Final Assessment Paper

Phi104, section: 9
Submitted to: Nasrin Sultana mam

Name: Rifah Tasnia

I/D: 1912787642
ECE department
Topic: Euthanasia

What is meant by “euthanasia”? Explain voluntary, non-voluntary and

Involuntary euthanasia. Discuss the arguments for and against euthanasia.
Do you support euthanasia? Why or why not?

Abstract

Death obstructs the perpetual continuity of life. Death is the fine line that distinguishes between a

person’s conscious state and non-existential state. Humans don’t have the capability to retain the

command over their demise. It is because death can’t fluctuate according to human desire and it

will most likely have an unpredictable arrangement for each individual. However, the will to stay

alive can get ceased in many human minds. A person might be unwilling to undermine the

process of death and feel the need to control it. In some of the advanced countries, the law

provides an opportunity to establish the death date of an individual according to their own will.

This concept is widely known as euthanasia. Nonetheless, a person’s death has a vital impact

over his family or surroundings. Therefore, is it right to solely think about one’s own desire to

die? Is it necessary for a human to endure the pain which evokes the desire to conduct

euthanasia? Can euthanasia satisfy the religious point of views? These are some questions which

are answered throughout the thesis accordingly.

 Introduction to Euthanasia and categories of Euthanasia

The term euthanasia comes from the Greek word meaning ‘good death’.1 A person can face

several issues in their conventional life which can generate the idea of ending their life.

Consequently, it will be considered as suicide. However, this required act can manage to get a

lawful validation by constraining it with specified term and causes. Some developed countries

like Australia, Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Switzerland, and

several US States have legalized euthanasia.2 Euthanasia came into vigor on April 1, 2002 in The

Netherlands which was the first European country to authorize euthanasia.3 Whereas, in many

countries, euthanasia is unlawful and a person can be captivated due to assisting suicide.

Euthanasia is the terminology that refers an intentional ending of human life to ease the mental

or physical pain through sedatives. Selective cases should fall under integral consideration. Such

as if the attempters are mentally stable, if they verbally requests for it or if they are utterly unable

to endure the physical suffering and there is no ray of hope for their future survival. Euthanasia

has two fundamental classification. They are: - Passive euthanasia: If the patient withhold the

medication and abandon the life sustaining treatment in order to die is known as passive

euthanasia. Active euthanasia: When anyone premeditatedly ends a patient's life with excessive

1
Euthanasia. (2020). Retrieved 29 May 2020, from
http://caae.phil.cmu.edu/cavalier/Forum/euthanasia/background/euth/Euthanasia.html
2
Cheatle, P. (2020). Assisted Dying in Other Countries - My Death, My Decision. Retrieved 30 May 2020, from
https://www.mydeath-mydecision.org.uk/info/assisted-dying-in-other-countries/
3
Euthanasia in the Netherlands - Alliance VITA. (2020). Retrieved 27 May 2020, from
https://www.alliancevita.org/en/2017/11/euthanasia-in-the-netherlands/
use of lethal substance on their own or by instruction the patient is called active euthanasia.

Various controversies have been stirred regarding active euthanasia as it can be considered as

indirect murder.

Euthanasia can be furthermore categorized as: - Voluntary euthanasia: When a person intends to

die in spite of being entirely conscious and seeks help from an amiable individual who can avail

sedatives for them is called voluntary euthanasia. Non voluntary euthanasia: If a person is unable

to dictate his own desire to die but apparently is facing intolerable suffering by staying alive is

the condition which suffices non voluntary euthanasia. In this case a family acquaintance can

instruct the demise of the patient. The patient usually provides a pre notice to agree with the

relative's such instant decision to end the life.

Involuntary euthanasia: If someone ends a patient’s life without verbal or written predefined

consent of the patient is known as involuntary euthanasia. In such case the prime motive must be

to alleviate the devastating situation of a patient. Involuntary euthanasia is referred as murder in

many debates as it’s against the will of a living soul. Therefore, the law

regarding euthanasia allows people to dictate own demise; it enables an opportunity for

the relatives or doctor to assuage the pain of a sufferer; it refuses to settle along religious

ideologies and it violates the solemn oath of medical ethics. 

