Euthanasia Ethically Practice

Is euthanasia a medically ethically practice? When deciding if something is ethical or not, one must take a lot into consideration. In the world of ethics there are numerous theories and standpoints that must be considered when one is putting an action into question. There is a series of simple and complex tests and ways of thinking someone can go through in making the verdict if euthanasia is ethical in practice. Initially, one can look at what the aim of medicine is. As euthanasia is a medical practice. So, to begin the aim of medicine is curing disease and promoting health. Health is the absence of disease, and disease is the deviation from health. This outlook is problematic because, euthanasia is intentionally putting to death someone …show more content…
Unlike Utilitarianism and Kantianism which only offer one rule, principlism offers four rules and the opportunity for sub-division of those rules. The four principles are respect for autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice. Before, it was always thought that medical professionals know best, and they would make decisions without consulting the patient or even fully informing them of their choices. But with Kant and now principlism autonomy is an important component when considering if something is medically ethical. To reiterate, respect for autonomy is respect for individuals’ capacities to make decisions about their own treatment, and lives. So, with euthanasia, patients should be able to make decisions about even their own lives (lecture slides). But then there are rules two and three, beneficence and non-maleficence. Which is doing good to people and avoiding the act of harm. Lastly there is justice, fairly deciding between competing claims. One can argue that euthanasia goes against rules two and three, because they are causing harm to someone, because you are technically killing them. Although, you may develop mid-level rules. For example, one could state doing harm is medically ethically, if the outcome of doing harm results in more pleasure than what they ultimately started with. This can work for euthanasia, but since the four principles rules are vague, it is hard to deduce for sure if this …show more content…
A well-known libertarian, Tristram Engelhart Jr. has deduced, like utilitarianists that there is no difference between letting someone die and killing them ethically if there is a mutual consent of parties involved (Engelhart T). Along with him there is another person taking a modern utilitarian perspective. James Rachels has recommended that euthanasia is medically ethically based on the following argument; It is morally right, if the outcome brings out the greatest balance of happiness. So, in this case mercy killing may bring out the highest balance of happiness over unbalance, therefore it is morally right (Rachels, J). Modern ethicists are bringing popular, older theories to use for this modern