http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/euthanasia/against/against_1.shtml
Nour Saliba
Dania Adra
English 203
19 October 2015
Euthanasia
I believe voluntary euthanasia is
the most sensible option for critical patients. First, the goal of every doctor
is to cure the patient. The role of these saviors is not to prevent you from
dying, it is to prevent you from not living. By preforming euthanasia, the
doctor does not kill the patient, he merely puts an end to the suffering.
Friedrich Nietzsche is a German philosopher. He was known for his recondite
philosophical books and his well-known quotations. He once said, “One has observed
life poorly if he has not also witnessed the hand that mercifully kills”. In addition,
euthanasia should be allowed because humans born in this world are born with a
value, a conscience, and rights. And one of these rights is to choose their own
fate. However, that does not mean pulling the trigger of a gun if they are no
longer happy with the concept of life. It means pulling the plug to end the
unbearable suffering they are going through. By not allowing a man to end his
suffering, is equivalent to becoming the torturer himself. The main question we
should ask ourselves is: Whose life is it anyway? Finally, voluntary euthanasia
should be legalized for financial reasons. Keeping people who are terminally
ill alive is a waste of money as it will result in nothing but pain for the
dying patient and his family. Instead, that money can be used to save lives. Euthanizing
a patient does not only deliver him/her from the terrible pain their feeling,
but also saves a certain amount of money that can be put to good use and
permits a better distribution of health resources. Some people may see that as
a selfish unethical act. However, the true selfish act is keeping your terminally
ill friend alive by thinking you’re doing him/her a favor when really you just
want to avoid the moment of departure, still hoping for an impossible miracle. You
know what they say: Nobody is good at saying goodbye. In conclusion, I believe
voluntary euthanasia should be legalized. Euthanasia is like the merciful moon:
it takes you in the darkness of the night, ends your misery, and leave for your
loved ones the promise of tomorrow.
However, a lot of authors, associations, journalists, posted
many articles presenting arguments against the legalization of euthanasia. One
in particular caught my interest. It is an article posted by BBC news that was
able to make my rigid position towards euthanasia slightly waver. First, in their
article, BBC news stated, “Our lives are not only our lives for us to do with
as we see fit”. I admit that religious beliefs are strong arguments that can stand
as an obstacle against euthanasia. Our life is sacred, it is a gift from God, and
we should not have the right to end it. On the other hand, another
non-religious anti-euthanasia argument was able to penetrate my resolve and
make me question it. According to the article of BBC news, euthanasia is wrong
because, “If we change the law and accept voluntary euthanasia, we will not be
able to keep it under control”. Based on the fact that humans have the tendency
to abuse and bend the law, I agree with this point. Legalizing euthanasia will
be a difficult law to regulate. It will be a dangerous law that can be very
easily abused for financial reasons, and lead the mistreatment of patients, and
involuntary euthanasia. As BBC news points out, “Doctors may soon start killing
people without bothering with their permission”. Finally, some patients may
choose euthanasia for the wrong reasons. For example, elderly people may feel
the pressure of being a financial or emotional burden for their family and therefore
decide to put an end to their life without really wanting it. BBC news adds, “People
who are ill and dependent can often feel worthless and an undue burden on those
who love and care for them. . . . If
euthanasia is available, the sick person may pressure themselves into asking
for euthanasia”. This is a valid reason on why euthanasia should not be
allowed. However, even though this article presents sensible, convincing, and
plausible arguments, I stand my ground.
Work
Cited
“Anti-Euthanasia Arguments”. BBC News.
BBC News UK.
2014. Web. October 19, 2015.
moodle
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