Essay on Is Physician Assisted Suicide Ethical - 2628 Words

Is Physician Assisted Suicide Ethical? Theresa Anderson SOC 120 Introduction to Ethics amp; Social Responsibility Instructor: David Jung November 25, 2012 Physician assisted suicide, is this an ethical procedure? Many feel strongly on both sides of this issue. Some states such as Washington and Oregon have made Physician assisted suicide legal. Other states such as Michigan and Massachusetts have put the issue to a vote and the voters have turned down the option. What exactly is physician assisted suicide? According to Dictionary.com, the definition is a situation in which a physician provides the means of death for a gravely ill patient .Dehal and Levy explain, â€Å"The Death With Dignity Act (DWDA) allows mentally competent,†¦show more content†¦Who is ethically harmed by physician assisted suicide? The family members that believe that suicide is against their family’s religion may consider themselves ethically harmed. The doctors who feel that assisting in the suicide is against the Hippocratic Oath may feel that this is unethical, but as stated in End-of-life issues in the acute and critically ill patient, â₠¬Å" Patient autonomy is a respect for an individuals right of self-rule. It implies that a patient best knows his/her own goals and values relating to medical interventions. In addition, patients have the right to make decisions that may conflict with the recommendations of family members and health care providers,† (Savory amp; Marco, 2009) According to the utilitarianism argument physician assisted suicide is ethical. With deontology the conclusion would remain the same as with the utilitarianism principle. Mosser explains, â€Å"The deontologist argues that we have a duty, or an obligation, to treat other people with respect; human beings have dignity, and we must take that dignity into consideration when dealing with them.†(Mosser, 2010, Ch1, Pg7) In letting a person choose to die with dignity, we show our respect to them during their final days. As long as the person is able to communicate that their wish is to have a doctor help end their life the deontologist would state that physician assisted suicide is an ethical practice.Show MoreRelatedThe Ethical Issue Of Physician Assisted Suicide1580 Words   |  7 Pagesvice and virtue, this paper explores the relevance of Aristotle’s moral philosophy in modern day and will be applied to the contemporary ethical issue surrounding physician assisted suicide. By exploring Aristotle’s work through primary and secondary sources, thi s paper will discuss the greater good and happiness as it relates to not only the patient or physician, but as a member of a greater social circle and that of society because to Aristotle the role of the individual is less important than theirRead MoreThe Ethical Issues Of Physician Assisted Suicide Essay1736 Words   |  7 PagesEuthanasia is described as the intentional discontinuation, by the patient s physician, of vital treatment that could prolong the person s life. Assisted suicide occurs when a health care worker provides a patient with tools and/or medication that will help the patient kill him or herself, without the direct intervention of the care provider. This paper will define key terms for my argument against Physician Assisted Death, and why I believe it’s wrong, where I will provide a brief background ofRead MorePhysician Assisted Suicide is NOT Ethical Essay1347 Words   |  6 PagesIs physician assisted suicide morally right? This has been a controversial subject for some time now. People are wondering whether or not it is the most humane thing to do. If dogs can be putdown, why not people? The reason is in that question. They are people. Every life is important, no matter how long it may be. Instead of finding a way to get rid of people faster, the government could put those efforts in something more positive. If other people are considering whether or not the patients’ lifeRead MoreThe Ethical Issues Of Physician Assisted Suicide1586 Words   |  7 PagesPhysician Assisted Suicide Physician Assisted Suicide Is it Right or Wrong? The ethical issues of physician-assisted suicide are both emotional and controversial, as it ranks right up there with abortion. Some argue physician assisted suicide is ethically permissible for a dying person who has choosing to escape the unbearable suffering at the end of life. Furthermore, it is the physician’s duty to alleviate the patients suffering, which at times justifies providing aid-in -dying. These argumentsRead MoreThe Ethical Principles Of Physician Assisted Suicide2297 Words   |  10 Pagesforms of physician-assisted death, such as active, passive, and assisted suicide. To some people they may mean the same thing but in reality, they are quite different. Active euthanasia is when a physician physically injects the patient with a drug that ends their live or in some way is the direct result of the patient’s death. Passive euthanasia is the result of something taken away from the patient that results in t heir death, such as removing a breathing tube or stopping treatment. Physician assistedRead MoreThe Ethical Principles Of Physician Assisted Suicide1214 Words   |  5 PagesPhysician-assisted suicide (PAS), refers to self-administration of medication prescribed to a patient by their physician to end his or her life, and euthanasia, the administering of lethal drugs by a physician to end a patient’s life (Lachman, 2015) are extremely controversial topics. For several decades, supporters for the legalization of PAS and euthanasia have served as advocates for terminally ill patients who wish to have an alternative to a long, drawn out, painful death. These supportersRead MoreThe Legal And Ethical Issues Involving Physician Assisted Suicide1134 Words   |  5 Pageswhat conditions is physician assisted suicide morally acceptable, is the question at hand and did these states make the right decision on such a slippery slope debate. This paper will go on to explain one side of this very touchy debate, it will also consider objections from the other side, and ultimately defend the position physician assisted suicide is wrong not only morally but also, ethically. My argument for this thesis is provided below: P1: Physician assisted suicide violates the doctor’sRead MoreMy Ethical Views on Physician Assisted Suicide Essay1598 Words   |  7 PagesMy Ethical Views on Physician Assisted Suicide Physician assisted suicide is immoral in the case of people who are alive and desire to terminate their life. However, there are extreme cases when hastening the dying process is justified in the circumstances of individuals who are in intense physical impairment. Physician-assisted suicide is defined as the practice where a physician provides a patient with a lethal dose of medication, uponRead More Are Physician-Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia Ethical? Essay1625 Words   |  7 PagesIs Euthanasia Ethical?        Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Euthanasia is one of the most acute and uncomfortable contemporary problems in medical ethics.   Is Euthanasia Ethical?   The case for euthanasia rests on one main fundamental moral principle: mercy.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is not a new issue; euthanasia has been discussed-and practised-in both Eastern and Western cultures from the earliest historical times to the present.   But because of medicines new technological capacities to extend   lifeRead MorePhysician Assisted Suicide : Controversial Healthcare And Political Realms Alike1218 Words   |  5 Pages Physician-Assisted Suicide Elissa Munoz-Tucker University of Arizona Abstract Physician-assisted suicide is controversial in healthcare and political realms alike. Currently, this end-of-life option is practiced in five states within the United States. Social concerns regarding assisted suicide revolve around ethical quandaries; providing the means to a patient’s death is contradictory to ethical principles of healthcare providers. Political concerns surrounding