Help on writing a paper on Terri Schiavo case?

Question

I have to write a 3-5 page paper on Has Science Gone Too Far? I have to discuss the schiavo case and make reference to Dr. Kevorkian. Answering who has the right to decide life and death decisions? Congress? Doctors? Family? Individual? Should we legislate end of life/quality of life issues? How could we keep this situation from happening again? I really need the help on writing this paper. Any ideas are needed. Here is a short part of what i believe in what should happen:
With grace and dignity, that is how I think we should live our lives and that is also how I think we should end our lives. Death with dignity is a right everyone should have. I don’t want to be hooked up to a machine that is helping me breathe for years and years.
In case’s like the Terri Schiavo case, I think that the parents and husband should have come together to make life or death decision. When a patient is unable to make their own decision or is in an unconscious state from a catastrophic injury..........

It is then the family member’s responsibility. If a patient has a living will, I think the family and doctors should go by what the patient wishes are. You might think that the patient wants this way but you come to find out by looking at their living will that they wanted the other option. Everyone should have a living will to make sure their family knows what your wishes are. If your will is specific, you won’t be putting your family in a position that will put a hug burden on them. According to the article, Death with Dignity Debate started with Karen Quinlain, millions of people filled out living wills and advanced directives following the 1976 court decision.
If the patient has all his or her mental faculties, they still do not have the right to end their own life. I believe that nature should take its course rather than using the Thanatron—“death machine”— or anything other forms of euthanasia.

In the article, Dr. Kevorkian’s Latest Release: Death, Crimes and Videotape, the state of Oregon is the first state to legalize assisted suicide. I think this is totally wrong under any circumstances. God has a plan for all of us for when we die we don’t know when or where, I think we must accept that and let nature take its course.
In the article Life and Death tug of war: The whole Terri Schiavo story, Terri was receiving daily “tough-love” therapy sessions over the phone. The Therapists told Terri that unless she helped them in returning her from the comatose state that she was in that she was going to die a horrid death. I do not agree with this form of therapy.
Has science gone too far? I think that it has. We need to think more about the quality of the life we are trying to extend. Whether it be life support machines or forms of euthanasia, I don’t think we have the right to make decision that should be in Gods hands.

Please i really need the help on this paper. Thanks

Answer 1

When you are alive you can make a living will and if you stipulate that you don't want to be kept alive on machine or respirator should you become brain dead then they must abide your wishes.

Now if you do not have a living will then the State can do what ever it imposes and that is my opinion and this is why it is stressed to make out a living will right now why you are healthy before it happens to you.

Answer 2

You could make the argument that science has gone to far in preserving biological life after clinical death has occurred; that is what is at the center of the Quinlan and Shiavo cases and fuels the debate, "what is life" and what determines "quality of life". The machines that preserve life, do they prevent "death with dignity"? Ultimately,the decision to use or not use the machinery leaves the decision in the hands of humans. Do people have the right to chose their own death? Do others have the right to make that choice for others? There is both a moral and a legal issue involved. You need to decide what you believe and then argue your point. If you believe it should be left to God, then use the Quinlan advocates who fought to keep her alive for years,the parents and others who fought for Terri Shiavo and the conviction of Dr. Kevorkian as supporting evidence for your position. Is the problem really between science and a moral choice or is it really between conflicting moral choices based on traditional vs a more secular moral viewpoint. This should give you enough to write a good 3-5 page paper.

Answer 3

Wow! What you have so far looks really great. And there are a lot of people out there that feel the same way. Not many people wanna end life hooked up to a machine. Where's the fun in that?

If you could, and you have a little time, I'd do a small survey. Ask as many friends, relatives that question, and determine what percentages prefer extending theirs lives in suffering as opposed to the number that would rather just get it over with. That may add a litte strength to your paper (and your argument). It also shows the teacher that you ent above and beyond the norm but putting a little extra effort. And its not really hard asking people questions.

Good luck!

Answer 4

what is in terri schiavo's best interest?

Answer 5

Try theses websites. Hope they help. Good Luck!!!! What you have so far is good.