Recently, I read an article from an international magazine discussing a very interesting topic, "Our Right to Die." The author makes an emotional appeal for legalizing euthanasia. She has been looking after her twelve year old son for five years since a doctor declared he was brain dead owing to a terrible car accident in 2002. However now she can no longer tolerate those chronic torments which she and her son encounter. Indeed her situation is really worth sympathizing but we can hear the opposite tone from religious groups because they have adequate reasons to support their position. Euthanasia, a highly controversial issue surrounding physician-assisted suicide and human rights, has been debated between advocates and protesters. There are some good and bad influences euthanasia can bring about.
First of all, human rights might be challenged. Supporters say, "Why don't we have the right to decide whether our own life is not worth living any longer?" and "Why can't our parents or relatives make this decision for us when we are probably enduring a severe physical or psychological injury?" Like the author's entreaty above, supporters all long for legalizing euthanasia because they believe that euthanasia allows people to die with dignity and it avoids needless suffering. Furthermore, they consider hospitals unable to continue providing satisfactory quality and treatment to sustain an ailment or injury that is untreatable. They may as well end patients' suffering to anticipate a miracle. In most countries, patients already have the right to refuse life-saving treatment. Therefore, many believe this same right should be extended to permit euthanasia.
On the other hand, anti-euthanasia activists argue that voluntary euthanasia leads to involuntary euthanasia because we cannot be sure of a patient's will to die if they are unconscious. In consequence, protesters are worried that people may be killed against their will by doctors. For example, the famous Jack "Dr. Death" Kevorkian furnished a person with the means to end his own life. At last, he was imprisoned due to being involved in several assisted suicides. After this monstrous event was exposed, some inferred that doctors would become numb to death and wouldn't do their best to save lives. In short, they think a doctors' calling is saving lives rather than assisting in suicide.
Moreover, today our society is still not able to construct a humane as well as scientific framework as to supply a perfect solution for euthanasia. For instance, choosing how to die, where to die and when to die can manifest the dignity, value, and comfort in our lives. Nonetheless harking back tow years to the period when my grandmother was laid up with intestinal cancer, she said, "I do not fear death but I fear the way death will come." At that time, I felt so sad and could not refrain from tears. Obviously she would like to die peacefully without any pain. Many people don't hope their lives will be completely in doctors' hands, especially after unconsciousness. Supporters argue most people cannot afford such a considerable medical service and many families end up in severe debt. Indirectly, it will cause partial medical resources to be wasted if patients only remain alive but there is not remedy to cure them.
Suffice it to say that based on supporters' and protester's arguments, they both agree life is valuable. In 1997, the state of Oregon legalized physician-assisted suicide. Afterwards, in 2002, euthanasia officially became legal in the Netherlands, making it the first country to approve euthanasia. Currently there are many countries debating whether or not to legalize euthanasia. I believe modern medicine can prolong life but this debate over euthanasia won't go away as long as it cannot do as much to maintain the quality of life.
First of all, human rights might be challenged. Supporters say, "Why don't we have the right to decide whether our own life is not worth living any longer?" and "Why can't our parents or relatives make this decision for us when we are probably enduring a severe physical or psychological injury?" Like the author's entreaty above, supporters all long for legalizing euthanasia because they believe that euthanasia allows people to die with dignity and it avoids needless suffering. Furthermore, they consider hospitals unable to continue providing satisfactory quality and treatment to sustain an ailment or injury that is untreatable. They may as well end patients' suffering to anticipate a miracle. In most countries, patients already have the right to refuse life-saving treatment. Therefore, many believe this same right should be extended to permit euthanasia.
On the other hand, anti-euthanasia activists argue that voluntary euthanasia leads to involuntary euthanasia because we cannot be sure of a patient's will to die if they are unconscious. In consequence, protesters are worried that people may be killed against their will by doctors. For example, the famous Jack "Dr. Death" Kevorkian furnished a person with the means to end his own life. At last, he was imprisoned due to being involved in several assisted suicides. After this monstrous event was exposed, some inferred that doctors would become numb to death and wouldn't do their best to save lives. In short, they think a doctors' calling is saving lives rather than assisting in suicide.
Moreover, today our society is still not able to construct a humane as well as scientific framework as to supply a perfect solution for euthanasia. For instance, choosing how to die, where to die and when to die can manifest the dignity, value, and comfort in our lives. Nonetheless harking back tow years to the period when my grandmother was laid up with intestinal cancer, she said, "I do not fear death but I fear the way death will come." At that time, I felt so sad and could not refrain from tears. Obviously she would like to die peacefully without any pain. Many people don't hope their lives will be completely in doctors' hands, especially after unconsciousness. Supporters argue most people cannot afford such a considerable medical service and many families end up in severe debt. Indirectly, it will cause partial medical resources to be wasted if patients only remain alive but there is not remedy to cure them.
Suffice it to say that based on supporters' and protester's arguments, they both agree life is valuable. In 1997, the state of Oregon legalized physician-assisted suicide. Afterwards, in 2002, euthanasia officially became legal in the Netherlands, making it the first country to approve euthanasia. Currently there are many countries debating whether or not to legalize euthanasia. I believe modern medicine can prolong life but this debate over euthanasia won't go away as long as it cannot do as much to maintain the quality of life.
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