Plato's Argument Essay: Examined Life

The mantra of our very first BIC course, Examined Life, was an excerpt from Plato’s Apology. All throughout freshman year, I was haunted by the phrase “an unexamined life is not worth living” as I was urged to contemplate the quality of my life. At present, in my senior year, I am challenged with the question of whether an examined life that has come to its end is worth living. Voluntary euthanasia has become a significant issue in our society and, being a Christian, I am troubled with the task of determining my position on the topic while keeping biblical teachings in mind. It is difficult to grasp an explicit perspective from the Bible concerning voluntary euthanasia, for this practice was not possible, and therefore, not of concern at the …show more content…
Because of its implications for the sovereignty of God and value of human life, this has become a considerable issue. On the one hand, voluntary euthanasia is seen as disrespecting the authority of God and depreciating the value of life. On the other hand, voluntary euthanasia offers an opportunity to avoid excessive suffering and greet death in a peaceful, painless manner. These opposing positions are each founded upon a few distinct standards. The argument against voluntary euthanasia is founded upon the sanctity of life, ability of palliative care, religious view on human intervention, and possibility of suicide becoming an accepted norm. The argument in favor of voluntary euthanasia is founded upon the right to die, the absence of harm, the regulation of the practice, and the scarcity of medical aid. Regardless of any standard, the ultimate Christian goal is to live an everlasting life with God in Heaven. Though we must live our earthly lives in pursuit of faith, the final prize is acquired after death. Throughout the Bible, we see intentional death occur multiple times in order to avoid humiliation, gain nobility, or provide peace for those left behind. While God may have the final say in what our destiny on Earth will be, I believe we have the authority to determine how this destiny will come …show more content…
Saving the best for last, God created mankind as he “formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostril the breath of life, and the man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7). Clearly, mankind maintains a special significance on Earth, for not only did God create him but also breathed life into him. Though this may be figurative, it serves to demonstrate the exclusive importance of humanity, illustrating God as contributing more of an immediate effort in the creation of mankind. The relevance of mankind is further emphasized as God grants him dominion over all creatures saying, “let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky…and over all the creatures that move along the ground” (Genesis 1:26). It is apparent that mankind is an extraordinary part of creation as he is granted authority under God’s sovereignty. Therefore, the creation narratives validate the value of human life and, in result, challenge the notion of voluntary euthanasia. However, mankind’s authority does not cease with the creatures, it is extended to include authority over himself as well. For instance, Samson is portrayed as being given strength by God to die with his enemies on his own accord. Upon his capture, Samson prays to God and says, “Please, God, strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the