Is euthanasia morally wrong? franklin1950: we live in a very strange time when things that might be concidered as immoral or unethical are legal under the law .  Coffrey: I guess it depends. If you haven't felt suicidal at one point in your life, then you haven't truly cared about something. But after we get past that point, we get over it or what have you, we accept that we didn't really want to die. So to some depressed sap, yeah I think there should be other measures. But to someone who may be dying of something slowly or so filled with depression for a lot of their life, if they make that decision, I see no reason why it's wrong.  Dennae: It is related to the bible, most laws in western civilisation are. Ecclesiastes 8:8 No man has power to retain the spirit, or power over the day of death. and of course "You shall not murder" However, that said, passive euthanasia (the withdrawal of medical intervention that is keeping a person alive) is carried out everyday in every hospital in the world. Active euthanasia (or assisted suicide) is what seems to be where a moral dilemna occurs. I believe that the rule/law should be about quality of life, not the quantity.  violeta23: Absolutely not. Well first of all, one of the best qualities human beings possess is empathy . We need to consider someone's quality of life if they are living in perpetual misery and suffering. We need to seriously confront whether we could bear living the life they currently are. It's easy to simply say "no" to someone wanting to end their life if you're not actually envisioning what life as that person must be like. Are we being kind by letting their 'life' continue - I use that term loosely - I really doubt you can call the life of someone with locked in syndrome a 'life', for instance. Imagine how terribly frightening, frustrating and upsetting it must be. Your life is...meaningless without proper means of communication or movement. It's at least like 70% of our lives. It's so important that we don't even notice it sometimes, it just is. We take it for granted. It's so easy to preach 'but their life is still precious!', why don't YOU try living with that condition and tell me how you like it. Not being able to speak or move, locked inside the vessel that is your body, unable to communicate properly and experience life like a fully-functioning, 'normal' person. I can think of nothing worse. At least in death there is no consciousness. To suffer life in that way would be sheer torture. Most importantly, and I take an absolutist stance on this (just like some of you probably take an absolutist view that 'killing is always wrong!!!!' nobody else has a right to exercise control over my body and what happens to it except me. Because then where do we draw the line? It means there are no set parameters for where my right to choice and control over MY OWN BODY begins and ends. If someone else can decide for me whether or not I live or die, what else can they decide for me? What I do? What I eat? What I say? What I think? Then we have a 1984 situation on our hands, and think how well that would work out for all of us. I decide when I die. You don't. You don't have any say in what happens to my body or any say in my life (this is in regards to actions that affect nobody but me, by the way). There is no argument that can overrule that. Sorry, there just isn't. Because then you're essentially arguing against the freedom to think and do and even...exist as a real human being. The day I surrender my right to autonomy over my body is the day that I surrender my rights altogether. I become yours completely. What good is thought without the power to act or speak freely? I cannot put it this any simpler. I understand that there's still a lot to be worked out, such as the complications that can lead to the law legalising what some consider a form of murder. "The law condones murder, aghhh!" Murder is a very emotional term, we're quick to point the finger and condemn, but with Euthanasia it doesn't apply. If that person consents to the termination of their life, so be it. It's their life! They're not forcing you to be Euthanised! And I don't think the connotations entailed by that word, 'murder' comply with the nature of Euthanasia. The fundamental principle is there, though. Everyone has a right to life (not fetus...es, but that's another story) and everyone has a right to decide when they want their life to end. Everyone should be in control of their own body, EVERYONE. As long as they are of sound mind, why shouldn't they be? I just hope the UK is moving in the right direction of legalising Euthanasia. Not to mention, this is related to my earlier point, it not only lacks empathy not to Euthanise someone when they will it, I think it's actually also tremendously cruel to prolong the life of someone who is not living but ENDURING life and enduring pain and suffering, and has no real quality of life. If it were me, begging to die but I couldn't do it myself, I would hope my family/friend/partner would end my suffering because it is the kindest, most loving thing they could do for me. It's saddening. I couldn't help but cry for Tony Nicklinson when I was listening to his story on the news. The latter part of his life, post-stroke, must have been so awful for him. He's dead now anyway. We just prolonged his suffering and the indignity that was his life.  FrenchKiss7: It remind me a true story in France,a mother and her son paraplegic....he asked her mother to let him die,she loved him too much to do that (as a good mother,she will never give up on her son)....but sometimes love is selfish.... he just can communicate with her mom by high tech eyes meaning.... Years passed,and one day he told her "mom if you really love me,you know what you have to do!" and one day she did,that was a shock in Europe,specially in France(contry of human law) and it makes ppl think yes or not and a lot of specculations,arguments ect ect.... I was and still very touch about this story,for me is "do we have to keep someone alive when he s nothing(i mean he s still someone but not for our society) and suffer just to make us a good person?or to let them go to be a devil person? I m still wondering what i will do....it s sad just to think of it.... As he told her Mom,if you really love me let me go....she did after some long years....Nothing in the world can be above LOVE even morals and laws,it s LIFE! I wish for none this to make a decision like this and to be judging....ALL THE BEST!!!!!! My 2 cents.... | Philosophy Chat Room 13 People Chatting Similar Conversations |