 Arguments for and against euthanasia

Arguments for:

Euthanasia is a modern method for establishing a person’s right to decide their death moment

before it actually comes. The skeptics have face controversies regarding euthanasia since the

Greek and roman era. Renowned philosophers such as Socrates, Plato, Bentham and Epicurus

dealt with euthanasia indirectly and established that they would rather support the idea of

euthanasia. Stoic and Epicurean philosophers considered euthanasia as a preferable option

whenever one refuses to care for life. The most famous statement of this attitude is by Epictetus:

"If the room is smoky, if only moderately, I will stay; if there is too much smoke I will go.

Remember this, keep a firm hold on it, the door is always open."4 Here, the advice to keep firm

control over the door of life is vividly depicted. Apparently, euthanasia helps a person to take the

lead of their personal choice. Bentham's follower John Stuart Mill (1806-1873) articulated that

the individual is sovereign over his own body and mind.5 He questioned the external interference

in the way towards one’s conscience oriented pursuing.6 Therefore, if one wants to die quickly

rather than linger in pain that is strictly a personal affair. Indeed, Bentham himself requested

euthanasia in his last moments. Palliative sedation is a form of euthanasia argument, which is
4
Cavalier, R. (2020). Euthanasia. Retrieved 29 May 2020, from
http://caae.phil.cmu.edu/cavalier/Forum/euthanasia/background/euth/Euthanasia.html?
fbclid=IwAR2SnwTNMr1fC2Z7AX23glaVu_GTp-B9twYMtDfS3-3pnoxnI4xjUpiNqsk
http://caae.phil.cmu.edu/cavalier/Forum/euthanasia/background/euth/Euthanasia.html
5
Cavalier, R. (2020). Euthanasia. Retrieved 29 May 2020, from
http://caae.phil.cmu.edu/cavalier/Forum/euthanasia/background/euth/Euthanasia.html?
fbclid=IwAR2SnwTNMr1fC2Z7AX23glaVu_GTp-B9twYMtDfS3-3pnoxnI4xjUpiNqsk
6
Mills, J. (2020). On Liberty. Page- 142 Retrieved 29 May 2020, from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Liberty#cite_note-58
when a person suffering from a catastrophic health condition. If there is no effective treatment,

the patient is put to sleep using sedative medication, despite of it being legalized in many places.
7
For example, palliative sedation can be offer to a person who is suffering from massive ribs or

brain damage. In this context British philosopher David Hume claims “I am not obliged to do a

small good for society at the expense of a great harm to myself.”8 By this statement it can be

deducted that a person shouldn’t think about the effect that might be caused because of their

death. Rather, he should consider his own inability to endure the sufferings.

7
PMC, E., 2020. Europe PMC. [online] Europepmc.org. Available at: <http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4311376>
[Accessed 29 May 2020].
8
 Dr. Massimo Pigliucci Professor of Philosophy City College of New York, D. (2020). Kant v. Hume on the Morality
of Suicide. Retrieved 29 May 2020, from https://brewminate.com/kant-v-hume-on-the-morality-of-suicide/
Arguments against:

Philosophers like Aristotle, Plato and Kant had indirectly formulated arguments against

euthanasia. Many individuals might choose to give up life sustaining treatments as they don’t

have the capacity to bear the cost or want to free their keens from financial pressure. It can be

acknowledged as dying with dignity.

However, Aristotle claims that people seeking death are weak and depraved.9 He wrote, ‘But to

seek death in order to escape from poverty, or the pangs of love or from pain or sorrow is not the

act of courageous man, but rather a coward.’10 This is an indirect argument against the people

who choose death instead of technically dealing with life. The diagnosis of any deadly disease

can be a mistake made by doctors which can lead a patient to perform euthanasia. A massive

number of human would choose to suicide driven by depression. Palliative care (medical

privilege) can ease the pain and euthanasia can be avoided. Plato denies the concept of active

euthanasia.11 According to him doctors should be punished with a death sentence if they intend to

take a person’s life with or without patient’s consent. For instance, the doctors are held

responsible in case of active or voluntary euthanasia. It is restricted to administer any drug that

can cause death according to Hippocratic Oath.  ‘I will neither give a deadly drug to anybody if,

asked for it, nor will I make any suggestion to this effect.’12 Pythagorean philosophers denied the

voluntary end of live which influenced Hippocrates. They opposed unnatural death in order to

