According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, euthanasia was first introduced to the world in the early seventeenth century. The word derived from the Greek word euthanatos meaning “ easy death.” (Merriam-Webster) Ever since then, euthanasia has served as a controversial issue that over time has come to mean a way to attain death. Controversial issues have been brought up from different perspectives concerning euthanasia. Some of those perspectives are presented through religious, legal, philosophical, or even humane ones. Even though there have been many attempts to try to make it legal throughout the world, we have not yet come to a unanimous approach. Let alone in the United States of America. Through the development of this paper, the process of euthanasia will be explained and different perspectives will be presented. Along with the different terms that have been made in an attempt to make it legal such as physician-assisted suicide and the distinction it has with euthanasia. The states in the United States in which physician-assisted suicide has been legalized will be brought up in order to emphasize why it should be legal throughout the country. Euthanasia and the different types of it is a complicated issue that divides people ethically and morally. Even though there are too many varied religions and cultures throughout the world, euthanasia should be made legal throughout the United States, because of the right to self-determination, it is morally justified and it has been legalized in other parts of the world.
Euthanasia is defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as “ the act or practice of killing or permitting the death of hopelessly sick or injured individuals (such as persons or domestic animals) in a relatively painless way for reasons of mercy.” With that being said it is known that euthanasia is strictly frowned upon by most religions, some more than others. Focusing on the religious perspective of Catholics, it has been taught that God has forbidden the act of shortening a life because it is a gift from him. ( Camillo, 2013) The sixth commandment from the 10 commandments states, “ You shall not kill.” Euthanasia is an act of killing because you are ending someone's life. Through the religious perspective of Catholics, God is the one who created human beings therefore we should not interfere with God’s plans by shortening a human’s life. Catholics believe that God is the only one who can take your life away. However, not practicing euthanasia can also be considered an act of killing since you are letting the person who is in pain die. Instead of having them end their suffering through euthanasia, you are hurting them more, allowing them to endure the pain. ( bbc.co.uk, n.a, n.d)
The word euthanasia alone has been used to create different terms to describe the ending of someone’s life. For example, physician-assisted suicide. According to Merriam-Webster, Physician-assisted suicide is defined as “suicide by a patient facilitated by means (such as a drug prescription) or by information (such as an indication of a lethal dosage) provided by a physician aware of the patient’s intent.” Physician-assisted suicide is illegal throughout the United States as a whole but legal in some places. It has been an option given to individuals by law in the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington. (CNN Library, 2018) It is an option given to individuals in Montana via court decisions. (CNN Library, 2018) The case of Baxter v. Montana talks about Robert Baxter (plaintiff) who was terminally ill with lymphocytic leukemia and was seeking a lethal dose of medication prescribed by his doctor to assist in his own suicide. (Cases Briefs, 2009) Robert Baxter and his doctors filed a suit seeking to prevent prosecution for physician-assisted suicide. (Cases Briefs, 2009) In other words, the issue that was being discussed was “ Under the privacy and dignity provisions of the Montana Constitution, does a right to die with dignity exist, including a physicians assistance in dying?” (Cases briefs, 2009) The ruling came out in Baxters' favor, under the privacy and dignity provisions of the Montana constitution, a right to die with dignity exists, including a physician's assistance in dying. (Cases Briefs, 2009) It goes on to state that “the consent statute would protect doctors from homicide liability if, with the consent of the patient, the doctors provide aid in dying to terminally ill patients who are mentally competent adults.” (Cases Briefs, 2009) Allowing people to receive physician-assisted suicide should be made legal throughout the United States because patients who are terminally ill or enduring pain with no hope of getting better like Robert Baker should be able to decide if they want to die. Especially, if it was made legal in some states in the United States already and it has been shown to help people.
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Before going on, it is important to know that euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide are different terms. Physician-assisted suicide differs from euthanasia because even though euthanasia is defined as the act of assisting people with their death in order to end their suffering, it lacks the backing of a controlling legal authority. (CNN Library, 2018) Physician-Assisted suicide should be legalized in the United States as a country because there are states that have been able to make physician-assisted suicide legal already. If states have made it legal and it has been beneficial to the citizens it should be seen as a justifiable act in all states. People who are looking to end their life because they’re terminally ill or enduring pain should not have to waste travel expenses to another state to do so or have to make changes to their lifestyle. Like in the case of Brittany Maynard, a 29-year-old who had been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. (Schoichet, 2014) She had to move from California to Oregon because Oregon was one of the five states where death with dignity was authorized. (Maynard, 2014) As she states in a CNN article, “ I met the criteria for death with dignity in Oregon, but establishing residency in the state to make use of the law required a monumental number of changes. I had to find new physicians, establish residency in Portland, search for a new home, obtain a new driver's license, change my voter registration, and enlist people to take care of our animals, and my husband, Dan, had to take a leave of absence from his job.”(Maynard, 2014) She was one of the many people who have to go through what she had to in regards to moving around and going through the whole process in another state away from their home to be able to engage in physician-assisted suicide. It should not have to be that way.
It has been shown why euthanasia should be made legal in the United States as a country through the legal perspective. Now, analyzing it from a philosophical perspective, euthanasia can be morally justified through voluntary euthanasia being legalized. (Pusca, A. 2005)Voluntary euthanasia, meaning if a patient expresses clearly and repeatedly their desire to die they can resort lawfully to euthanasia. (Pusca, A. 2005) This can be morally justified due to a person's right to self-determination, freedom, and dignity. (Pusca, A. 2005) Self-determination means the “free choice of one's own acts or states without external compulsion.”(merriam-webster) This is because no one is forcing them to engage in the act without them themselves wanting to. Focusing on the United States of America in specific, in the Bill of Rights found in the Constitution the First Amendment right is the right to freedom, which is why people who are looking to receive euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide should be able to do so. They are the ones who know their bodies better than anyone else. If they are in huge pain and can’t stand it anymore they should be able to end their life if they want to.
Another perspective that could be touched upon in regard to the topic of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide is the humane perspective. For many, their perspective on euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide can change if they have had an experience with a pet seeing it through a humane perspective. ( Pierce, 2011) Since their mindset is basically saying that there should be a way out if a person is suffering just like there is for pets. This is considered to be analyzing the use of euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide through a humane perspective because it is looked more at the concept of having compassion overall. ( Pierce, 2011) Not being selfish in trying to keep loved ones alive or forcing them to stay alive if they are suffering and feeling pain. As humans, we see it as inhumane to see allow and see a human suffer and endure pain, especially if there is something that we humans can do to help the pain stop. Which is what we do with our pets, we put them to sleep through euthanasia if they are suffering and going through pain. If we know that there is nothing that can be done to make them feel better and get them to where they were before they became ill. If we do this for them, we should be able to allow humans to do so as well by making it a national law. (Pierce, 2011)
Euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide should be made legal throughout the United States because they can be defended and justified through legal, philosophical, and humane perspectives. People who are terminally ill should be able to receive such treatments due to the right of self-determination and freedom. It has been legalized in some states within the United States already and it has been proven that people benefit from the laws in those states that allow the acts. This can be seen in the case of Brittany Maynard. It can be concluded that it will be quite impossible to ever have a world in which euthanasia is legalized and accepted. Let alone in one country, since in the United States there has been a struggle to get the nation to see eye to eye on this issue. However, that does not mean that it is impossible.
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