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Research Paper in Ethics
Research Paper in Ethics
April 2020
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Introduction
Euthanasia is one of the most debatable issues of our times from medical, ethical and
religious point of view. The word Euthanasia originates from the Greek word euthanatos which
means an easy death or Good Death and its pronunciation is \ˌyü-thə-ˈnā-zh(ē-)ə\. It is also
known as Mercy Killing or Physician-Assisted Suicide (1). In Arabic it is called ﺔﲪﺮﻟا ﻞﺘﻗ/ ﻞﺘﻗ ﺔﲪﺮﳌا.
Therefore it is defined as "The painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and
painful disease or in an irreversible coma"(2). Medically it is defined as: “The act or practice
relatively painless way for reasons of mercy; also : the act or practice of allowing a hopelessly
sick or injured patient to die by taking less than complete medical measures to prolong
life—called also mercy killing”(3). With the emergence of materialism and industrial
revolution, the debate for the legitimacy of euthanasia started and the materialistic
1. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/euthanasia.
April 2011.
3. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/euthanasia.
Introduction
Euthanasia (also known as mercy killing) should not be considered a form of
assisted suicide. Euthanasia and assisted suicide are different and should
never be confused. Euthanasia is the practice of ending one’s life. Doing so
may be caused by an incurable disease or extreme suffering. Euthanasia is
performed on patients that no longer have a chance to live and who are
suffering extreme pain. It is my opinion that euthanasia should be legal, but
only when it ends the suffering of a person who does not have any chances
of living. Prolonging the life of the individual will only prolong his suffering.
https://writemypaper123.com/examples/euthanasia.htm
In the Nicomachean Ethics he says that death is 'the most fearful thing', and he also says
that fear always has as its object things that are without qualification bad (1115a8, 26).
To commit euthanasia is to fail to see the intrinsic worth or dignity of the person. The
judgement that what has worth, intrinsically, somehow does not have worth, is both logically
http://www.alevelphilosophy.co.uk/handouts_ethics/EuthanasiaRelativismAbsolutism.pdf
http://eprints.gla.ac.uk/18453/1/18453.pdf
Ethics of euthanasia
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/euthanasia/overview/introduction.shtml
Voluntary euthanasia - where a person makes a conscious decision to die and asks for help to
do this
Non-voluntary euthanasia - where a person is unable to give their consent and another person
Euthanasia is the termination of someone’s life, when living becomes too unbearable for one
(physically).
Introduction
Euthanasia is the termination of someone’s life, when living becomes too unbearable for
one (physically). Historically, euthanasia is an action that was decided by someone through the
help of another to end his life. More specifically euthanasia is always associated with the pain
conditions who have very severe and is no longer open hope for recovery. This subject has been
a contentious discourse in recent decades and necessarily present a new ethical debate. In
1997, the Philippine Senate considered passing a bill legalizing passive euthanasia. This can be
done as letting a patient die in piece and does not perform any action that directly cause the
death of a patient. The bill met strong opposition from the country’s Catholic Church. If
legalized the Philippines would have been the first country to legalize euthanasia. Under
current laws, doctors assisting a patient to die can be imprisoned and charged with malpractice.
To commit euthanasia is to fail to see the intrinsic worth or dignity of the person. The
judgement that what has worth, intrinsically, somehow does not have worth, is both logically
1. https://www.healthline.com/health/what-is-euthanasia
1644.
Definition of Euthanasia
The word Euthanasia originates from the Greek word euthanatos which means an easy death or
Good Death and its pronunciation is \ˌyü-thə-ˈnā-zh (ē-) ə\. It is also known as Mercy Killing or
Euthanasia became one of the terms that are popular among medical scientist, ethicists, and
lawyers since the last half century. Today, euthanasia re-bloom discussed especially regarding
aspects of ethical-medical. Euthanasia is generally defined as; the act or practice of killing
someone painlessly suffering from untreated illnesses and painful as an act of mercy (Paola,
2010: 328).
Another definition comes from Kartono Mohamad which revealed that the meaning of
euthanasia among medical specialists is actually an act of helping someone to die more quickly
in order to free him from the suffering caused by the disease. Pressure point chosen by
Euthanasia can also be classified as: voluntary euthanasia, involuntary euthanasia and non-
voluntary euthanasia. Voluntary euthanasia is an act done by the patient himself or at his
request. Involuntary euthanasia is an act done without consent of the person concerned. While
Non-voluntary euthanasia where a person is unable to give their consent and another person
(http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/euthanasia/overview/forms.shtml ).
The second classification type of euthanasia is based on method of execution or on action
taken, namely: active euthanasia and passive euthanasia. Active euthanasia is an act done by a
doctor which resulted in the death as a direct effect. This type of euthanasia usually done
through medication or special drug causes death. While the definition of passive euthanasia is
when a doctor does not perform any action that directly cause the death of a patient. This can
be done as letting a patient die in piece by stopping medication (Ali, 2009: 221).
