Question 1: Should a person have the right to choose euthanasia?

Question: 1

Should a person have the right to choose euthanasia?

The book explains how “it is permissible, at least in some cases, to withhold treatment and allow a patient to die, but it is never permissible to take any direct action designed to kill the patient.” (pg. 46)  But to withhold treatment and allow someone to die to me is kind of the same as taking a direct action.  In the end the outcome is likely to be the same and in this instance only we’re assuming that the patient requested to die or for treatments to be withheld.

When it comes to life and death there really isn’t a set date.  Everything we do and go through comes in time.  Sure a doctor can deem someone terminally ill and give them an expected date to live through but there is nothing set in stone.  More times than not if someone is termed terminally ill or placed on hospice care there’s a good chance that this patient will be passing on sooner rather than later.  So really why should they have to suffer?  Why are we prolonging the inevitable?   In this instance the patient should have a right to decide.  When a patient is in hospice care often times doctor’s etc will administer a drug called morphine every hour or so to keep the patient comfortable and reduce pain and suffering.  At this point all other treatments for potential survival have been stopped and it’s almost like a waiting game.  If we lethally inject prisons for the wrongs that they have committed and sufferings they have caused on others, then someone suffering and terminally ill should be able to decide what they want.