End Of One's Life example essay topic

The central argument dealing with euthanasia focuses on whether people should have the right to control their own destiny. There are not many instances when euthanasia should occur except for in the cases of the elderly, people who have already lived most their lives that want to end their misery sooner rather than a strung out dying process. Physicians will often have the choice to kill a terminally ill patient. There are two sides to this argument, but from my standpoint a patient gives their Doctor the right to alter their natural course of life by paying this person to care for them. The medical profession is based upon a moral code of conduct, which needs to be upheld among medical schools, and by those who care for others in order for euthanasia to work. We see physicians to receive drugs that aid our system but alter the natural course of our body and soul's existence.

In trusting our physicians to provide us with care we expect the best opinion possible out of our physician. As Americans we have the right to choose our destiny unless killed early or sent to prison. The sick elderly basically have no control over their destiny at this point in their life regardless of whether they are cared for by their kin or a nurse. People who need to come to nursing homes to end their lives are seen as taking up hospital beds and the Government's resources. They are simply waiting to die, and many who wish to wait a few months less in the scope of things is not a big deal, especially if an educated decision is made between the person, family, and physician. If there can be an agreement that this person's life is no longer worth living, then the plug should be pulled.

However, this is not easy to assess, as people will always be able to offer something, however diminishing the returns may seem towards the end of one's life. I believe that if a patient is videotaped discussing with their physician intent to be killed via assisted suicide, they have granted control of their life into someone who should be able to make an objective judgment and is not terminally ill themselves. Thus is a big decision to end someone's life, but there are elderly everywhere who suffer from insurmountable pain and wish to end their existence for it will be easier than living through their agony. Leon Kass believes that Doctors should neither kill for love nor money and he makes solid points in stating his case.

On page 135, he brings up the difficulties in euthanasia working as voluntary death quickly becomes involuntary, as consent long in advance may not be justifiable to end someone's life. He sees the potential for the increase in assisted suicides once the floodgates open. This will help the world's population problem and although this is a realistic danger for our society, if it is viewed as a beautiful act rather than a violent one there will not be such a public backlash. There are many complications with being the physician that takes the life of another, as one must be able to be completely aware of all physiological and psychological consequences.

There is a large belief among the ill that if they cannot be cured, they want to be killed. As long as physicians and people are willing to go along with the wishes of the ill, there should be assisted programs for these circumstances for it will occur regardless. A soldier may end the life of a dying friend on the battlefield succumbing to their wishes. A gunman may kill an innocent bystander against their wishes.

Circumstances that approach each of our lives on a daily basis may change the course of our lives forever, but these random occurrences are what make life interesting. Nobody wants a terminal illness, which imparts a world of suffering on our lives, but these things happen, and each individual should have the opportunity to control the outcome of their existence.