Argumentative Paper: Legalizing Euthanasia -- Assisted Suicide

Most people do not like to talk or even think about death; much less the topic of ending one’s own life. However, for some, death is a desired alternative to living in agony. Euthanasia has been a topic of debate since antiquity, and both sides stand firm on their beliefs. The right to choose death is illegal in most countries. I believe in people’s freedom to do what they please with their own bodies. The basic right of liberty is what America was founded on. Euthanasia should be a legal option. It’s important to start by understanding the different types of euthanasia. Allowing someone to die is, â€Å"Forgoing or withdrawing medical treatment that offers no hope of benefit to the total well-being of the patient, or that imposes burdens disproportionate to the potential benefits, allows the patient to die† (Manning 2). Traditionally called passive euthanasia, allowing someone to die was redefined by and is acceptable in the Catholic Church. Active euthanasia, also known as physician-assisted suicide, is when someone other than the patient ends the life of the patient upon explicit request. I view active and passive euthanasia to be one in the same with one very real difference; allowing someone to die delays the inevitable and the patient is left to twist and turn for awhile longer. Peter Chesterfield comments, â€Å"A terminally ill, mentally competent patient like me should not be forced to suffer. This is as morally unacceptable as murder† (qtd. In Friedman 8). On the other hand, â€Å"The phrase ‘mercy killing’ refers to someone’s taking a direct action to terminate a patient’s life without the patient’s permission† (Thiroux and Krasemann 184). Mercy killing is the form of euthanasia that must be properly monitored and consist... ...ties Toward Physician- Assisted Death: An Exploratory Assessment of the Vulnerability Argument,† Journal of Disability Policy Studies, vol. 16, no. 1, Summer 2005. Print. Manning M.D., Michael. Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide: Killing or Caring? Mahwah: Paulist Press, 1998. Print. Nordqvist, Christian. "What Is Euthanasia." Medical News Today. MediLexicon International, 26 Sept. 2014. Web. 05 May 2015. . Sharma, Shweta. "Euthanasia: Debate Rekindled on Right to Die for the Terminally Ill." Health and Wellness Resource Center. Mel, 3 Aug. 2014. Web. 05 May 2015. Snyder, Carrie L. Euthanasia: Opposing Viewpoints. Farmington Hills: Bonnie Szumski, 2006. Print. Thiroux, Jacques P. and Kevin W. Krasseman. Ethics: Theory and Practice. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2012. Print.