Euthanasia a suffering patient? Psychology Research Paper

Is It Moral or Ethical to Euthanasia A Suffering Patient?
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Table of Contents
TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u Introduction PAGEREF _Toc39862202 \h 3
Background/History of Euthanasia PAGEREF _Toc39862203 \h 4
Reasons Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide are Morally Permissible PAGEREF _Toc39862204 \h 5
Adoption of the correct Use For Physician-Assisted Suicide models PAGEREF _Toc39862205 \h 6
Promotes quality of life among human beings PAGEREF _Toc39862206 \h 6
Need to Uphold Individual’s rights. PAGEREF _Toc39862207 \h 7
The Utilitarian Argument: Less Suffering PAGEREF _Toc39862208 \h 8
Use of Animal Euthanasia to support Human Euthanasia PAGEREF _Toc39862209 \h 8
Responses to Critics of Euthanasia PAGEREF _Toc39862210 \h 9
The Future of Physician-Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia PAGEREF _Toc39862211 \h 10
Conclusion PAGEREF _Toc39862212 \h 10
Is It Moral or Ethical to Euthanasia A Suffering Patient?
Introduction
Over the years, the topic of euthanasia has often been contentious and highly controversial. It has also become a matter of ethical and moral concern for physicians and medical practitioners who deal with patents from terminal illnesses such as advanced cancer, patients in a persistent vegetative state, among others. According to Keown (2018), the word euthanasia was derived from the terms "eu” and “thanatos" which means "good death." Notably, euthanasia is a concept whereby a person’s life is terminated to end their suffering from a terminal or permanent/incurable condition. In this sense, euthanasia is an easy death or mercy killing, which is subjected to people to protect from suffering. Thereby, the tendency to terminate the lives of those suffering incurable diseases at their request is an issue that has raised ethical and moral questions.
In the past, physicians only used their judgments during decision-making processes on the best approach to cater to the needs of their patients. However, the healthcare sector has evolved and is characterized by patients willing to make independent judgments in relation to their health and lives. The concept of euthanasia revolves around patients with unbearable pain and incurable diseases (Russell, 2016). Euthanasia entails a scenario whereby a patient is directly killed to prevent them from suffering, or a patient is allowed to die by omitting activities that may prolong their lives. In this sense, this paper will discuss the reasons euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide is moral and ethical right and should be incorporated in healthcare systems and legalized worldwide.
Background/History of Euthanasia
Euthanasia is an act that has divided opinions for many centuries. It is a concept that can be traced back to primeval times. Nordqvist (2017), states that most Greek philosophers did advocate for euthanasia as a way of reducing human suffering/pain. More so, both Socrates and Plato were believers that maimed children should be killed as there was no need to keep alive individuals who did not have hope of recovering from various conditions or illnesses (Nordqvist, 2017). Historians argue that in some Greek Colonies (Modern Marseilles), it was common for old people who felt that they had outlived their usefulness, to drink a lethal (death potion) after justifying before the senate their desire to die (Nordqvist, 2017). In the 1st century, the Roman philosopher Seneca also justified euthanasia by stating it was right to kill people who felt that death was better than living a suffering life. His claims were refuted in the 5th century by Saint Augustine, a great leader of the early church, who believed acts of euthanasia/suicide were a violation of God's commandment and stated that human beings should endure all sufferings (Nordqvist, 2017). In the 13th Century, Saint Thomas Aquinas stated that acts of taking one's life for any reason, including suffering was wrong and amounted to usurping God‘s power over creation and death (Nordqvist, 2017). He stated that all human beings are God’s properties and up to Him to determine when human beings should die. In this sense, the debate on whether human beings should decide on whether to end their lives due to suffering is a concept that began many centuries ago.
Most societies and countries have banned the practice of euthanasia in their healthcare sectors. Towards the end of the 20th century, most European nations had a provision to enhance lenient sentencing for persons prosecuted for euthanasia (Russell, 2016). In most countries, any patient of sound mind has the right to decide on whether or not to receive treatment. In most places, doctors are usually allowed to end their patient's lives through painless methods as long as they are in contest with the patient and his/her family members. In the U.S. and other countries, the debate on euthanasia has been present since the beginning of the 19th century (Feldman, 2018). The 1960s were characterized by several individuals and civil groups advocating for a right-to-die approach to euthanasia. In 1997, the state of Oregon was the first state in the U.S. to legalize physician-assisted suicide despite much opposition from critics who argue that the law was controversial and it should be overturned (Feldman, 2018). The first country to fully legalize acts of euthanasia was the Netherlands in 2001 and was later followed by Belgium in 2002 (Feldman, 2018). Other countries where voluntary euthanasia (physician-assisted suicide) is legal include Luxembourg and Switzerland while it has consented in Washington D.C, Montana, and Vermont (Feldman, 2018). Nevertheless, debate on the moral and ethical concept of euthanasia is a topic that is likely to persist for long due to varying opinions and views between supporters and critics of the practice.
Reasons Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide are Morally Permissible
In this life, all human beings should be given the freedom and right to choose on what are best decisions related to their health and lives. Crocker (2013), states that subjecting human beings to suffering is morally wrong compared to granting them their wish to die. Although critics of euthanasia argue that it is unjustified to end one's life, it should be considered worse to let people live a life that is full of suffering and somewhat undignified. It is better to understand that supporters of euthanasia are well aware of how precious human life is, but they also believe that human beings should not be subjected to pains or suffering, which cannot be cured. In this regard, they are several arguments that support the need to adopt and legalize practices of euthanasia in societies and in countries’ healthcare sectors.
* Adoption of the correct Use For Physician-Assisted Suicide models
Most countries and states that have legalized the use of Physician-Assisted Suicide have several requirements that must be followed during the process. Most of them have passed laws which ensure that the euthanasia-related activities uphold human dignity and that the decision to engage in them is justified and the best thing to do. In this sense, despite legalization, euthanasia practices are done morally to ensure that they are not misused by the physicians (Crocker, 2013). To begin, before physician-suicide assistance is done, the law requires that the patient must be diagnosed to be terminally ill and that he or she has six or fewer months to live (Mercadante & Piccione, 2020). More so, this diagnosis must be confirmed and supported by a sector doctor. In addition, the act can only be conducted if the patient requests for euthanasia twice verbally and once in written form. More so, the doctors must ascertain that a patient is mentally competent to make a sound decision. In this sense, allowing Physician-Assisted Suicide attempts is a practice that ensures that all the rights of the patient are upheld. Doctors and families can't force euthanasia on patients (Crocker, 2013). Therefore, the only kind of euthanasia that should be opposed is a situation whereby patients are subjected or coerced into such practices without their contests. Laws have been established to ensure that euthanasia is not a practice that de-dignifies human lives, rather one that ensures "death with dignity" and reducing human suffering and pain.
* Promotes quality of life among human beings
Most people have different definitions of life. However, the necessary concept is to understand there is a difference between living and having a quality life. Life is not only about one being able to breathe an...