preserve life. Moreover, if we consider Deontology, it is unethical to take a person’s life as it’s
9
The Loeb Classical Library. Aristotle. Eudemian Ethics. Rackham H, translator. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard
University Press, 1982: 320-4; line 1230a Retrieved 29 May 2020
10
The Loeb Classical Library. Aristotle. Nichomachean Ethics. Vol V, XIX. Cambridge Mass: Harvard University Press,
1982: 253-322; lines 1116a, 1138a, 11-15 Retrieved 29 May 2020
11
Plato. Laws VI. The Greeks. Od Hatzopoulos, ed. Athens: Kaktos Publishers, 1992: 80-81; line 993d.
12
 The Loeb Classical Library. Hippocrates. Vol I. Goold GB, ed. Jones WHS, translator. Cambridge Mass: Harvard
University Press, 1995: 289-301 Retrieved 29 May 2020
against the duty. The duty is to do the right activity avoiding all the consequences or pre or post

causes. Kant strictly believed that a human’s demise is proper only if it comes through the

process of self-preservation. Therefore, any form of assisted suicide abhors the fundamental

value of human life. As a result, philosopher Kant believed that regardless the situation an

individual might suffer for which euthanasia is wrong.13 Hence, it’s also forbidden with respect

to the religious point of view. It can be deduced that life is an attribute from god for which only

he has the authority to withdraw it. “When their time comes they cannot delay it for a single

hour, nor can they bring it forward by a single hour.’’ (Qur'an 16:61) Thus it is not wise to give

on up life, a few years or months before the actual time comes. The greatest good for Catholics

are to preserve life. The Bible says “Thou shall not kill” (John 14) Doctor assisted-suicide

deprives one to see the future that one could possibly have had, according to the Catholics.14

Personal opinion
13
Kant, E. (2020). Euthanasia. Retrieved 29 May 2020, from
https://talonsphilosophy.wordpress.com/2012/12/07/euthanasia/
14
Bastings, L. (2020). Catholic Teaching on Euthanasia | Branches Catholic Ministries. Retrieved 30 May 2020, from
https://go2branches.com/catholic-teaching-on-euthanasia/
My personal opinion supports euthanasia for a specific category of person. Hume claims that

“we have such a strong natural fear of death, which requires an equally strong motive to

overcome that fear,” Apparently, the one who decides to die, finds their life extremely unworthy

of living. Bentham's theory states that when an ethical dilemma arises, you should decide what is

morally right or wrong, depending on what has the best consequence which maximizes pleasure

and minimizes pain. Thus, according to utilitarianism when a painful situation take place, a

decision should be made to minimize the pain. This can also indicate to ensure painless

termination of life to end the unbearable physical agony. Technically, in this case, the pleasure

comes for the surrounding of the dead person, as the surrounding is no longer has a liability for

it. The loved ones might persistently seek the presence of their dying relative because only the

dying person is aware of the quality of his life. Although, deontology opposes euthanasia, but

considering consequentialism the act is right if the consequence is right. Example, for some

extreme kidney failure blood dialysis could be continued until death. It is a process which can

cause intolerable pain, thus euthanasia could be considered for this kind of specified cases. A

person suffering for inevitable disease (viz. AIDS) should have the right to perform euthanasia.

Thus, it is right to not let an ordeal condition bother ones quivering soul.

Example, for some extreme kidney failure blood dialysis could be continued until death. It is a

process which can cause intolerable pain thus euthanasia could be considered in this case.

However, in case of Goodall15 who has performed euthanasia could have taken palliative care

and try persistently to pursue life. “To make a person’s world vivid and intense we must

15
Scientist David Goodall, 104, ends his life. (2020). Retrieved 30 May 2020, from
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-44069885
undertake a recovery of practice and habit that dispose us to experience ourselves and the

world.”16

Conclusion

The one who has clear views about persistence which compels them to taken their own life

lawfully for incurable medical complexities, requires a chance to command their own death by

solely thinking about themselves. Euthanasia can never settle along any religious doctrines. A

righteous medical expert should assist euthanasia by analyzing the situation correctly. An order

called Do not resuscitate (DNR) is designed to prevent unnecessary suffering of an evidently

dying person. It is practiced in the most part of the world without legal issues. Consequentially; it

would be likely to establish the law accordingly. Ultimately, it shouldn’t be permissible to

attempt euthanasia without extremely detrimental situation.

16
Kavanaugh, J. (2020). Who Count as Persons? Page 147 Retrieved 30 May 2020, from
https://books.google.com.bd/books?id=auG8GaFlKRQC&dq=kevorkian%27s+Prescription:+Medicine:
+The+Goodness+of+Planned+Death+quotes&source=gbs_navlinks_s