The claimed justification for euthanasia first takes the moral high ground of compassion. When a truer form of compassion is found in palliative care, the ground shifts to an appeal to human rights, especially to the sovereignty of self- determination." (Gormally, 1997).
The questions that are attached to this process lies in the moral and humane aspect. Is it morally right to commit such action towards your loved one? Do you really think that you are helping that sick person by ending his life? Is euthanasia the only way to ease him/her from such pain and suffering? And what about the power of miracles and prayers coupled with the determination of that sick person to live? These are just some of the queries that need to be taken into consideration with regards to the issues on euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide.
In a more religious point-of-view, euthanasia is an act that is and should not be socially accepted. However peaceful the act is done, it is still an act of killing (Nesbitt, 1995). No religious icons have voiced out strong support for his. Even the former Pope John Paul II strongly opposed with the idea. This just shows that it is inhumane.
Some stated that euthanasia is a decision made because of the strong desire to end the suffering of a loved one. but, the fact behind this is that it is a decision made due to lack of faith and hope. People would resort to medical assisted dying because they thought that nothing else is better. They thought that the sick person will just continue suffering, will just consume more and more medicine (and/or money) but he/she will just die in the end, so better end it while the suffering is not that extreme. Clearly, the loved ones, or the sick himself has no more hope and faith. They do not believe that prayers will find a way. They do not hope for something better anymore. Their faith for God has loosened.
Others...
But the truth is it is the tiring of having to take care of the sick is what is hoped to stop. People who are taking care of the sick are the ones who do decide for euthanasia. They will do that, not solely because they want to end the pain. Surely, at the back of their mind, they too want to end their suffering of having to tend with the sick loved one. They are too tired and too vulnerable hence a crucial decision has been or will be made.
References
Arguments Against Euthanasia..2004. http://www.*****/Politics/97.htm
Brock, Dan. Deciding for Others. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989.
Brody, Baruch. Life and Death Decision Making. New York: Oxford University Press, 1988.
Callahan D. The Troubled Dream of Life. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1993.
Classic Theories on the Morality of Suicide. Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 2004. http://www.utm.edu/research/iep/s/suicide.htm
Gormally, Luke. Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide: Seven Reasons Why They Should Not Be Legalized. 1997. http://www.euthanasia.com/sevenreasons.html
Immanuel Kant on Suicide" 2006. http://www.euthanasia.com/kant.html
Mills, M. 2006. "Euthanasia, suicide & abortion" http://www.renewamerica.us/columns/mills/060218
Nesbitt, W. 1995. "Is killing no worse than letting die?" Jounal of Applied Philosophy. 12(1). 101-6.
Nuyen, a. 2000. "Levinas and the euthanasia debate" J. Relig Ethics. 119-35.PMID: 12542049 PUBMED.
Rawls, J., Thomson, J., Nozick, R., Dowrkin, R., Scanlon, T., Nagel, T. 1997. "Assisted Suicide: The Philosophers' Brief" the New York Review of Books Volume 44, Number 5.
Robinson, B.A. Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide. December 2002. Ontario Cunsultants. http://www.religioustolerance.org/euth1.htm
