What is your opinion of human euthanasia?

Question

If you know you have a terminal illness where your body doesn't function but your mind does, would you want to be put out of your misery? Or, would you want to linger and suffer?
After all you wouldn't let an animal suffer would you?

Answer 1

We should have the right to choose - I know this has always been argued because of the Hypocratic Oath, but know that Jehovah's Witnesseses are apparently being allowed to die because they choose to refuse blood transfusions, the priciple should apply to others with terminal or incurable and degenerating illnesses or conditions (such as motor neurone disease, and possibly even altzheimer's disease). There is such a thing as a 'Living Will', in which you can state what you want to happen in the event of certain circumstances - You have to be judged to be of 'sound mind' when you make it - and whether the powers that be would respect it remains to be seen - remember Diane Pretty and her brave fight for dignity.

Answer 2

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RE:
What is your opinion of human euthanasia?
If you know you have a terminal illness where your body doesn't function but your mind does, would you want to be put out of your misery? Or, would you want to linger and suffer?
After all you wouldn't let an animal suffer would you?

Answer 3

I think the law in Oregon is a good partial answer. doctors there are allowed to prescribe euthanasia pills to terminally ill patients. The patients can decide for themselves when/if they want to take them. My understanding is that many more people keep the pills on hand than actually using them. But, just having them gives the people a sense of control over their own lives/deaths.

I'm all in favor of letting people decide for themselves in such situations. In others, such as Terry Shivo situations as someone else mentioned, the plug (or feeding tube in her case) should be pulled.

Answer 4

I don't know, since I'm not there, at least not yet. It's a bit worrisome if enlightening to see polls of healthy people about quality of life issues and compare them to people with major disabilities. For instance, a lot of people will say they'd rather be dead than quadriplegic, but if you ask quadriplegics, they have a completely different perspective, and suffering is a very subjective and individual thing, so I try to refrain from being an armchair quarterback when it comes to the sanctity of human life.

Answer 5

I must, firstly, agree with WWD's answer. But then again I agree with the rest of the statements that If It were me i'd like to be allowed to die with dignity and at time and place of my choosing with my family (if they wished) to be present.

Problems: The hippocratic oath seems from the principle of non harm (non malefience), but also equally important is the ethical truth of that IT IS WRONG TO INTENTIONALLY KILL. If we say that euthanasia is a good idea how do we get around this?? Believe me when I say that there are loads of books and papers with this discussion and this ethical truth cannot be overruled in any circumstance or in any court room, its just that certain countries or states do not inforce the law.

Answer 6

It seems like a good idea on paper... But in real life it would be too easily abusable. I'm against both, however, I'm all for a dying person, or a incredibly sick individual being allowed to take whatever drugs (whether it by medicine, or even things like marijuana) he or she wants in order to ease the pain, even to the point where he or she shortens his or her own lifespan doing so. I believe that the medical system is there to alleviate and aid in the preservation of life, and the easing of pain... It just seems wrong (and incredibly abusable) to allow patients under care of doctors who swore the Hippocratic oath, to commit suicide, or be "assisted" in their suicide. It's just too great a slippery slope. For example, whose to say that mentally depressed people shouldn't be allowed to be euthanized under their own consent? Depression is a mental disease that can, and should be cured, yet wouldn't it still be the choice of the patient whether he or she wants to kill himself or herself? Another example, what happen if an elderly patient is conflicted between the choice of killing himself or herself, or draining all of his or her children's inheritance? There could be (if the children are vile enough) pressure from the children to euthanize the parent, or there could also be a desire of the parent to do so in order to provide funds for the children (this sounds silly, yet you would be surprised at the amount of people that would literally die for their children to have money and be happy). There are many more examples...

Answer 7

A very personal choice we should all be able to make if of sound mind and terminally ill.

I think the bigger problem would be getting the rest of your family to understand your point of view, much easier sitting here in front of a computer giving opinions.

Answer 8

Whilst dying is not nice, at least as humans we can have our situation explained to us......animals cannot, so in fairness we put them out of their misery.

If euthanasia was legalised then I reckon it would be severly abused.

Most people who are terminally ill will be highly drugged when it comes to the end so will not have much knowledge of what is happening anyway.

Answer 9

Personally I would milk if for all it's worth because I'm a coward and don't believe in the afterlife.
But if someone wants to top themself, who has the right to say, "You can't do that"? Providing you are not hurting anyone else, just hurt yourself.
Don't jump under a train and mess everyones workday up-just do it.
You have the right (not legally, but morally) to do it if it becomes that bad.

Answer 10

i'm much favorable with euthanasia.. what value would my life have if i'm no longer of use to anyone?!? right? i would rather be put out of my misery than be of no use at all. prolonging my life would mean prolonging the agony not just to myself but to rest of the people around me, especially those who are really close to me.