Euthanasia Essay Research Paper Whether or not

Euthanasia Essay, Research Paper

Whether or not Euthanasia and assisted suicide should be legalized is one of the most hotly debated legal and ethical issues. Proponents of legalizing assisted suicide and euthanasia often defend their case by mixing two types of argument. One is based on social policy; the other is related to individuals their liberty, dignity, and pain and suffering. Some of these arguments are, in my view, flawed, and are inadequate to justify the legalization of assisted suicide and euthanasia. Legalization could have grave consequences, especially for those who deserve support and protection because of their vulnerability.

The social policy argument reflects a form of new realism that has been invoked successfully in discussions. The basis of this argument is that euthanasia prohibition forces people to commit acts of euthanasia or assisted suicide in appalling conditions akin to those of back-street abortions. It could be expressed this way; euthanasia is prohibited, the prohibition forces people to commit backstreet acts of euthanasia, therefore the prohibition should be abolished. Because euthanasia is actually practised, it should be legalized so that control can be exercised on the manner by which people are put to death. This realistic approach is not new. It has been a key element in the campaign to control the spread of HIV/AIDS. Lifting many of the taboos on sexuality was necessary to inform people about how they could prevent transmission of the virus. Needle-exchange programs and the distribution of bleach are also clear acknowledgements of previously hidden practises. Against those who opposed bleach and needle distribution, it was argued that the advantages of preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS outweigh any objection to drug use. As an ethical argument, it is not solid. It is a well-established ethical principle that the end does not justify the means. Although avoiding back-street acts of euthanasia is a valuable goal, it is dangerous to argue that euthanasia should be legalized. Needle distribution can be justified, but not just because its goal is valuable. It is more justifiable than allowing euthanasia, because using drugs is not the same as killing a person, or asking other for assistance in suicide. For example, the suffering and death of young girls during back-street surgical removals of the clitoris is not a reason to legalise the practice and allow physicians to perform it in ideal circumstances. A practice can be unacceptable, independent of its goal. This can be due to the revolting character of the act, but can also be due to the social consequences of legalization.

Is it true that the euthanasia prohibition is the cause of back-street killings. Euthanasia is necessary, it is claimed, because many patients are in agony and pain and are forced into life-prolonging treatments. However, people are not forced to undergo treatment. It is perfectly legitimate in Canada to refuse treatment even if this clearly hastens death. It is also legitimate to refuse food and liquids. Euthanasia is not the only method of relieving pain; adequate relief is possible for most patients, including those in the terminal phase of illness. However terrible the idea of starving to death might be, those who choose to refuse food and liquids can be kept comfortable without major problems. For the approximately five percent of patients who do not respond to traditional pain-relief treatment, total sedation can be practised. This does not mean that pain relief is always provided. Health-care professionals frequently do not provide adequate pain relief from an unfounded and often absurd fear of drug addiction. The solution is not to legalise euthanasia but to educate people, including health-care professionals, about treatment refusal and pain relief. This alone would solve many problems of suffering patients. The Special Senate Committee on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide, which rejected legalization, recommended making palliative care a priority and improving pain-control training for all health-care professionals. Proponents of euthanasia argue that the measures discussed above do not mitigate the loss of dignity that dying patients might experience. Why, they ask, should society have to impose a way of dying. Both arguments are based on the idea that legalizing euthanasia is a neutral policy that allows people to choose their way of dying. Consent, in this view, would be an adequate safeguard. As I argue elsewhere, though, legalizing euthanasia does more than offer a free choice. Words such as “dignity” and “dehumanization” are not neutral, objective terms. “Dignity” refers essentially to the way others perceive us. If we feel “undignified,” it is because we are so in the eyes of others around us. What constitutes dignity is culturally determined. For example, dependence on others is considered “undignified” in a society that values independence and self-determination. However, we are all confronted with loss of autonomy. We are dependent as children, and count on others when we can no longer work and take care of our own. This need not be experienced as degrading unless it is assumed that we lose our dignity when we are physically dependent or economically useless; the latter can be fostered by a legal system. Legalizing euthanasia sends a message: when physical and mental impairment undermine autonomy, dignity is indeed lost and life is no long