The "PDE" is a valid foundation to decide when voluntary euthanasia is acceptable. Four factors comprise the PDE; the action must be a good one, only the good effect must be intended, the good effect must not be achieved by way of the bad effect, and the good result must outweigh the bad (Sulmasey and Pelligrino 550)
Additionally, I believe: Voluntary euthanasia devalues life, like the disabled, the mentally incompetent, the terminally ill. (Verhagen, Sauer and Callahan 6)
Patients with cancer or any other disease that cannot be treated live with it until the day they die. "Allowing people to choose to end treatment is one way to fight the nations soaring care bills" (Jussim 11)
63). Reflection As previously mentioned, physician assisted death is a major contentious issue because it creates concerns on preservation of a dying person's independence and the need to safeguard patients from pressures in the process of dying (Messer, 2012)
The author begins by stating that his work as a primary care physician and palliative care consultant has involved helping many patients to die with their full consent. These patients would have chosen another alternative or path if their diseases or conditions were not severe and irreversible (Quill, 2012, p
The medical adage has maintained its total and exact meaning, i.e. human life is sacred and inviolable (Fenigsen p 62)
Involuntary Euthanasia: The other argument that has been raised regarding this practice is involuntary euthanasia that has been associated with the legalization of voluntary euthanasia. Actually, there are arguments and studies that have been conducted to show that legalization of voluntary euthanasia can result in the morally unacceptable consequence of permitting involuntary euthanasia (Lewis p 198)
The relationship between a person's brain or mind and body is used as one of the reasons in support of voluntary euthanasia. If an individual's brain stops working forever, the individual is no longer referred to as a person because his/her body is a life-support system that is not similar to the patient (McGee p 674)
As Foot stated in making her case, "merely being alive even without suffering is not a good…." (Foot, p
4. Issue Discussion: The term euthanasia is derived from the Greek and means a "gentle and easy death" (Keown, 2002)
Opponents of euthanasia argue that physicians should not participate in physician-assisted suicide because the practice would be violative of the central tenet of the medical profession (Sinha & Basu, 2012). The ethical debate over euthanasia has become more intensified in recent years as Oregon legalized physician-assisted suicide and some countries such as The Netherlands and Belgium have also legalized physician-assisted suicides and more people are opting for this way to end their lives (Marcoux & Mishara, 2007)
There are laws in most countries, though, that prevent people from taking their own lives or having a physician help them in the process. Advocates of euthanasia maintain an individual's right to autonomy means that people are automatically entitled to physician-assisted suicide and a relatively painless death (Sinha & Basu, 2012)
177). The precision of the definition used for euthanasia is vitally important because some misleading definitions are used intentionally to support or refute the legalization of euthanasia (Somerville, 2003)
Euthanasia is legal in The Netherlands and despite concerns about the potential for people lining up for Kevorkian suicide machines, the practice is still fairly rare. The Dutch apply three conditions that must be satisfied before physician-assisted suicide is permitted: (1) the patient's voluntary and persistent request; (2) the hopeless situation of the patient; (3) consultation of a colleague (ten Have & Welie, 1999)
The essence of medicine is to uphold human life and seek solutions to health issues that affect human beings. If the society allows assisted suicide, then the essence of medicine becomes jeopardized (Baird 117)
¶ … Euthanasia Is Illegal Euthanasia otherwise known as assisted suicide refers to the painless extermination of a patient suffering from terminal illnesses or painful or incurable disease. According to Cavan & Dolan, euthanasia is the practice or act of permitting the death of hopelessly injured or sick individuals in a painless means for the purpose of mercy (Cavan & Dolan 12)
Jack Kevorkian's string of helping patient commit suicide came to halt when the Michigan jury found him guilty of murder Thomas Youk (McDougall & Gorman 584). On the other hand, Netherlands legalized euthanasia through endorsing the Termination of Life on Request and Assisted Suicide Act (Cohen-Almagor 169)
The third type of euthanasia is nonvoluntary euthanasia, which refers to the euthanasia conducted even if the client is not competent enough to give consent. Nonvoluntary euthanasia is illegal in almost all countries including Netherlands (Devettere 317)
The debate ended in 1906 with Ohio State sanctioning a bill to make euthanasia legal, but the bill was defeated. According to McDougall & Gorman, the translation "good death" implies that the Romans and Greeks who coined this term agreed on the fundamental aspects (Dowbiggin 6)
They argue that patients hold the autonomy to decide what is good for them. For patients with incurable diseases which essentially makes the patient lack the meaning and purpose of existence, assisted death should be their best option as this will lessen they distress and emotional suffering of people close to her (Levene 205)