The Right to Judge
There are not many issues more personal or controversial than assisted suicide. Watching a family member in pain or critical health conditions can be extremely heartbreaking, especially for a terminal illness. Hence, if there is no more hope or patient simply give up, what is the next step? Assisted suicide is one alternatives though it is no easy task debating between two end of the right to die. In fact, only a handful of countries, including US, allow this practice. Whereas in the US, merely five states- CA, OR, VT, WA and MT- allow assisted suicide. One need to make careful consideration and listen to each side of the argument before making a decision on a life or death matters.
In "In Defense of Voluntary Euthanasia", Sidney Hook is pro assisted suicide due to his suffering health history. He argues that he do not have to suffer more if he believes he has had enough. He also believes it is burdensome for the friends and family to live through his suffering process. Maintaining the lives of "those whose days and nights are spent on mattress graves of pain" is a waste of resources. Hook explains that these sacred resources be better used at the youth-"to increase the opportunities and qualities of life for the young." He points out that the responsibility of the matter lies on the chooser however foolish or wise the decision is. In "Promoting a Culture of Abandonment", Teresa R. Wagner argues that it is impossible to regulate such an issue as assisted suicide. It is no easy task to define which individuals to grant assisted suicide. Once this practice has been approved, many risk factors will follow suit. She explained that this method will become an easy way out for the hospitals and doctors to evade expansive medical care. Since modern medical science has the ability to ease the pain of suffering patients, she believes assisted suicide is not an answer. According to Wagner, the health care system in the country could " provide adequate palliation 99 percent of the time." The main reasons to oppose assisted suicide has to do with morality. She believes it is not a righteous path to abandon the sick, the weak or the elderly. This act is simply a "culture of abandonment", which is no different than society abandoning mothers, mothers abandoning their children and, "husbands and wives leaving or abandoning each other." She encourages people to replace "culture of abandonment" with the "culture of commitment". In "The Right to Choose Death", Kenneth Swift argues that during …show more content…
Bradley, they argues that " government must take an unyielding stand in favor of life." They believes intentional killing is not right no matter what, even for the terminally ill. Doctors are meant to heal not to harm. Therefore, they do not have the privilege to kill. More importantly, intentional killing is considered a crime in society. With the exception of few states, the law has no exception for homicides-terminally ill or not. Even the murder life is simply shorten; no one know by how much is it shorten. As anyone can die today, even the youth, the terminally ill as long as they are breathing should have the "same legal and moral right" everyone has that is "not to be intentionally killed." Thus, they believes government should support in favor of life. Only then "we are all safer where everyone 's life is prized, not
There are not many issues more personal or controversial than assisted suicide. Watching a family member in pain or critical health conditions can be extremely heartbreaking, especially for a terminal illness. Hence, if there is no more hope or patient simply give up, what is the next step? Assisted suicide is one alternatives though it is no easy task debating between two end of the right to die. In fact, only a handful of countries, including US, allow this practice. Whereas in the US, merely five states- CA, OR, VT, WA and MT- allow assisted suicide. One need to make careful consideration and listen to each side of the argument before making a decision on a life or death matters.
In "In Defense of Voluntary Euthanasia", Sidney Hook is pro assisted suicide due to his suffering health history. He argues that he do not have to suffer more if he believes he has had enough. He also believes it is burdensome for the friends and family to live through his suffering process. Maintaining the lives of "those whose days and nights are spent on mattress graves of pain" is a waste of resources. Hook explains that these sacred resources be better used at the youth-"to increase the opportunities and qualities of life for the young." He points out that the responsibility of the matter lies on the chooser however foolish or wise the decision is. In "Promoting a Culture of Abandonment", Teresa R. Wagner argues that it is impossible to regulate such an issue as assisted suicide. It is no easy task to define which individuals to grant assisted suicide. Once this practice has been approved, many risk factors will follow suit. She explained that this method will become an easy way out for the hospitals and doctors to evade expansive medical care. Since modern medical science has the ability to ease the pain of suffering patients, she believes assisted suicide is not an answer. According to Wagner, the health care system in the country could " provide adequate palliation 99 percent of the time." The main reasons to oppose assisted suicide has to do with morality. She believes it is not a righteous path to abandon the sick, the weak or the elderly. This act is simply a "culture of abandonment", which is no different than society abandoning mothers, mothers abandoning their children and, "husbands and wives leaving or abandoning each other." She encourages people to replace "culture of abandonment" with the "culture of commitment". In "The Right to Choose Death", Kenneth Swift argues that during …show more content…
Bradley, they argues that " government must take an unyielding stand in favor of life." They believes intentional killing is not right no matter what, even for the terminally ill. Doctors are meant to heal not to harm. Therefore, they do not have the privilege to kill. More importantly, intentional killing is considered a crime in society. With the exception of few states, the law has no exception for homicides-terminally ill or not. Even the murder life is simply shorten; no one know by how much is it shorten. As anyone can die today, even the youth, the terminally ill as long as they are breathing should have the "same legal and moral right" everyone has that is "not to be intentionally killed." Thus, they believes government should support in favor of life. Only then "we are all safer where everyone 's life is prized, not