Euthanasia: Mercy Killing

Luis Valencia

Mr. Gill

Period 5

English 12

Is Euthanasia moral?

All over the world, people are suffering from a chronic illness and need to be relieved

from their pain. Though there are medications and advance technologies that provide the

assistance to end the pain however, people need more than just a pain reliever, they want to end

the pain in death to alleviate the agony. Euthanasia is the term use to end someone’s life, often

called ‘mercy killing’ however it’s illegal in California but there are three states allow the

practice of euthanasia, which are Washington, Oregon, and Montana. Even though there are

States that have the ability to euthanize a patient with their consent, the question that everyone

wants to know is, “Is euthanasia moral?” People have a different perspective on how they view

euthanasia; some see it as way to escape the harsh pain of their illness, others see euthanasia as a

way to play God, since he has the ability to give and take life. Though both statements could be

correct, evidence from both sides will determine the morality of euthanasia.

People who detest having a life taken away, especially religious people have their reasons

to do so. Some reasons are that euthanasia is morally wrong and it interferes with the natural

process of death. Euthanasia is morally wrong because it puts happiness over suffering, meaning

that having the person be euthanized can finally bring the person happiness by ending their

suffering. In reality those who want to commit suicide or assist with suicide aim too much on

suffering and ending it instead of trying to endure and trying to rise above the negative feelings.
 Euthanasia: Mercy Killing

The author, Brandon Norgaard states that “everyone suffers in life and we have the ability to

endure it though positive thinking and focus,” (Norgaard, 2010) meaning that everyone can live

through suffering regardless of the circumstance. Another comment that he made was that even

though euthanasia can create happiness or end suffering, life is incomparably more important and

sacred that we should embrace it. Another reason that euthanasia shouldn’t be allowed is because

it could be abused and used to cover for murder. Those who oppose euthanasia say that “society

becomes more tolerant of killing, eventually making involuntary killing and killing for societal

convenience acceptable.”(Health) With these we can understand that adding euthanasia as a

medical treatment could mean that it would be alright to kill a person.

For those who believe that euthanasia should be legalized and morally right have reasons

of their own. Their reasons for euthanasia include unbearable pain, the patient’s right to commit

suicide, and that the patient shouldn’t be force to stay alive. Unbearable pain is one of the

reasons because patients that want euthanasia are terminally ill and due to their terminal illness

they suffer excruciating pain through their life. Though doctors have the ability to alleviate their

pain, it may not be enough to end it or it could leave the patient in a drugged state. The author

response to this is “The solution is to mandate better education of health care professionals on

these crucial issues, to expand access to health care, and to inform patients about their rights as

consumers.”(Reasona for Euthanasia) From this response, the author is stating that drugs can’t be

the only way to relieve pain and euthanasia should be one way to do it. The patient’s right to end

their life is another reason for euthanasia. people have the right what to do to their bodies, even

death but the right to their life should be given not just to the patient that wants euthanasia but

the doctor or relatives that’s going to administer the treatment. “People do have the power to

commit suicide,” (Reason for Euthanasia) is what the pro-euthanasia author states simply
 Euthanasia: Mercy Killing

implying that people don’t have restraints on what to do with their life. Should people be forced

to live? Well according to the author of Reasons for Euthanasia “neither the law nor medical

ethics requires that ‘everything be done’ to keep a person alive.”(Reason for Euthanasia)

Regardless of the circumstance people don’t have to stay alive, everyone has the right to their

life, if they want to die or not, it all to their choice.

Though both sides make a good point on the decision of euthanasia being moral, I would

side with euthanasia being immoral. I made this decision because life is precious and we only

have one and live it till your life ends. Another reason is because medical science is expanding

and if euthanasia is considered a medical treatment then there would be no point in trying to find

a cure for illness if death is the cure for everything. Yes, patients have the ability to end their

own life but, they aren’t considering the feelings of the people around them. Pain causes people

to want euthanasia but according to surveys in the USA and the Netherlands, where euthanasia is

legalized, it shows that less than a third that asks for mercy killing is because of pain, meaning

that not all patients want to end their life due to pain. Patients die from refusing burdensome or

extraordinary medical treatment, people also die from receiving drugs that help them fight off the

pain but shortens their life span, when this occurs it is called Doctrine of Double Effect. People

are bound to die, regardless of what they do; it’s the way of life. Instead of trying to kill them

and end their life quicker, we should instead embrace what life they have and enjoy it, till their

time comes.
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Works Cited

BBC News. BBC. Web. 09 Apr. 2013.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/euthanasia/overview/introduction.shtml#top

"Ethicsforschools.org - Euthanasia." Ethicsforschools.org - Euthanasia. Web. 09 Apr. 2013.

http://www.ethicsforschools.org/euthanasia/twelve.htm

"Euthanasia and Assisted Dying." BBC News. BBC. Web. 09 Apr. 2013.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/christianethics/euthanasia_1.shtml

"Facts About Euthanasia." Facts About Euthanasia. Web. 09 Apr. 2013. http://www.terrisfight.org/facts-

about-euthanasia/

"Health." Euthanasia, Information about Euthanasia. Web. 09 Apr. 2013.

http://www.faqs.org/health/topics/48/Euthanasia.html

Norgaard, B. ( 4, November 2012). "Is Euthanasia Morally Acceptable?" Seeking a More Enlightened

Worldview. Web. 9 Apr. 2013. http://enlightenedworldview.com/blog/?title=is-euthanasia-morally-

acceptable&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1

"Reasons for Euthanasia." Reasons for Euthanasia. Web. 09 Apr. 2013.

http://www.euthanasia.com/reasonsforeuthanasia.html