Medical Euthanasia Research Paper by Jimbo2007
Medical Euthanasia
This paper discusses the contention that medical euthanasia should not be tolerated or legitimised for the simple reason that conduct designed to bring about the end of a life is the antithesis of proper medicine.
# 99363
| 2,452 words
| 19 sources
| APA
| 2006
| 
Published
on Nov 05, 2007
in
Philosophy
(Ethics)
, Hot Topics
(Euthanasia)
, Medical and Health
(General)
, Law
(General)
, Ethics
(General)
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Description:
This essay opens by outlining three distinct categories of euthanasia: active (where a life is taken through positive action such as injecting a patient with a lethal substance); passive (the withholding or withdrawal of life-sustaining medical treatment from the patient, thus resulting in their accelerated death); and assisted suicide (when the patient by his or herself commits the last act necessary to cause his/her immediate death, but is actively assisted by another in the process). Each category is then discussed separately with the conclusion raising the issue of whether euthanasia should be considered a medical act at all. The writer concludes that whilst there exist several key arguments to suggest that active euthanasia, which is akin to an act of murder, does indeed appear to be entirely inconsistent to the practice of proper medicine, this is clearly not the case as regards passive euthanasia.
Outline:
Abstract
Active Euthanasia
Assisted Suicide
Passive Euthanasia
Conclusion
Outline:
Abstract
Active Euthanasia
Assisted Suicide
Passive Euthanasia
Conclusion
From the Paper:
"A further argument in support of the contention that active euthanasia should not be legitimised on the basis that it represents the antithesis to proper medicine arises in relation to the submission that it is a 'lazy option' to the use of proper treatment and care. This the argument of Dr. Patrick Dixon, who points out that, whilst countries such as the UK have developed a considerable hospice system for the terminally ill, with around 160,000 people per year being visited by home care teams, this is not the case in the likes of the Netherlands, where hospice care is relatively poor and where, of course, euthanasia is widely practiced . An additional argument following this line of reasoning suggests that palliative care in general will not continue to develop under a regime of legalised euthanasia, precisely because the latter will always be taken as an alternative to the former."Sample of Sources Used:
- Amarasekara, K., and Bagaric, M. "Moving from Voluntary Euthanasia to Non-Voluntary Euthanasia: Equality and Compassion", Ratio Juris (2004), 17(3) pp.398-423
- Baker, C. "Law and Medical Ethics - Testing Morality", Law Society Gazette (2003), FEB, 100.08(18)
- Branthwaite, M.A., "Taking the Final Step: Changing the Law on Euthanasia and Physician Assisted Suicide", British Medical Journal (2005), 331 pp. 681-683
- Chan, NY., Chan, WY., and Chao, DVK., "Euthanasia Revisited", Family Practice (2002), 19 pp.128-134
- George, R.J.D., Finlay, I.G., & Jeffrey, D., "Legalised Euthanasia Will Violate the Rights of Vulnerable Patients", British Medical Journal (2005), 331, pp. 684-685
Cite this Research Paper:
APA Format
Medical Euthanasia (2007, November 05)
Retrieved March 25, 2023, from https://www.academon.com/research-paper/medical-euthanasia-99363/
MLA Format
"Medical Euthanasia" 05 November 2007.
Web. 25 March. 2023. <https://www.academon.com/research-paper/medical-euthanasia-99363/>