Euthanasia

[acatfrommars]

According to Merriam Webster's dictionary:

Euthanasia: the act or practice of killing or permitting the death of hopelessly sick or injured individuals (as persons or domestic animals) in a relatively painless way for reasons of mercy.

Right now over 200 citizens in Belgium are protesting Euthanasia for children.

Around 200 people demonstrated in Brussels on Sunday against a proposed law that would legalize euthanasia for children in Belgium, expected to be voted on in the senate in the coming weeks. If approved, children suffering unbearable physical pain in the terminal phases of a disease could request euthanasia, provided their parents give their consent. Belgium is among the first countries to introduce euthanasia, having legalized it for adults in 2002.

Source

Debates on euthanasia have been going on for the last 50 years I'd say. In anatomy, I remember reading about the case of Anthony Bland in 1993. He had laid in a vegetative state for over a year, and the doctors had still not decided to pull the plug. He died soon after. What is your stance on Euthanasia? At what age do you think someone should have the plug pulled? As advanced as technology has become, today doctors are able to pull people out of these states but it is still almost impossible. If someone is in a vegetated state for over a year I believe that it is time for them to go. They are so far out of their mind that there is probably no coming back. It's a sad fact of life.

 

[lozzop]

I agree with you, after a certain amount of time people will just be living in pain. Only if they consent to it though, and if they can't consent to it then there close family should consent to it first. We're actually studying euthanasia in my RE classes, we're watching A Short Stay in Switzerland soon. But yes I agree, euthanasia should be an available option, it should definitely be legalised to. The choice lies with the person who is being affected overall, the law and other people's non tolerance of their ethical choices has no place, they probably wouldn't choose euthanasia unless it was the only remaining option.

 

[Raine]

My principle and perspective on situations such as living a life of suffering versus knowing when it's time to pass on, I lean towards the argument that euthanasia should be voluntary rather than involuntary. Human beings, or patients in this case, should have the option to choose to pull the plug, like lozzop mentioned. I honestly do not see the point in trying to keep someone alive for the sake of having their physical presence still exist. My sister often tells me of hospital patients that are operated on and then pass away a short time later. I'm sorry if this offends anyone, but what's the point in trying to keep a patient alive when they are already due? This point of view basically stems from my stance on overpopulation; the elderly are living longer than they used to and we have technological advancements that make that possible.

 

[Evyl]

What is your stance on Euthanasia?
This is a tricky thing to answer. I'm going to assume you're talking about situations where the patient is literally living off machinery. That is, without being hooked up to machinery, they'd be dead. In these kinds of situations, I think it's okay to "pull the plug". What's the point of using all that time and energy on someone who is not going to get better? I know that's a harsh thing to say, but it's what I think.

For situations where it could go either way (recovery to the point that the machines aren't need to live or need machines to live for the rest of your life)... I don't know, to be honest. I mean, a life is invaluable, and nothing changes that, but keeping someone alive permanently in need of machinery seems pointless to me. But if that life could change and live without the machinery... I don't want to pull the plug so to speak, since there's a chance, but again I don't want to go back on what I say about sustaining such a forced life is pointless. So I don't know. :\

At what age do you think someone should have the plug pulled?
I don't understand this question. It doesn't matter if they're a kid or a pensioner: if they're living off life support (umg I forgot this word in the previous question) and there's no hope of them making any recovery, pull the plug.

 

[Sopheria]

I think it should be an option, as long as the person consents. I mean, who are we to say what decisions people should make with their lives (including end it)? I don't agree with the idea, since there's always something you can do to make your life better, but if someone really feels that bad, then the person's choice should be respected.

But, I don't agree with cutting people off life support. The only person who should be allowed to decide whether or not someone will die is the person in question.

 

[Togfan]

I'm for the legalization of euthanasia with the person's consent. I find it hypocritical and unmoralistic to put down animals to "prevent pain", when you cannot do the same with humans. Besides, someone whose life is only laying in a bed knowing you'll die eventually--I don't blame them for rather wanting to die quickly.

