cons Essay1640 Words   |  7 PagesAbstract Euthanasia is a long debated topic, going back for decades in our country alone. Both sides of the topic have valid points morally and ethically. The Netherlands have had euthanasia laws in effect since 1973. America has very few states with legislation on the books: Oregon enacted in 1997, Washington 2008. Germany experimented with Active Euthanasia in the 1930’s, resulting in one of the most horrendous genocides in the past millennium. 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What is unknown is the condition under which it is going to happen. The process of dying is never easy, neither for the individual that is on his or her last stage of live, nor for the family and friends that have to watch someone they love goingRead MoreEssay on The Morality of Euthanasia1765 Words   |  8 Pagesas heated as euthanasia. Euthanasia comes from the Greek word meaning good death. Euthanasia is the practice of ending the life of a person either by lethal injection or the suspension of medical treatment. Most religious beliefs say that God is the only one that has the right to decide the termination of any life. Euthanasia should be a person’s right of choice legally and ethically. People are faced with choices on a daily basis throughout their lives. Having the choice of euthanasia allows a quickRead More Argument in Favor of Euthanasia Essay2098 Words   |  9 PagesDebate about the morality and legality of voluntary euthanasia has been a phenomenon since the second half of the 20th century. The ancient Greeks and Romans did not believe that life needed to be preserved at any cost and were tolerant of suicide in cases where no relief could be offered to the dying or when a person no longer cared for their life (Young). In the 4th century BC, the Hippocratic Oath was written by Hippocrates, the father of medicine. One part of the Oath states, â€Å"I will not give