Should Doctors Be Allowed To Assist Patients That Want To Die?

We live in a time period where people fear death. They will do anything in their power to steer away from its ugly head.

We also live in a society where it's considered humane to euthanize an animal if they are in too much pain. Although it can be a hard decision to make, pet owners will agree that the alternative of living a life filled with physical pain is not something the pet deserves.

So why isn't it humane to do it for humans? We'll keep terminally ill patients alive as long as possible even though the last few months will be painful. Some people even fight to keep brain-dead individuals on life support because their heart is still beating, not realizing that a beating heart is not necessarily a sign of life.

Personally, if I'm living a life of miserable pain and there is only a small chance of recovery (may not even be full recovery) or I'm in a vegetative state, I'd want my doctor to euthanize me. It will ease my pain and the distress it causes to my family and friends.

How does everyone else feel about this topic?

 

Too much complication.

Morality
Religion
Life insurance/inheritance abuse

Are the reasons why it will never happen. I really don't like the idea of doctors taking a human's life away.

Are animals equal to humans? No. We are superior (intelligence wise), and our life is more of value to that of an animal. You can try to justify life being equal among every living thing, but we all know subconsciously this is right.

If you had to choose between saving an animal or a human, who would you go for?

~ Realist

 

Depends on the animal Just kidding.

So then by doctors not assisting with death, we have people committing suicide tarnishing their legacy and what others think of them? Regardless to say, what about how family/friends will feel.

 

Being euthanized would not "tarnish" ones reputation? They both equate to death. What is the difference if the end result is the same?

How would family and friends of the victim feel about their death? It's the same thing.

 

It's inhumane because the population of christians and catholics exceeds 2 billion+ people, roughly 1/3 of the world's population. In their doctrine, it explicitly states one may not murder. Murder is defined as intentionally causing (and by extension, aiding) in the death of another human. On top of that, depending on who you speak to, suicide is an immediate and irrevocable ticket to hell in several religions. Asking your doctor to kill you is still considered suicide in the eyes of many, and is therefore taboo

That being said, if any government passed law allowing assisted suicide for highly trusted figures such as doctors and physicians, you better believe there will be revolt from at least a third of your country's population, more than likely more since aversion to murder and suicide isn't specifically a trait of the religious. It'd sow immediate distrust for these figures, possible collapse of the medical system, etc. Of course, that's worst case, though still a real possibility.

I, myself don't have a problem with registering doctors (who've undergone rigorous psychoanalytical inspection, and are closely monitored) with the power to administer assisted suicide. Like you say, we're all just animals, and if we can put down a rabid dog, why can't we put down a person with stage 4 pancreatic cancer, one who has the sane ability to decide and ask for a cleaner, pain-free death?

 

It's the different route that would tarnish it. You're telling me that if someone were to murder 3 people, they would still have same reputation as other person that committed no crimes? Same result though, right?

I'm a Catholic myself so I do believe it should only be done under specific standards that a person must meet.

 

Then you're not a devout catholic, because if you followed every catholic doctrine as religious people are supposed to, you'd be against anything suicide related with no reservation, as the bible preaches. There are plenty of devout worshipers to make this impossible though.

 

The end result of 'death' is the same, but the circumstances greatly influence people's memories of the deceased and how they feel about the death. If I drove my car into a day care while intoxicated and died, people won't feel the same way as if I died as a firefighter trying to save orphans in a burning building.

In the same way, shooting yourself would be much more devastating to loved ones than receiving a lethal injection from a doctor.

Either way, the result is the same. The person is dead.

 

How does this have anything to do with this...?

I was stating that I'm a catholic that believes this okay. Guarantee there are many many more Catholics that would agree with me.

 

And even more who don't agree, which was my original point

 

It's still suicide.

 

eu·tha·na·sia noun \ˌyü-thə-ˈnā-zh(ē-)ə\
: the act or practice of killing someone who is very sick or injured in order to prevent any more suffering

Technically, the person isn't killing themselves if the medical professional does it.

 

Does that mean euthanasia is considered murder in some countries?

I personally think everything should be dealt with on a case to case basis regarding this subject.

 

Lolwut

It's assisted suicide.

 

The definition of suicide is killing oneself. Not sure how it's assisted suicide. The doctor is doing all the work other than signing the papers. Not a suicide.

 

Lol, you contradicted yourself. It's the intent of ending your life.

"Euthanasia, also known as assisted suicide, physician-assisted suicide (dying) , doctor-assisted dying (suicide) , and more loosely termed mercy killing, basically means to take a deliberate action with the express intention of ending a life to relieve intractable (persistent, unstoppable) suffering. Some interpret euthanasia as the practice of ending a life in a painless manner. Many disagree with this interpretation, because it needs to include a reference to intractable suffering."

 

There is still a reason the two terms exist though, they have very different contexts even though the end result of death is the same. They aren't synonymous: Not all people who commit suicide are euthanized, but by your definition, all people who are euthanized commit suicide.

 

Xier0 always on the money

 

No, and there was a doctor who went to prison for doing this.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Kevorkian

 

Euthanasia is assisted suicide. If you are to legalize euthanasia then it would be hypocritical to say that a person can not commit suicide on their own by any means necessary.