Written By: Hyaal Wehab
The practice of Euthanasia is the process of prematurely ending a life to end pain and/or suffering of an individual. Euthanasia branches into multiple different types from voluntary euthanasia, also referred to as assisted suicide, which is the assistance from a doctor to end an individual's suffering, to passive euthanasia, which is putting an end to somebody’s life by terminating medication that the patient uses to stay alive. Euthanasia has its many forms, and is also legal in many countries and states. Though euthanasia is a well known practice, there are multiple views and controversial thoughts on this subject.
From the negative viewpoint of euthanasia, it is simply classified under criminal homicide. Euthanasia is not classified under homicide when it is used as a case of punishment for criminals, but many believe that euthanasia should not be legal in medical institutions, because it is therefore, classified as criminal homicide. This negative viewpoint is very religion based as well. In Christian culture, it is believed that god has a certain path for everybody, and by practicing euthanasia, it is interfering with god’s given path for an individual, and it is comparable to murder. This process not only affects an individual’s so-called “path of life”, but it also mentally impacts the doctor performing the procedure. Many doctors are emotionally and mentally drained after performing a euthanasia procedure, and they must see a psychotherapist after the procedure. It also seems that when euthanasia is legal in medical institutions, its utility is abused. It is hard to limit the process of this, or have a strict system once the law is put into place. There are many aspects that come into play in the negative viewpoint when it comes to the particular subject of euthanasia, but this procedure also has its positive contradictions.
Euthanasia is classified as a crime coming from the outside view, but coming from an individual's point of view, it may have its positive aspects. One of the main reasons why many support euthanasia is because, individuals have the right to die, and the right to choose. Death is inevitable; it is a part of life. People fail to realize that death is a part of having human life, therefore there is no crime in euthanasia; death occurs at all times, in many ways, and humans are given the right to determine the course of our lives. Individuals are born with the right to make our own decisions, and if a person decides that they want to go through with the process of assistive death, then that is their own decision, and nobody may stop them. Along with a person making their own decisions regarding their life, one’s decision to undergo euthanasia does not harm others. A part of human nature is for all people to have different views and interests, but a subject such as euthanasia regards only an individual and their decision; it does not pertain to public decision nor discussion. All reasoning behind the positive viewpoint of euthanasia is valid, but perhaps the most important is that, euthanasia saves lives. Laws regulating the process of euthanasia has cut the number of procedures without patient consent in half. Now that their are laws to regulate this, doctors must receive a patient's consent before they undergo this procedure, which saves the lives of those who do not want to undergo euthanasia, rather than being forced into it back in older times.
This contradiction between Euthanasia is simply caused by one aspect; death as a whole. Those in agreement with the negative aspects of euthanasia simply do not support this medical process due to the precious nature of life itself, and they do not find it fair to end anybodys life unnaturally. Those on the positive side do see the beauty of life, but they are in agreement with the idea that individuals have the right to the course of their life, and to make their own decision regarding their life. This idea of whether euthanasia should be legalized or not is all based on the idea of death; is it immoral? Should god’s course of life be interrupted? The answers to these is more a matter of one's views and opinions, but no matter the view or opinion, euthanasia will always be a large topic of controversy in medical institutions.
Wow. First of all I had no idea that this even had it's own word for it. So interesting to read and know more about it and how some people consider it to be suicide instead of thinking of it on what the person wants so basically it shouldn't be considered suicide.
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