University:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Course:
17.S914 | Conversations You Can't Have on Campus: Race, Ethnicity, Gender and Identity
Academic year:

2022
Views:

244

Pages:

1
Author:

insphirandowd

Melanie Adams Reflection: May 16th Euthanasia Euthanasia has always been a big issue because many believe the right to die lies in the hands of nature or God. Some thought that it should be allowed in situations with an unresponsive person while some thought all forms of euthanasia should be allowed. The issue seemed to be about where to draw the line between allowing a person or a doctor to play an active role in the death of another person and just allowing the person to die. I personally feel that euthanasia should be allowed except in the case where a person has no physical or serious mental ailments and is suffering from something such as depression in which case counseling should be provided. I think those with the cognitive ability to decide what they want to do should undergo some form of counseling to ensure that is what they want to do. For those without the cognitive ability to decide or a written DNR, family should be allowed to call for euthanasia especially if there is no hope of recovery or barely any quality of life remaining. The case of Terry Schiavo was brought up and we examined both sides of the case with her husband wanting let her go and her parents wanting to keep her alive even though there is no hope of recovery. From my own observations, it seems as though those who oppose euthanasia have never had to witness the degradation in the quality of life of someone so they don’t know or understand what it’s like to have to take care of or watch someone else take care of the body of someone who is technically no longer with you. I think it is somewhat selfish as, the only reason people want to keep someone alive can sometimes be so they have the person with them instead of as a distant memory. Even for those who believe in a higher being, I don’t think it is fair to say that it is against their doing to want to take your own life. Most religious texts were written before a time where we had enough technology and medicine to be able to keep someone alive in a state of not being able to function on their own. Modern medicine has provided an outlet for people to live longer than nature seems to dictate so it’s only fair that we use modern medicine to allow people to choose when they want to go. 1