An Argument For Euthanasia Essays - Euthanasia, Medical Ethics

An Argument For Euthanasia An Argument for Euthanasia Euthanasia is defined as, The act or practice of putting to death painlessly a person suffering from an incurable disease. Euthanasia can be traced back as far back as the ancient Greek and Roman civilizations. It was sometimes allowed in these civilizations to help others die. Voluntary euthanasia was approved in these ancient societies. Today, the practice of euthanasia causes great controversy. Both pro-life groups and right-to-die groups present arguments for their different sides. Pro-life groups make arguments and present fears against euthanasia. I contend that the case for the right to die is the stronger argument. I will begin my by listing the arguments against euthanasia and my criticism of each argument. 1. Euthanasia is a violation of medical ethics. The American Medical Association has consistently condemned euthanasia as an unethical practice. Today, attitudes may be changing. Recent surveys indicate that a majority of doctors in some areas, (60% in Oregon, 56% in Michigan, and 54% in Great Britain.) favor euthanasia in extreme cases. 2. Euthanasia weakens the trust relationship between the doctor and the patient. We expect doctors to heal and save lives, not to kill. I feel that I should be able to trust my doctor to do what is best for me as an individual in any situation, including ending unbearable suffering, even if it is my choice to die in order to end my suffering. Doctors may lose the trust of their patients by not helping them to end their suffering. 3. Choosing the time and place of a persons death is Gods decision. This argument suggests that we should never intervene in any life-threatening situation. If a person is having a heart attack, should we just stand by and watch them die? If we were to seek medical attention in order to save his life, we would be interfering with Gods will for that person to die. This argument contains nothing that can be rationally argued against because it does not tell us when it is okay to interfere with Gods decisions. 4. The issue of euthanasia is a slippery slope. Pro-life groups contend that if we allow any type of euthanasia, sooner or later, we would begin killing off not only the terminally ill, but also the handicapped, the poor, the elderly and anyone else who becomes troublesome. The view that we should not make a decision because it could lead to other less prudent decisions later is not a reasonable foundation for setting policies, unless later decisions are definite, and are absolutely wrong. I would hope that the virtue of society would lead us to know where to draw the line between going far enough and going too far. At the present time, it is not clear if where the line is drawn now is where it should be drawn. 5. Euthanasia is killing. Most people believe that there are circumstances when killing is allowed, such as self-defense. The only question is whether or not the killing is justified under the circumstances. In the case of self-defense, killing is justified. The same is true of euthanasia. 6. People who request euthanasia may be requesting it because they are depressed and they may change their minds. I believe that psychological evaluation will detect the mental condition of a patient, and depression, if it exists, can be treated. Patients can be given counseling to determine if their decision is what they truly want. We must determine whether or not patients should be able to be in control of their own lives. 7. Euthanasia violates the difference between passive and active and practices. This argument contends that there is a moral difference between letting nature take its course by terminating treatment when death is inevitable, and actively taking steps to make death come quicker. The question that should be asked of this is What is the best thing to do in a worst case scenario? The answer may be to terminate pointless treatment, or to act in order to bring about a merciful, painless death, that brings to an end terrible, needless suffering. The patient may ask for either one and we may morally grant their request. In either case, death occurs and the patients choice is involved

Free Essays on Aristophanes’ Speech on Love

In this paper I will discuss Aristophanes’ speech on love found in Plato’s Symposium. I will summarize his speech and explain the characteristics of love as Aristophanes thinks of it. I will also explain Aristophanes’ definition of love, and whether or not love is an admirable or good thing. And finally, I will critically discuss the plausibility and implausibility of Aristophanes’ view of love. Aristophanes, being a comic poet, offers an engaging and mythological perspective on the topic of love. Aristophanes’ speech begins by explaining the nature of man and what has become of it. Aristophanes suggests that long ago, the nature of the original human being was very much different from what it is today. He proposes that human beings once were comprised of two halves; that is to say, they were twice the people they are today. According to Aristophanes, this original primeval man had a round body, his back and sides formed into a circle from which two pairs of arms and legs protruded, he had two faces, and most importantly, two sets of genitalia. Aristophanes goes on to say that there were three different kinds of these original human beings, all of which were differentiated by their gender. Not only were there a female and a male, but a third, a unified androgynous creature that possessed both female and male genitalia. Symbolically, these beings were said to be the children of the sun, earth and the moon. The male was the child of the sun, the female of the earth, and the unified androgynous creature was a child of the moon. These beings were extremely powerful, so powerful that at one point they even decided to challenge the gods. The Gods fought back, but fearing that a total annihilation of these beings would leave the world barren with no one to worship them, instead, decided to sever these creatures in half with a bold of lightning. Upon being severed, these beings became obsessed with unifying themselves into their ... Free Essays on Aristophanes’ Speech on Love Free Essays on Aristophanes’ Speech on Love In this paper I will discuss Aristophanes’ speech on love found in Plato’s Symposium. I will summarize his speech and explain the characteristics of love as Aristophanes thinks of it. I will also explain Aristophanes’ definition of love, and whether or not love is an admirable or good thing. And finally, I will critically discuss the plausibility and implausibility of Aristophanes’ view of love. Aristophanes, being a comic poet, offers an engaging and mythological perspective on the topic of love. Aristophanes’ speech begins by explaining the nature of man and what has become of it. Aristophanes suggests that long ago, the nature of the original human being was very much different from what it is today. He proposes that human beings once were comprised of two halves; that is to say, they were twice the people they are today. According to Aristophanes, this original primeval man had a round body, his back and sides formed into a circle from which two pairs of arms and legs protruded, he had two faces, and most importantly, two sets of genitalia. Aristophanes goes on to say that there were three different kinds of these original human beings, all of which were differentiated by their gender. Not only were there a female and a male, but a third, a unified androgynous creature that possessed both female and male genitalia. Symbolically, these beings were said to be the children of the sun, earth and the moon. The male was the child of the sun, the female of the earth, and the unified androgynous creature was a child of the moon. These beings were extremely powerful, so powerful that at one point they even decided to challenge the gods. The Gods fought back, but fearing that a total annihilation of these beings would leave the world barren with no one to worship them, instead, decided to sever these creatures in half with a bold of lightning. Upon being severed, these beings became obsessed with unifying themselves into their ...