Dr. Kallfelz
PHI 3323 – 01
November 11, 2015
Euthanasia
Euthanasia is directly or indirectly bringing about someone’s death for their own sake. There are four different types of euthanasia, such as voluntary euthanasia, non-voluntary euthanasia, passive euthanasia, and active euthanasia. Voluntary euthanasia is when the patient or legal guardian agrees or requests euthanasia. Non-voluntary euthanasia is when the legal guardian agrees or requests to euthanasia while the patient is incapacitated or incapable of making the request. Passive euthanasia is withdrawing and withholding action, allowing the patient to die. Active euthanasia is when direct action is taken, ending the life of the patient. I chose to focus my paper on the article entitled “Voluntary Active Euthanasia” written by Dan W. Brock. In "Voluntary Active Euthanasia", Brock analyzes the arguments for and against the legalization of active euthanasia. From his perspective, an individual’s well-being and control over …show more content…
People have the right to make "important decisions about their lives for themselves according to their own values or conceptions of a good life, and in being left free to act on these decisions" (Brock 227). This allows people to take responsibility over their own lives as long as the person can make decisions. “For many patients near death, maintaining the quality of one’s life, avoiding great suffering, maintaining one’s dignity, and insuring that others remember us as we wish them to become of paramount importance and outweigh merely extending one’s life” (Brock 227. Life is about quality rather than quantity. Euthanasia is highly subjective; therefore, if it was legalized, then the law should not be very specific about the type of situation that euthanasia is permitted for a patient. It is important that the final decision of the situation be left up to the individual, their family, and/or their
PHI 3323 – 01
November 11, 2015
Euthanasia
Euthanasia is directly or indirectly bringing about someone’s death for their own sake. There are four different types of euthanasia, such as voluntary euthanasia, non-voluntary euthanasia, passive euthanasia, and active euthanasia. Voluntary euthanasia is when the patient or legal guardian agrees or requests euthanasia. Non-voluntary euthanasia is when the legal guardian agrees or requests to euthanasia while the patient is incapacitated or incapable of making the request. Passive euthanasia is withdrawing and withholding action, allowing the patient to die. Active euthanasia is when direct action is taken, ending the life of the patient. I chose to focus my paper on the article entitled “Voluntary Active Euthanasia” written by Dan W. Brock. In "Voluntary Active Euthanasia", Brock analyzes the arguments for and against the legalization of active euthanasia. From his perspective, an individual’s well-being and control over …show more content…
People have the right to make "important decisions about their lives for themselves according to their own values or conceptions of a good life, and in being left free to act on these decisions" (Brock 227). This allows people to take responsibility over their own lives as long as the person can make decisions. “For many patients near death, maintaining the quality of one’s life, avoiding great suffering, maintaining one’s dignity, and insuring that others remember us as we wish them to become of paramount importance and outweigh merely extending one’s life” (Brock 227. Life is about quality rather than quantity. Euthanasia is highly subjective; therefore, if it was legalized, then the law should not be very specific about the type of situation that euthanasia is permitted for a patient. It is important that the final decision of the situation be left up to the individual, their family, and/or their