Euthanasia, A Prodduct of Modernity

2014

Globally, the controversy on euthanasia traverses public opinion, decisions of courts, socio-medical and even legal discourse. In view of this, this paper considers, not only the general conceptual and ethical issues involved in euthanasia, but it also examines the subject from socio-medical and legal perspectives. The paper concludes that killing under the guise of compassion is potentially dangerous, morally reprehensible and ethically flawed. This paper however concedes that different countries should adopt alternatives suitable to their values and ways of life.

British medical bulletin, 1996

The potential of medicine to intervene to prolong or shorten the life of those considered to be dying or of those whose life is rated as of little or even negative value has only recently surfaced. It is an issue likely to affect society and the normative social relationships which that society believes it is its duty to promote. It is probable that, covertly, members of the medical profession have long played a role in speeding up the process of dying, with or without the consent of affected individuals.The openness, however, with which the moral issues involved in hastening or prolonging life by medical means are now discussed is a late 20th century phenomenon. Sociologists are beginning to study the circumstances surrounding the issues and the wider societal implications of possible changes in the law, professional practices and normative values. Their work may well begin to influence public policy as well as private practice.

International Journal of Science and Research Archive, 2024

Euthanasia is one of the most debatable and emotive subjects and has remained controversial on ethical, medical and legal grounds in 20th century and it still is. During all this this time public opinion, decisions of courts, and legal and medical approaches to the issue of euthanasia has been conflicting. It has sharply divided scientific & unscientific public to its supporters and opponents. All major religions are strongly against legalizing killing. A majority of the intellectuals are of the opinion that the sanctity of life, as a primary principle, should be given due consideration before legalizing euthanasia or mercy killing. In the current study authors will probe into the approaches of various countries, in different regions of the world, towards Euthanasia. In some Western European countries, euthanasia is a legal medical procedure backed up by the law and it is conducted for the ease of the critically ill patients. On the other hand, we do have countries where euthanasia is considered a murder like any other murder. On the third place, there are many states where euthanasia is a murder committed under some specific circumstances. In this manuscript the authors have tried to discuss different approaches towards euthanasia; how it is dealt with in different countries; it’s advantages, disadvantages and a comparison between the countries where euthanasia is considered as a murder and between the countries where it is a completely legal medical procedure.

Clinical Medical Reviews and Case Reports, 2019

Objectives: To define euthanasia, as well as orthanasia, misthanasia and dysthanasia, to start from this, to discuss the different philosophical, ethical and moral visions that surround the subject. Methods: Exploratory qualitative study which defined from the existing literature the pertinent concepts and from them brought discussions about euthanasia. Results: Euthanasia ("Good Death") and dysthanasia are medical procedures that concern the death of the human being and the most appropriate way of dealing with it. Euthanasia is primarily concerned with the quality of human life in its final phase, while dysthanasia seeks the extension of the human life quantity, fighting death. Euthanasia differs from social euthanasia, or misthanasia (miserable death) because it has no relation with the search for a good, smooth and painless death. Orthothanasia (art of well-dying) rejects all forms of misthanasia, yet does not fall into the trap of euthanasia or dysthanasia. There is a link between the economic devaluation of human beings and the cultural tendency that is increasingly emphasized in refusing the will of the right to live for those who are too weak to demand this right. Conclusion: A dichotomy between favorable views and contrary to euthanasia was obtained. This discussion is surrounded by modern moral, ethical and philosophical values that conflict with of the postmodernism. Euthanasia within a modern concept cannot be contemplated with the dominant values of the Christian morality. This moral is incorporated by the norms of health accepted by the majority of health professionals.

In the contemporary society, ethical issues raise more and more controversial debates. This has also emerged regarding the concept of euthanasia, given that it involves the decision of the patient who is facing the last phase of his life. Since this issue raises more and more debates, we consider it appropriate to bring into discussion the ethical aspects involved by the decision of dying a dignified death.

Ελληνικό Περιοδικό της Νοσηλευτικής Επιστήμης, 2012

Introduction: Euthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering. Aim of this review is to present different views and arguments about euthanasia and to discuss the Legal regulations and the way that modern societies confront the inevitable dilemmas that it brings in surface. A literature review was conducted on google scholar for articles about the theme using as key words: euthanasia, active, passive, pros/cons, legislation. Results: The results of the literature review came up with its pros and cons of it. Some of the pros are that it provides a way to relieve extreme pain, a way of relief when a person's quality of life is low and an insurance of the rights of dignity and self-determination. The basic cons of it is that it devalues human life, it has become a means of health care cost containment and that there are objections about the expressions of willingness for people under High psychological pressure or for population groups like older people with dementia or mentally ill. Under the pressure of the new circumstances in the last decades, Euthanasia became the subject of legislative interventions in a number of countries. But even the most complete regulatory framework cannot predict all the aspects. Every different case will always be a confrontation with important existential and emotional issues. Conclusion: Before resulting in Euthanasia, a person must consider the situation. There are a lot of circumstances under which euthanasia is a reasonable and responsible choice. Each case is different from another

Journal of Law Policy and Globalization, 2012

The euthanasia is one of the most debated issues in the world. The main focus of the debate has been weather euthanasia should be legalized or not. Euthanasia generally means a mercy killing. Contrary views and arguments exist in this regard. The present paper is a moderate attempt to examine these contrary arguments. The paper concludes with the observations that debate on euthanasia is still grappled with dilemma. This debate is continuing one as some people are of the view that the life is sacred and no one has got the right to end it whereas others say that life belongs to oneself so each person has got the right to decide what he or she wants to do with it even if it amounts to dying.

AFRICAN LAW JOURNAL, 2019

This article is an in-depth research of the remedies that euthanasia has brought since its acceptance in the world and the problems it has caused. It is a comparative article that examines euthanasia as a remedy or a problem. In the course of writing this article the negative and positive aspects of euthanasia were examined. We equally took apart the different types of euthanasia consisting of voluntary euthanasia, non-voluntary euthanasia, passive euthanasia and active euthanasia. Apart from the above, we equally took a cursory look at countries that have legalized euthanasia and the likely effect of such legalization in such countries. Euthanasia has been a subject of intense debate between its proponents and opponents. In the article we equally took the liberty of critically assessing euthanasia as a remedy or a problem. The article was wrapped up with recommendations and conclusions.

International Journal of Applied Research (IJAR),, 2021

There has been much debate in recent years all over the world over issues concerning the end of life, such as 'Suicide' and 'Euthanasia'-the assisted suicide. Euthanasia became a matter of general debate in the late nineteenth century for the rst time. The Public became conscious and felt the necessity to achieve a good death by allowing the terminally ill patient to die with less pain. The preoccupation of medicine in the 1950s to 1970s was to extend life at all costs (Van Delden 1988). However, both the concepts of patient's rights and liberty have widely highlighted the terminally ill person's right to decide the time and the way by which the person should die (Heintz,1994). The word 'Euthanasia' which is Greek in origin appears during Hallenistic period. "Greek word-'eu' means "goodly or well