In general overview of this paper, we will be dealing on how euthanasia should not be
legalized based on the observations of some philosophers in virtue of ethics. Such as John
Locke, opposed suicide, therefore euthanasia was considered suicide, regardless how much the
individual maybe struggling. Locke argued that life itself is a gift that represents an inalienable
right, which shouldn’t be taken for granted (4). In the same way Immanuel Kant believed that
us being humans has huge value itself. Our inherent value doesn’t depend on anything else,
regardless having a good life we enjoy or not. The fact that we exist, has enough value itself,
meaning we shouldn’t end our lives just because it may seem necessary or being pointless.
Suicide like euthanasia was considered an example of an action that violates moral
responsibility in Kant’s eyes. As a result, philosopher Kant believed that regardless the situation
an individual maybe suffering, euthanasia is wrong (5). But for Aristotle, a person can have a
“good” death. Death's approach serves as the testing point of a person's commitment to
developing virtuous habits or vices in their lifetime. Aristotle firmly held that in the face of
suffering or even heartbreak, to voluntarily end one's life is a cowardly act. And many people
would suggest that euthanasia should be legalize but only to those facing an incurable disease
of medication and medical treatment are expensive and there the euthanasia enters either it
voluntary, involuntary and non-voluntary. There is huge difference between killing people who
ask for death under appropriate circumstances, and killing people without their permission
that’s why some doctors support voluntary euthanasia is because they believe that they should
respect their patient’s right to be treated autonomous human beings and to respect the wishes
of their patients.
Christians are mostly against euthanasia. The arguments are usually based on the beliefs
that life is given by God, and that human beings are made in God’s image. Some churches also
emphasize the importance of not interfering with the natural process of death, therefore
arguments based on the quality of life are completely irrelevant. To propose euthanasia for an
individual is to judge that the current life of that individual is not worthwhile it is because life is
a gift from God, therefore no human being has the authority to take the life of any innocent
person, even if that person wants to die. Since it is morally wrong to commit suicide, it is
This is an ethical issue because it is controversial, it is about life and death. It is an issue likely to
affect society and normative social relationship which that society believes it is its duty to
promote. Some arguments against euthanasia because they believe that it would weaken
society’s respect for the value and importance of human life and it would undermine the
state should not interfere with the individual’s right to die and human beings should have the
right to be able to decide when and how they die. For example, in the United States the active
euthanasia is illegal but throughout the U.S the euthanasia is legal in Oregon, Washington,
Vermont and California it is fine for them to have a euthanasia in their society or country.
In the Roman Catholic view, euthanasia is a grave violation of the law of God, since it is
the deliberate and morally unacceptable killing of a human person. The Roman Catholic Church
regards euthanasia as morally wrong. It has always taught the absolute and unchanging value of
the commandment “You shall not kill”. But in Aristotle’s view on euthanasia, he believed that
the goal of life is happiness. He cares little for the role of the individual and their autonomy, and
looks more to their social roles and obligations. From this point of perspective, we must also
take into account the fact that we cannot experience happiness in death. Therefore, we should
not go through euthanasia or physician assisted suicide so that happiness can still be felt (6)
because he emphasizes that the essence of ethics that every human life has a purpose. The
insightful words of Aristotle may be helpful in guiding physicians' final decisions.” An act
becomes a habit, which becomes a character which becomes a destiny.” As all practicing
physicians know too well, in the end they must live forever with their decisions.
mercy killing of a person even if they are in a serious severe disease or illness because this
person need a chance to live along and to see his life in this world.
Utilitarianism states that an action (for example, euthanasia) is inherently good or right if it
leads overall to more good consequences than bad, with maximization of good consequences
and minimization of bad consequences. Therefore, persons who advocate the legalization of
euthanasia say it will maximize good consequences for society as a whole by enhancing the
concept of respect for the autonomous decisions of dying patients, promoting trust in doctors
treating terminally ill patients, and creating cost-effective medicine for end-of-life situations.
Concurrently, euthanasia and assisted suicide will minimize the pain and suffering of those
“Death with dignity” is a movement that encourages legislatures to allow people to decide how
they want to die. Some people simply don’t want to go through a long dying process, often out
4. http://caae.phil.cmu.edu/Cavalier/Forum/euthanasia/background/euth/9thCircuitB.html
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2563317/
6. https://philosophy.stackexchange.com/questions/32919/aristotle-on-voluntary-euthanasia-
assisted-suicide
https://www.lawteacher.net/free-law-essays/medical-law/life-or-death-euthanasia-arguments-
for-and-against-law-medical-essay.php
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/8141521_Euthanasia_virtue_ethics_and_the_law
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zynv87h/revision/3
and-euthanasia
https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(11)64289-4/fulltext