Euthanasia: Death With Dignity or the Easy Escape

1
Euthanasia Death With Dignity or the Easy Escape?

• By CJ Fung
• Alex Carleton
• Jinna Pang
• Lizzie Devcich

October 30, 2006
2
Goals

• To explain both view points, supporting and
  opposing, of Euthanasia.
• To ascertain the value of Human Life.
• To explain what qualifies as Euthanasia.
• To elaborate on what the meaning of Dignity is.

3
Food For Thought

• Why does it seem more justified to euthanize the
  terminally ill, but not the handicapped,
  depressed, etc.?
• When does a person's life have no more meaning?
• Who determines when is the right time to end
  life?
• How would/could a doctor help to a patient, who
  was suffering, would they help he or she end
  their life?
• If you were the patient and terminally ill, would
  you chose to live or die?
• Can Human dignity be compromised? If so, how?

4
What is Euthanasia?

• Euthanasia- the intentional killing by act or
  omission of a dependent human being for his or
  her alleged benefit
• Assisted suicide to end a persons life who is
  depressed or terminally ill
• Process of eliminating disfigured babies,
  severely handicapped, disabled, elderly, and
  anyone else who may be considered useless to
  society
• Only countries in the world where Euthanasia is
  legal Holland and United States (Oregon)

5
Types of Euthanasia

• Physician Assisted
• Suicide
• Mercy Killing
• Involuntary Killing- Passive
• Voluntary Euthanasia- Active
• Ex. Hitler planned the Euthanasia for many
  different groups of handicapped people prior to
  his plan to exterminate the Jews

6
What makes Euthanasia a Moral Issue?

• An issue of moral concern is shown to be any
  issue with the potential to help or harm any
  person.
• This issue of Voluntary Euthanasia has only
  really become an issue in its own right in the
  last decade or so.
• Previously, the idea had not even entered
  anyones mind, as it was widespread opinion that
  any form of suicide was wrong.
• Today, opinions and knowledge have changed, and
  the topic of Voluntary Euthanasia has become one
  of very widespread debate.
• Euthanasia affects many more people than just the
  patient, but rather the doctors and all the
  friends and family of the patient.
• The arguments appeal to both sides gaining more
  and more support for opposing sides and creating
  a heated debate over the issue.

7
Legal Arguments

• Oregon Death with Dignity Act, a 1994
  referendum in which the citizens of the state of
  Oregon legalized physician-assisted suicide (Weir
  xii).
• Would legalization of euthanasia have beneficial
  or detrimental effects on society as a whole?
• Undermining professional integrity of the medical
  profession, coercion or forcing euthanasia on a
  patient who is unwilling, and the psychological
  stress and harm done- effects of legalization
• Effect of premature death of the weak and
  vulnerable on society
• Can there be clear and strict safeguards put in
  place to reduce the opportunity for abuse of
  legalized euthanasia?
• When Euthanasia became legalized in the
  Netherlands, in one year, doctors euthanized
  2,300 patients who asked for it, assisted in 400
  suicides, and took the lives of 1,000 patients
  who DID NOT request to die.
• Should euthanasia be legalized?

8
Terry Schiavo

• December 3, 1963-March 31, 2005
• Respiratory and Cardiac arrest in 1990
• Diagnosed as being in a PVS (Persistent
  Vegetative State)
• After constant legal battles, her feeding tube
  was eventually removed

9
Support Arguments

• If a person is in horrible pain and suffering,
  they should have the power of choice.
• A person who is terminally ill and can no longer
  do simple actions may want to be euthanized
  because they feel there is no more meaning of
  life.
• Many in a helpless state, may become a burden for
  others.
• They would like to leave the world with dignity.

10
Opposing Argument

• Euthanasia does not qualify as compassion because
  compassion means to suffer with.
• Many religions believe death is a decision only
  God can make
• All people deserve to live, because there is no
  point in anyone's life where they can lose their
  dignity.
• According to the Catholic Church although
  unpleasant, pain is a way for us to remember the
  way Jesus suffered for us.

