Euthanasia

You base your argument on an intrinsic worth of people. I disagree that there is an inherent dignity of the human person or a value to the world simply by a person being alive. People are valuable for their contributions at some point some people can no longer add to the joy of the world. A sick, dying, and suffering person may no longer get any value out of life anymore; they may feel like and be a burden to society and family. That person may want to end their suffering and not be seen in as they are dying an agonizing death, they might not want their family to remember them like that; it'd be preserving the dignity and maximizing that worth of that person to give them the kind of quick painless death that they desire. No one should ever make the decision for someone else, but if a person decides for themselves that euthanasia is the best choice no one should stop them; it's a matter of choice. You argue that deliberately killing an innocent person is morally wrong. I admit that it usually is, but there are some instances where it is not morally wrong. Whether it is wrong or not depends on consent; it is wrong to murder, but not always to kill. It is the violation of a victim's will to live that makes murder wrong, but if a person doesn't will to live then their life isn't being forcibly taken so it is not morally wrong. It is the act of violating a person that makes rape wrong, similarly it is the act of violation that makes murder wrong, but euthanasia is a death without violation. I agree that we shouldn't define a person by their illness or suffering and we shouldn't make a judgement about their worth. No one has a right to make a decision to euthanize another person, only informed and consensual euthanize ought to be permissible. The Dutch abuse that you mentioned is horrific and involuntary euthanasia should be persecuted. Everyone should learn from their example and safeguards should be developed to prevent it from happening. Your statistics about suicide are not relevant. Although somewhat related it is still a distinctly different matter than euthanasia. Furthermore people seeking euthanasia would need a doctor's permission and that doctor could refer the patient to help if (s)he thought the patient could live a fulfilling rest of their life with treatment. You gave multiple historical examples of different societies fearing death. You claim this is an expression of people's innate understanding that life is good and death is bad. Euthanasia doesn't cause any extra deaths, so even if death is bad euthanasia wouldn't be creating any more badness. But I disagree that our fear of death is because of any innate understanding of morality, it is just a primal evolutionary trait; life has to value life or it wouldn't bother to keep living and protect itself and its species. I do appreciate the irony of using choice or autonomy to chose an action that prevents future choice. I argue that we shouldn't try to maximize the amounts or choices a person makes or the time they stay free, what we should be doing is preventing an outside force from taking away the choice, freedom, or autonomy of a person. It is ironic but not a contradiction.