Euthanasia: pros and cons
The term 'euthanasia' comes from Greek and means 'good death'. In the recent years, there has been a lot of debate throughout the world whether euthanasia should or shouldn't be legalised. Before elaborating on this particular issue, one should most definitely explain in more detail what 'euthanasia' stands for.
Three types of euthanasia are recognized: voluntary - i.e. with the consent of a patient (Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxemburg and some states of America), non-voluntary – i.e. when the consent is not possible to obtain (children), and involuntary – i.e. without the consent of a patient. These three types can be further divided into passive or active euthanasia. Active one entails putting individuals to painless death for merciful reasons, especially if there is no cure for an illness or if a patient’s state has no prospects of getting better. Passive one, one the other hand, entails withholding of common treatments, i.e. medicine, in order to end one’s life as quickly as possible due to reasons above mentioned.
Although many people are firm believers that euthanasia shouldn't become a custom, there are also those who believe quite the opposite. Supporters of euthanasia are of the view that society should acknowledge the rights of patients and to respect the decisions of those, who choose euthanasia. Patients, who are suffering from terminal disease, become hopeless and disappointed to such an extent that they want to end their lives rather than to continue the same under such pathetic circumstances. Furthermore, spending money, facilities, and time on such a person would be of no utility but the waste of the same.
On the other hand, opponents of euthanasia emphasise that health-care providers are obligated to prohibit killing as euthanasia is inconsistent with the roles of nursing, caring and healing. Furthermore, a crystal clear attitude of all religions is that no human being has the right nor the power to...