Euthanasia

Thank you. I can understand why you think involuntary euthanasia should not be legalized, as that is a form of murder, your viewpoint is totally understandable. However, what about voluntary euthanasia? Where a person "makes a conscious decision to die and asks for help to do this". As the person has actually made the decision themselves, but just need help in doing this. They have requested it themselves, so what do you do? Tell them no? That is taking away their rights. However non- voluntary euthanasia is very controversial and more of a slippery slope. What do you do is a patient is brain dead and their chances of waking up are very limited (for arguments sake lets say 3% chance of waking up), the chances of that are so slim. I think of this on more of a practical level. It can maybe save scarce medical resources that could go towards a coma patient who have a 90% chance of waking up. Also, comas are unique to different people, and it depends on their type of situation. Also, on your point on contention 2, you said "it seems to me that patient"s near the end of their lives or severely afflicted by illness oftentimes do not make decisions in their right mind.". What if it was made legal that consent for euthanasia must be obtained before they end up in a state where they are not in their right mind? Then that decision would be made in the right mind, so before they get to that state, they have already given their consent. Then your point wouldn't be a problem. Your third point as well, life is too precious. Yes, life is important and precious, I think all life is important, and not just human life, but we lay animals to rest. But, is human life that important it should be strung out right to the very bitter end? I don't think so. I think life is important, and anybody who has got a life, shouldn't be made to suffer whilst living it. This brings me back to my first point as well, is death such a bad thing? Why is it regarded as such a bad thing? Without death, their would be no life. People don't know what death is, so I think that is why people think that death is a bad thing, scared of it and try to delay it. I agree with your point as well, it is the governments job to look after people, but, it is also the governments job to grant people their rights. That's why the Human Rights Act 1998 was passed. When you say as well "Also, think of what types of problems that could create"if, one night, someone got drunk and started to feel depressed, should they be allowed to kill themselves? " Well, if they kill themselves, so what? That is suicide, not euthanasia, and suicide is not illegal, so that is fairly irrelevant as suicide and euthanasia or two separate issues (how I regard them anyway). Here are some more points as well, why it should be legalized. You said that people would use euthanasia to their advantage, by pressuring, or making the decision on behalf of them. Yes, that can happen, but can't it also be regulated? Yes, it can. Murder, theft, armed robbery, rape and assault are all prohibited by the law, but people still do it. The same with euthanasia, not all people are going to use it for the worst, in most cases, for the best. But it can be regulated, but that doesn't mean people are never going to use it to their advantage. As I stated briefly earlier as well, thinking on it on a practical level, it can free up maybe scarce medial resources or medicines that could maybe go to a younger patient, or a patient with more of a chance of success. Also, their is no harm to the state, like you said, you may view human life as precious, but I don't feel like I should be able to force someone to stay alive against their wishes. By not legalizing euthanasia, you are not giving the patient any choice at all, but by legalized, you at least give the person the choice. Here are some other right to die cases: - Diane Pretty was terminally ill with motor neuron disease. She wanted the courts to give her husband immunity from prosecution if he was to help her to die. In Nov. 2001 the House of Lords Refused her application. I doubt her husband would have pressured her to the point of taking her case to the House of Lords and I would assume she would be in her right mind to carry as legal case like that. So why was her application refused? - Ms. B was left tetraplegic by a brain condition. She went to court because doctors refused to stop her artificial ventilation - Mrs. Z who had an incurable degenerative disease, wanted to go to Switzerland to die and Mr.Z to arrange it. An injunction to prevent the travel was granted to the local authority. It was overturned in 2004. - MS sufferer Debbie Purdy challenged the lack of clarity on the law on assisted suicide. She wanted to understand how prosecutors would make a decision on whether or not to prosecute her husband, if he was to assist her to get to Switzerland to be helped to die. Ms Purdy won her case and guidance was issued. Reasons to reject con's case summed up: - Euthanasia can be regulated - Euthanasia can be useful for coma patients as it can free up health resources - It is the governments job to look after people, but to also grant them their rights - Life is precious, but death shouldn't always be regarded as a bad thing. If there was no death, there would be no life - There is noting wrong with voluntary euthanasia, especially euthanasia is given consent before they lose their right mind. Or non-voluntary euthanasia to a certain extent and in some circumstances Here are plenty of reasons why euthanasia should be make legal. I apologize for writing so much as well, I do get caught up in these debates and I do end up writing mini essays. I'll keep it shorter in the next round. I also look forward to the next round as well. Good luck.