phil 434 discussion 2
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Jan 9, 2024
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Phil 434
Week 2 Discussion Forum
In your own words, describe the difference between euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide.
Select an argument for or against either euthanasia or physician assisted suicide. How would you defend your argument?
In addition to your main response, you must also post substantive responses to at least two of your classmates’ posts in this thread. Your response should include elements such as questions, further exploration of topics from the initial post, or requests for further clarification or explanation on some points made by the classmates. Euthanasia and physician assisted suicide both are deliberate with the sole intention of ending your life. To begin with, we can look at Dr. Kevorkian who was a retired pathologist who helped “over 100 American patients to die” (Pence, 2021, pg. 33). His original motivation was not out of “compassion” (Pence, 2021, pg. 33) but became apparent as he began assisting, patients to die. In one case he used what he called the “Mercitron, which consisted of three IV bottles, saline for fluid volume, thiopental which is a powerful sedative and a drip of potassium”. This combination gave the patient “a painless heart attack while in deep sleep” (Pence, 2021, pg 33-34). Dr. Kevorkian understood that this patient was suffering, and her quality of life would not improve but would progressively worsen. This patient was able to convince Dr. Kevorkian to help but not before she left evidence stating that it was her will to die and she was aware of the consequences of her actions. What Kevorkian did was assist in this patient’s own suicide and he continued to help at least 99 other patients though his methods changed after he lost his medical license. His efforts and involvement eventually landed him in prison. There are several forms of euthanasia to be considered: voluntary, involuntary, direct, indirect, active and passive. We can examine the actions of Dr. Pou to get a better look at euthanasia. In 2005 when hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans Dr. Pou made the decision to stand by her patients and wait for assistance. However, conditions worsened, and she was unable to secure rescue for 9 patients. During her trial, she “insisted that she did not intend to kill her patients but only intended to relieve their pain” (Pence, 2021 pg. 36). The method Dr. Pou used was passive euthanasia (in most cases) as her patients were given high doses of strong pain medications to ease their pain. Dr. Pou was a cancer surgeon and was known by her colleagues as “hardworking and dedicated” (Pence, 2021, pg. 35) which is shown by her decision to stay and help the patients. It is noted that Dr. Pou most likely made her decisions out of compassion and helplessness as she watched the patients suffer. I have a lot of emotions toward both assisted suicide and euthanasia but will choose to argue on the permissibility of euthanasia. Allowing someone to die naturally and not provide any life saving measures should be respected in my opinion. A person whose quality of life is severely diminished and has left them with little or no chances of significant improvement should be able to make the decision to
die peacefully. When patients provide instructions in the hospital of a DNR, to provide palliative care or whatever their wishes are, they should be respected only so long as they are competent when the decisions are made. Allowing these wishes should not spark a debate on religion as religion is a personal
matter that each person decides for themselves and whatever their beliefs are, they should be allowed to decide for themselves in their last moments of life. When I explore this option, I am reminded of my own experiences with my grandmother, a strong, brave, and courageous woman who won a fierce battle with cancer but lost a war with Alzheimer’s after 22 years. Watching he quality of life disappear despite having her family surround her everyday was brutal. She no longer enjoyed living and the simple things such as breathing and eating became a challenge. In situations like these allowing a person to die with dignity should be their right. We are not God and should not keep people alive for our own selfish reasons and I feel in some situations that is what happens. We are so afraid to let go of those that we love that we prolong their own misery and suffering. There is a lot of debate on the issues of euthanasia and assisted suicide. Some of the issues I abhorrently disagree with but when it comes to passive euthanasia, I stand in the belief that if a person can make the sound decision of passing on their own terms, those wishes should be followed. References:
Pence, Gregory, E. Medical Ethics: Accounts of Ground-Breaking Cases. McGraw-Hill, 2021
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