Title: Euthanasia Pros and Cons: Should People Have the Right to Die? - Soapboxie
Headings: Euthanasia Pros and Cons: Should People Have the Right to Die?
Euthanasia Pros and Cons: Should People Have the Right to Die?
Pros of Euthanasia
Cons of Euthanasia
Questions & Answers
© 2011 Paul Goodman
Comments

Content: Euthanasia didn’t become a major issue until the 20th Century when advances in medicine meant that doctors were able to keep hospital patients alive for very long periods of time, even when they had lost many of their basic bodily functions through sickness or injury. Physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia have been profound ethical issues confronting doctors since the birth of Western medicine, more than 2,000 years ago. — Ezekiel Emanuel
There are essentially two forms that euthanasia can take: ‘ Active’ and ‘Passive’. Active euthanasia is where somebody is effectively killed—they may, for instance, be given an overdose of morphine. Passive euthanasia is where a person dies because the medicine or treatment that is keeping them alive is withdrawn or stopped. Religious attitudes towards the question of should people have the right to die vary. Islam and the Roman Catholic church are very much opposed, whereas protestants and people who follow the Japanese Shinto religion tend to be more sympathetic to the idea of mercy killing. The Dalai Lama has stated that although Buddhism generally considers euthanasia to be wrong, there are exceptional cases and that these matters should be considered on a case by case basis. Below are the main for and against arguments that people use in the right-to-die debate.