Argumentative Essay On End Of Life

Even when a person is in a coma or terminally ill, the natural law and the fifth commandment require that all ordinary means be used to preserve life. Unfortunately, as of late, it seems that the media and court case outcomes seem to be advocating the belief that humans possess the “right to die.” Certain treatments and the ways in which the wishes of the dying are legally carried out can cause many arguments over the morality of end-of-life issues. Five states allow physician assisted suicide, however it is illicit to end one’s own or another’s life and proportionate care must always be given, along with an understanding of redemptive suffering.
When it comes to treatment, the Church recognizes a distinct difference between what is considered …show more content…
It is not from a lack of administering care that a patient is dying from, rather it is from whatever illness or disease from which they are suffering. When a person suffers from a terminal illness, has an organ that cannot work without mechanical assistance, has little chance of success from a treatment, or is being recommended dangerous therapy, then not using that machine, treatment, or therapy will result in the person dying from a disease or organ failure they already had. Even though the refusal may cause the patient to die earlier than they might have had aggressive treatment had been done, they are not being killed directly …show more content…
In these cases, it depends on the case of the patient. For example, the use of a ventilator to help a patient breathe can be both proportionate or disproportionate, depending on the status of the patient and why it is needed. If a young patient with serious pneumonia and difficulty breathing is placed on a ventilator, it is likely the patient will fully recover and until then, the ventilator is only being used to help the healing process. In this case, the use of the ventilator is proportionate and would be considered ordinary, therefore, morally obligatory