Assisted Suicide Essay
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Forty-one year-old Peter Cinque was in the terminal stages of diabetes. He was
blind, had lost both legs, and suffered from ulcers and cardiovascular problems,
as well. He was being kept alive by a kidney dialysis machine. Then one day he
asked his doctors to stop the treatment. As a conscious, rational adult, he had
the legal right to determine what should or should not be done to his body. But
the hospital authorities refused to honor this right until he had been examined
by two psychiatrists to test his mental competence. After this, the hospital
obtained a court order that required him to continue with dialysis treatments. A
few days later, Mr. Cimque stopped breathing. He had suffered from brain damage
and was in a coma. Only after this and two court hearings in the hospital that
he was finally permitted to exercise his constitutional right of
self-determination (Ogg 61). What an unfortunate incident. Mr. Cinque was forced
to prolong his suffering due to a lack of guidelines to ensure the right of
self-determination. For this reason, euthanasia must be legalized in a way that
individuals to decide for themselves what should or should not be done to their
bodies. That is, laws must be strengthened and guidelines must be set to ensure
the right of euthanasia will not be denied to people. The case for euthanasia is
justified on three fundamental moral principles: mercy, autonomy, and justice (Battin
18). First, there is principle of mercy. This means that one ought to relieve
pain of another and that it is a doctor’s duty to relieve pain and suffering
for the patients. Granting mercy sometimes require euthanasia, both by direct
killing and letting die. Moreover, allowing doctors to end the life of
terminally ill patients is more merciful than allowing them to die slowly and
painfully. Second, There is the principle of autonomy. That is, euthanasia is an
individual’s choice. It is the right of those who have a desire to be free
from pain and total dependence on others to end their lives. The degree of pain
experienced by one can never be fully appreciated by another. Thus, no one can
decide for another, and no one can take a choice away from another. Third, there
is the principle of justice. Euthanasia is central to the liberty protected by
the fourteenth amendment (Leo22). Again, every human being of adult years has
the right to decide what should be done with his body. This also applies to
terminally ill patients who are especially in need of choices. They are at a
situation in which they must be allowed to decide for choices. They are at a
situation in which they must be allowed to decide for themselves. Otherwise, it
would be unconstitutional to deny them the freedom of choice in which every body
else has. It would be a crime to deny them this right because they are at the
mercy of other people. A lot of the terminally ill patients who wish to end
their suffering by death are denied by doctors and hospitals and, sometimes, the
law itself. Medical authorities often have to consult courts when it comes to
the issue of euthanasia. They fear of the responsibilities because they lack
concrete guidelines to exercise euthanasia. This only results in prolonging the
suffering of the patients. According to Isaac Asimov, “If a person is subject
to pain that won’t stop as a result of a disease that can’t be cured, must
he or she suffer that pain as long as possible when there are gentle ways of
putting an end to life?” (62). It is absurd to put terminally ill patients
through painful treatments unless they choose to, when euthanasia is available
as an alternative choice. Too often, because of hospitals and court delays, many
terminally ill patients are forced to prolong their suffering. Opponents of
euthanasia contend that life is too precious for anyone to decide to end it.
Cardinal Bernardin, arguing against euthanasia, states, “As individuals and as
a society, we have the positive obligation protect life…not to destroy or
injure human life directly, especially the life of the innocent and
vulnerable” (70). Another opponent of euthanasia, Ph. Schepens, wrote, “A
society in which the individual can exist only if he is wanted by others, and
who therefore ceases to have absolute value” (26). In other words, they claim
that euthanasia would lead to devaluation of human life because it would force
medical professionals and patients’ families to judge the worth of other
lives. However, their views are invalid. On the contrary, forcing hopelessly ill
patients to continue their suffering and total dependence on others would be
devaluation of human life. It is demoralizing for many of these patients to be
in such a situation of continuous pain and helplessness. Recall Peter Cinque’s
incidence at the beginning of this paper. If anything, his life was devalued. He
was forced to suffer even more severely because he was denied his wish of dying
to end his pain. Had he been granted his wish in the...
Asimov, Isaac. “No Mercy.” Euthanasia: Opposing Viewpoints. Ed. NealBernards. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1989. 62. Battin, Margaret Pabst.
“Euthanasia Is Ethical.” Euthanasia: Opposing Viewpoints. Ed. Neal Bernards.
San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1989. 17-23. Bernardin, Cardinal Joseph.
“Protecting Life.” Euthanasia: Opposing Viewpoints. Ed. Neal Bernards. San
Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1989. 70. Leo, John. “Assisted Suicide’s Slippery
Slope.” U.S. News and World Report 16 May 1994: 22. Ogg, Elizabeth.
“Euthanasia Should Be Legalized.” Euthanasia: Opposing Viewpoints. Ed. Neal
Bernards. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1989. 61. Peterson, Lynn. “Would Better
Pain Relief Make ‘Elective Pain’ Unthinkable?” Washington Post 12 July
1994: 19. Schepens, Ph. “Law of the Jungle.” Euthanasia: Opposing
Viewpoints. Ed. Neal Bernards. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1989. 26. Schofield,
Joyce Ann. “Euthanasia Is Unethical.” Euthanasia: Opposing Viewpoints. Ed.
Neal Bernards. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1898. 28.
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