The Meaning of the Concept of Euthanasia - Essay Example

Euthanasia History The debate on Euthanasia s back to 1100 – 600 BC in the writings of literature of ancient Israel, these writings represent the opinions of individuals such as philosophers and the ancient researchers and their opinion was completely in favor of Euthanasia (Trowell, 1973). The Stoics of the Roman era was of the opinion that the human beings should comply with the process of nature and these human beings are allowed and have the authority to decide when to take away their own lives once they were tired of it (Emanuel 176). There are historical signs of existence of euthanasia but the historical concept of euthanasia is quite different from the concept that is followed and practiced in today’s society. The older concept was never differentiated from suicide and both activities were seen as similar in historic times and the definition assigned to the word euthanasia was very different from current world’s definition. In the Greek period, the act of euthanasia was recognized a means of death which was happy and satisfactory in nature and was hardly ever used and it was not used as a means of assisted suicide or mercy killing as it is use today. The meaning of the concept of euthanasia has experienced various changes in English language. In different periods, in different cultures, the definition of the word has altered from a happy means of death to murder which is not acceptable by the society or the law. Those individuals who are in favor of euthanasia state that not all societies in the past had a negative opinion on euthanasia and the western culture even favored it. For example the Eskimos used to conduct activities almost similar to euthanasia when an individual suffered from physical illnesses and became dependant on others, this especially used to take place while the resources became short or scarce (Atwood-Gailey 24). But these practices were only operated after enough care was given to the patient and there was no way to cure the patient. Even during the older period, the elders or those who were recognized as seniors used to give up their own lives in activities such as euthanasia for the betterment and the wellbeing of their children and upcoming generations. Pros and Cons The main advantage of euthanasia is that this activity can save the immense suffering that a patient goes through while he/she is on death bed and suffering from a disease that is incurable and very painful. Secondly it is the right of every individual to decide what is right or wrong for him/her and they have equal liberty to decide about their health, even the US constitution states that all individuals are free. Patients suffering from incurable disease are mostly those who loose the ability to even conduct their basic tasks such as washing themselves and taking care of themselves and they become dependant on others (McDougall 200). Due to these patients who want to die as independent individual and who give great importance to their dignity should be allowed to indulge in euthanasia. A huge amount of money is spend in taking care and hospitalization of a terminally ill patient, in certain cases individuals have ended up selling their own estates and what ever they own to cure themselves but certain illnesses are incurable and death is the destiny. In such cases euthanasia will help the individual in saving his treasure and passing it on to the upcoming generations so they can live a better life. Ample amount of the time of the physicians and nurses is wasted on terminally ill patient as they require higher degree of care, this time can be used to save and cure those patients who have higher probability of being cured. When individuals are terminally ill, they start loosing their organs one by one, if these organs can be saved through euthanasia, some other patients who still have higher probability of living can benefit from these organs. Families are even adversely impacted when their loved ones are near to death and are suffering from pain. The act of euthanasia can help lower this pain as this will aid in end of the suffering experienced by the patient as well as people near to him/her. If the physicians and nurses do not help a terminally ill in conducting the act of euthanasia, the patient may try to take away his or her own life in a manner that may be quite horrific; the physicians can participate in this activity and save the individual from a traumatic death. Those against the act of euthanasia state that this activity is against a physician’s oath that he/she takes while being regarded as a doctor, the oath is not to do any harm to anybody and by assisting in suicide, and the physician is harming an individual. If people start accepting euthanasia as medical treatment for their sufferings, research and development would come to a stop as there will be no need to locate methods of extending human life and of reliving humans from pain and suffering (McDougall 180). This means of death may be exploited by those who have the ability to live but want to end their lives for very little reasons that really do not matter. The act of suicide is against the law of nature, religion as well as the constitution marks it as illegal activity. Insurance company would try to persuade the physicians to end the life of a terminally ill patient though euthanasia in order to save money that the company is spending on the treatment of the patient. Should Be or Shouldn’t Be Euthanasia is an activity which is only meant to be practiced on a patient who is terminally ill and can not be cured from the unbearable suffering. He option is only exercised if the patient wants to end his/her life and is not forced to do so. Though, this activity is considered as illegal but should be legalized and largely accepted because this way of treating people brings an end to the unbearable pain that patients suffering while they are experiencing an incurable disease and secondly the person is accepting the treatment because of free will and has a right to decide what is right or wrong for himself. According to Jacqueline Herremans, the president of the Association for the Right to Die with Dignity stated that al human beings are free to choose and can decide whether to live or die on their own (Letellier 143). The decision of taking their own life is their own and neither the physician not the government can decide what is right or wrong for him. Euthanasia is accepted by individuals while they are on their death bed, suffering from acute pain and their lifestyle as well as quality of life has depreciated. They have a wish to end their suffering and they want to do so because they want to die in a dignified manner and do not want to be dependant on others. The practice of euthanasia has been greatly criticized by religious groups and individuals, they believe that the act is against God’s will and by taking part in Euthanasia, an individual and the person assisting him are playing God by taking decisions of life and death in their own hand. According to ethical standards that doctors and physicians have to comply with, a doctor’s duty is to save the life of the patient and by engaging in the act of euthanasia the doctor is acting against his oath and his duty. A doctor has various duties towards a patient, his only duty is not to save him from death but he even has the duty of ensuring that the pain of the patient is relieved and for this purpose the doctor can indulge in activities such as administering high dosage of morphine to the terminally ill patient in order to relax his her pain. Morphine has been recognized as one of the only methods that can be used to decrease the suffering of a terminally ill patient but this act can even take away the life of the patient. The act of suicide and mercy killing may be wrong according to religion but all those acts are considered as correct that provide higher utility to the society. If huge amount of physician’s time and nurses’ time is spent on a terminally ill patient, those individuals who can be cured may be avoided which will result in higher amount of losses of lives and this is not acceptable by the society. Therefore it is better if the doctors and nurses focus more on those who can be saved and this will benefit the society. Conclusion The act of euthanasia is acceptable by various nations around the globe; this act is even acceptable to an individual. Individuals have the right to decide what is right and wrong for them and if the act is helping them in reducing their pain, the act should be allowed to be conducted. Secondly, the society even benefits from the act of euthanasia and those acts should be implemented that are benefiting the whole society. Works Cited Atwood-Gailey, Elizabeth. Write to Death: News Framing of the Right to Die Conflict, from Quinlan's Coma to Kevorkian's Conviction. Westport, Conn: Praeger, 2003. Print. Emanuel, Linda L. Regulating How We Die: The Ethical, Medical, and Legal Issues Surrounding Physician-Assisted Suicide. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press, 1998. Print. Letellier, Philippe. Euthanasia: Vol. 2. Strasbourg: Council of Europe, 2004. Print. McDougall, Jennifer F, Martha Gorman, and Carolyn S. Roberts. Euthanasia: A Reference Handbook. Santa Barbara, Calif: ABC-CLIO, 2008. Print. Trowell, H C. The Unfinished Debate on Euthanasia. London: S.C.M. Press, 1973. Print. Read More