Euthanasia and our civilization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Euthanasia and our civilization - Essay Example Therefore, nobody can argue that letting die is better than killing in certain cases. â€Å"If a doctor lets a patient die, for humane reasons, he is in the same moral position as if he had given the patient a lethal injection for humane reasons† (Rachels 4). Arthur J. Dyck in his article An alternative to the ethic of Euthanasia argued against all forms of euthanasia. In his opinions, euthanasia is a dangerous policy and it is impossible to support a social policy in which people kill themselves. Compassion for those who are painfully ill and the concern for human dignity associated with the freedom are the major arguments cited in favour of euthanasia. Dyck has argued that these values have nothing to do with the process of dying. Regardless of the method employed for, the ultimate result of all forms of euthanasia is the same; the patient’s life is shortened. If one can justify the shortening of life using a method, then others forms of shortening life also be justif ied based on the utilitarian principles of ethics. Instead of euthanasia, Dyck put forward another term called benemortasia or happy death. Benemortasia provides the choice of how to live to while dying. â€Å"How a person dies has a definite meaning for those to whom that person is related. In the first year of bereavement, the rate of death among the bereaved relatives of those die in hospitals is twice that of the bereaved relatives of those who die at home† (Dyck 254). Joy and suffering are part of life and it is the duty if the community to provide assistance to those who suffers. Encouraging people to commit suicide is the failure of a society. It is dangerous to allow a physician... Right in the beginning, the essay makes a clear understanding of joy and suffering being part of life and it is the duty if the community to provide assistance to those who suffers. Encouraging people to commit suicide is the failure of a society. It is dangerous to allow a physician to decide whether a patient’s life is not worth living. Even after huge advancements in science and technology, we are still unable to unveil the secrets behind birth and life after death. Then the essay provides an example of Oregon, which is currently the only state that has an assisted-suicide law. On January 17, 2006, the Supreme Court ruled that the 1970 Controlled Substances Act (CSA) does not give the U.S. attorney general the authority to prohibit Oregon doctors from prescribing lethal doses of drugs to certain terminally ill patients who want to end their own lives. Then the essay brings us to the point, where human life is the most precious thing in this world. It should be noted that no body can return it once it is taken. It is quite possible that the doctor who is assisting a patient top commit suicide may lose his life at the very next moment. Nobody can predict or control the future of a person. In conclusion, the essay summarizes the aforementioned by reminding that life and death are beyond our control and it is logical to let it finish by itself. Euthanasia may not be a suitable option for a civilized world like ours. Increased rate of euthanasia definitely reflects the failure of the society.