11
Rick Hoyt

• http//thebluedoodle.com/writerpages/steve.html
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vryCTIigaloQ11

12
Public Opinions
13
Public Opinions
14
Works Cited

• Campbell, Courtney S. "Religion Sometimes Permits
  Hastened Death." Euthanasia. Ed. Lisa Yount. San
  Diego Greenhaven Press, 2002. Opposing
  Viewpoints Resource Center. Thomson Gale. St
  Ignatius College Preparatory (BAISL). 28 Oct.
  2006 lthttp//find.galegroup.com/ovrc/infomark.do?
  contentSetGSRCtyperetrievetabIDT010prodIdOV
  RCdocIdEJ3010200220sourcegalesrcprodOVRCuse
  rGroupNamesan74543version1.0gt.?
• ?"Euthanasia Is Unethical." Euthanasia. Ed. James
  D. Torr. San Diego Greenhaven Press, 1999.
  Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Thomson
  Gale. St Ignatius College Preparatory (BAISL). 28
  Oct. 2006 lthttp//find.galegroup.com/ovrc/infomark
  .do?contentSetGSRCtyperetrievetabIDT010prod
  IdOVRCdocIdEJ3010094227sourcegalesrcprodOVR
  CuserGroupNamesan74543version1.0gt.??
• LaHaye, Beverly. "The Sanctity of Life Must
  Always Be Respected." The Ethics of Euthanasia.
  Ed. Daniel A. Leone. San Diego Greenhaven Press,
  1999. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center.
  Thomson Gale. St Ignatius College Preparatory
  (BAISL). 28 Oct. 2006 lthttp//find.galegroup.com/o
  vrc/infomark.do?contentSetGSRCtyperetrievetab
  IDT010prodIdOVRCdocIdEJ3010027205sourcegale
  srcprodOVRCuserGroupNamesan74543version1.0gt.
  ??
• Overberg, S.j., Kenneth. "End-of-Life Ethics
  Preparing Now for the Hour of Death."
  AmericanCatholic.Org. Aug. 2006. 14 Oct. 2006
  lthttp//www.americancatholic.org/Newsletters/CU/ac
  0806.aspgt.
• ???Quill, Timothy E. "Physician-Assisted Suicide
  Is Moral." Suicide. Ed. Tamara L. Roleff. San
  Diego Greenhaven Press, 1998. Opposing
  Viewpoints Resource Center. Thomson Gale. St
  Ignatius College Preparatory (BAISL). 28 Oct.
  2006 lthttp//find.galegroup.com/ovrc/infomark.do?
  contentSetGSRCtyperetrievetabIDT010prodIdOV
  RCdocIdEJ3010164223sourcegalesrcprodOVRCuse
  rGroupNamesan74543version1.0gt.??
• Thornton, James. "Euthanasia Is Contrary to
  Christian Beliefs." The Ethics of Euthanasia. Ed.
  Daniel A. Leone. San Diego Greenhaven Press,
  1999. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center.
  Thomson Gale. St Ignatius College Preparatory
  (BAISL). 28 Oct. 2006 lthttp//find.galegroup.com/o
  vrc/infomark.do?contentSetGSRCtyperetrievetab
  IDT010prodIdOVRCdocIdEJ3010027206sourcegale
  srcprodOVRCuserGroupNamesan74543version1.0gt.
  ?
• Legalized Euthanasia Would Lead to Involuntary
  Killing." Euthanasia. Ed. James D. Torr. San
  Diego Greenhaven Press, 1999. Opposing
  Viewpoints Resource Center. Thomson Gale. St
  Ignatius College Preparatory (BAISL). 26 Oct.
  2006 lthttp//find.galegroup.com/ovrc/infomark.do?
  contentSetGSRCtyperetrievetabIDT010prodIdOV
  RCdocIdEJ3010094236sourcegalesrcprodOVRCuse
  rGroupNamesan74543version1.0gt.
• "Schiavo's feeding tube removed." Cnn.com. Mar.
  2005. 29 Oct. 2006 lthttp//www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/03
  /31/schiavo/index.htmlgt.