Response To Debate On Euthanasia

6 Pages 1531 Words

In recent years, Euthanasia has become a very heated debate. It is a Greek word that means "easy death" but the controversy surrounding it is just the opposite. Whether the issue is refusing prolonged life mechanically, assisting suicide, or active euthanasia, we eventually confront our society’s fears toward death itself. Above others, our culture breeds fear and dread of aging and dying. It is not easy for most of the western world to see death as an inevitable part of life. However, the issues that surround euthanasia are not only about death, they are about ones liberty, right to privacy and control over his or her own body. So, the question remains: Who has the right?

For our debate we attempted to show the different views people have on the subject of Euthanasia. The two sides we considered where views for Euthanasia, and views against and the reasons why people would think this. These were not necessarily our personal views, on the matter.

The term ‘Euthanasia’ means ‘easy death’ in Greek.
Euthanasia is when someone requests purposely making or helping die, instead of allowing nature to take its course. Basically euthanasia means killing in the name of compassion. Euthanasia, can be ‘voluntary’, ‘passive’, or ‘positive’, Voluntary involves a request by the dying patient or their legal representative. Passive involves, doing nothing to prevent death - allowing someone to die. Positive involves taking deliberate action to cause a death. Euthanasia, at the moment is illegal throughout the world apart from in the State of Oregon, where there is a law specifically allowing doctors to prescribe lethal drugs for the purpose of euthanasia. In the Netherlands it is practised widely, although, in fact, it remains illegal. I believe that everyone has the right to choose how they live and die. Everyone deserves respect, freedom and the power to control their own destiny. Not everybody will have an easy death...