 

[Taemin]

I agree with Togfan.

We can put down animals who are old, suffering, and in pain, but not people - just because they're people. I think that it's cruel to force a person in that condition to stay alive until they die on their own, if it's hopeless for them and doctors can do nothing to save them. Likewise, if someone is a vegetable for a year or more, they're likely not going to wake up. I know it's happened, but it's a slim chance, and I believe in that case sometimes it's better to let them go. Why put yourself through years and years of waiting and hoping for someone whose proven brain dead to wake up? It's just suffering for family and friends, without being able to move on.

For kids, I hate for doctors to give up on children, but same as for adults, if they're dying and in pain, I still think it's cruel to keep them alive for it. x__x If I had a child that was going through something like that, I'd not want them to die, because a child pretty much becomes your world. However, seeing them suffer pointlessly would be horrible, and I'd feel so bad for them.

 

[Raine]

I agree with Togfan.

We can put down animals who are old, suffering, and in pain, but not people - just because they're people. I think that it's cruel to force a person in that condition to stay alive until they die on their own, if it's hopeless for them and doctors can do nothing to save them. Likewise, if someone is a vegetable for a year or more, they're likely not going to wake up. I know it's happened, but it's a slim chance, and I believe in that case sometimes it's better to let them go. Why put yourself through years and years of waiting and hoping for someone whose proven brain dead to wake up? It's just suffering for family and friends, without being able to move on.

For kids, I hate for doctors to give up on children, but same as for adults, if they're dying and in pain, I still think it's cruel to keep them alive for it. x__x If I had a child that was going through something like that, I'd not want them to die, because a child pretty much becomes your world. However, seeing them suffer pointlessly would be horrible, and I'd feel so bad for them.

I guess friends and family just like them being physically there and they're afraid of what would happen after they do put them, people and pets, down.

My friend has a similar situation with their family member. And they mentioned that their grandmother believed that she's lived her life to the fullest. But living life to the fullest could mean something different to everyone. Not everyone has the same ambitions and dreams as someone else so it's hard for family to make those judgments themselves. In my opinion, and I hope this doesn't offend anyone who opposes the whole euthanasia issue, I think families who don't believe it in come off with a sense of selfishness. That's not to say that I'm a cruel person and want people's physical existence to be wiped from the Earth. I try to rationalize both perspectives and often times I find myself siding with that of the suffering individual's.

 

[Taemin]

I do the same. I had to watch my grandpa die pretty slowly from terminal cancer, and it was awful, and by the time he passed I was just glad he wasn't suffering anymore. :/ So that experience kinda set my views as far as euthanasia goes.

 

[Raine]

D: I'm sorry to hear that! I'm sure your grandfather is in a better place now, despite what other people might think. Nobody knows what is best for a person except themselves. I've never personally been through a situation regarding medical practices, but I'd assume it's heartbreaking seeing somebody close to you hooked up to multiple machines and family desperately trying to hang on to what's left.

 

[Kanzler]

Hmmm. Euthanasia is infinitely more palatable when the patient is suffering from a painful, terminal illness. I wouldn't have a problem with that, especially when you can get meaningful consent. Otherwise it's a grey area for me. A question, however, how do we judge if a decision is euthanasia or suicide? I can't think of any examples right now, but there may be instances when such a distinction is very fuzzy.

 

[Raine]

Ended up actually Google searching the difference between suicide and euthanasia. According to various sources, suicide is the act of intentionally ending one's life most likely because of despair whereas euthanasia could relieve someone from pain and suffering. Based on that, there appears to be a thin line between the two and even the wording makes it sound similar (or at least the way I worded it). And then there's the issue with voluntary versus involuntary euthanasia, which could essentially go back to the topic of suicide.

 

[Exothermic]

Euthanasia is an issue that raises tempers around the world. Everyone should have a choice as to whether they wish to continue living, or otherwise. In the case of extreme pain associated with terminal illnesses or accidents, euthanasia would be the most ideal option. In the case of a severely depressed person though, I'd think that euthanasia is not the best solution for them.

The age of consent should be at least 21, since children might not be able to rationalize on the importance of their life and may thus make these irreversible decisions in haste. For those under 21, I'm of the view that their parents/next of kin ought to have the final say when it comes to these matters.

Many of us intuitively realize that there're some circumstances worse than death, and there're certainly incidents where death is mercy. The real tragedy, I think, is that there're still countries where there is no choice for euthanasia or assisted suicide.

 

[Kanzler]

Does that mean suicide is acceptable if one decides they do not wish to continue living, and we have the responsibility to stand by, if not help them on their endeavor? Is there a line between euthanasia and suicide, and where do we draw it?

 

[Raine]

At first when you said acceptable, I immediately thought about whether you were referring to the law regarding suicide, and from my understanding, that doesn't exist. So I'm assuming you meant if it's acceptable from an outsider's perspective such as family or strangers. Drawing the line between euthanasia and suicide would be difficult because it goes back to an individual's morals, values, and beliefs, which differ from person to person. Whether people think life, their own and others, is worth fighting for or if you're suffering that you have the right to end it voluntarily.

 

[Sopheria]

I don't think there is any meaningful distinction between consensually administered euthanasia and suicide. In either case, someone is choosing to end their own life. I think whether or not it's socially acceptable is a moot point, because it's just a matter of "Do other people approve of this person's reasons for wanting to end his/her life?" And at the end of the day, the only person whose opinion counts for anything is the person in question (i.e. the one choosing to end his or her life). Their reason for wanting to end their life is no one's business but their own.

 

[Kanzler]

I don't think what's socially acceptable is a moot point at all. We can take the position that people's opinions don't matter. But we can also take the position that people's opinions do matter - after all, we have them, and they are formed for reasons, not randomly or arbitrarily. Euthanasia is taken as an act of ending pain. Do we have the same connotation with suicide? We often associate suicide with stress and despair. What would we think in a situation with both pain and despair - are the lines blurred?

 

[Sopheria]

I don't think what's socially acceptable is a moot point at all. We can take the position that people's opinions don't matter. But we can also take the position that people's opinions do matter - after all, we have them, and they are formed for reasons, not randomly or arbitrarily. Euthanasia is taken as an act of ending pain. Do we have the same connotation with suicide? We often associate suicide with stress and despair. What would we think in a situation with both pain and despair - are the lines blurred?

I guess you have a point. I should have phrased what I was trying to say differently.

I think the reason why people look at euthanasia and suicide differently is because in the case of euthanasia, the reason for ending one's life is something that most people can relate to: physical pain. I don't think most people can relate to feeling emotional pain so deep that someone would want to end their life. The position I take is, I can't judge since I'm not in that person's shoes, and either way, I can't relate to that person's specific experience.

 

[Raine]

I guess you have a point. I should have phrased what I was trying to say differently.

I think the reason why people look at euthanasia and suicide differently is because in the case of euthanasia, the reason for ending one's life is something that most people can relate to: physical pain. I don't think most people can relate to feeling emotional pain so deep that someone would want to end their life. The position I take is, I can't judge since I'm not in that person's shoes, and either way, I can't relate to that person's specific experience.

Like you said, you cannot understand someone else's pain even when you believe you can sympathize or empathize with their situation. In my opinion, if you really want to dig deeper into the meaning and the line drawn between the two terms, you'd have to look at the cases individually. That would take a tremendous amount of time considering there are many underlying levels of an individual from their outright behaviours to the deepest parts like conscious and unconsciousness mind. Because of that, many people consider hospital deaths as a result of natural causes or just unfortunate events/luck; in the case of assisted suicide happenings, they could easily and broadly slap the term euthanasia onto it. Anything else outside that environment where the individual takes their own life would be considered suicide.

 

[OmegaRuby and AlphaSapphire]

I think one should decide whether one wants one's family to pull the plug on them or not. I think one should have a thought in their head in case this ever happened, at least to minimize some of the pain on the family (though they may still struggle with one's wishes) during the decision process. However I do think one should wait some time before going ahead with ending those living in coma and pain.