Week 2 Term Paper Topic
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School
Los Angeles Mission College *
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Course
434
Subject
Philosophy
Date
Jan 9, 2024
Type
docx
Pages
3
Uploaded by ChefTree8628
1
Week 2 Term Paper: Topic
Topic
I've chosen to write about the End of Life, specifically physician-assisted suicide. Why I Chose This Topic
I’ve chosen this topic because it has remained a controversial medical ethics issue for numerous years. The debate that remains in the national and public discourse is whether physician-assisted suicide should be legalized. During my first nursing core term, for my Introduction to Professional Nursing class, I gave a brief presentation on "End of Life: Euthanasia/Physician-Assisted Suicide." At the time, I couldn't research it in-depth as we were only asked to do a short but sweet presentation. The topic itself, as well as the arguments for and against it, really intrigued me, and I would love to learn and read more about it. Pro Arguments
Advocates of legalizing physician-assisted suicide argue that it is morally justifiable because it guarantees patients' autonomy as a human right. According to Gomer-Virseda, De Maeseneer, and Gastmans (2020), the ethical use of end-of-life care services, respect for the patient's preferences, and autonomy are necessary. Disregarding a patient's preferences conduces to unethical, human rights-violating practices. Putting patients' rights first is consistent with the application of ethics in end-of-life care (Gomer-Virseda et al., 2020). Another argument contends that physician-assisted suicide reduces patient suffering, which promotes a dignified death. Pence states a quote in his book stating that "It isn't just a question of suffering. It is a matter of decency, self-control, and anguish. If you are unable to eat, sleep, or read, and your quality of life is so poor that you are certain to die, it is a matter of dignity for you to be able to terminate your life" (Pence, 2021, p. 44).
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Con Arguments
Opponents of physician-assisted suicide argue that this practice is immoral because it violates the universal moral rule of ethics and the universal human right to life (Sulmasy et al., 2018). Opponents believe that because both suicide and murder are still crimes, assisted suicide poses an ethical dilemma because it contradicts the law. Additionally, legalizing assisted suicide,
even under medical conditions, creates numerous opportunities for its misuse. Opponents argue that the consistent ethical traditions of healthcare providers emphasize care and comfort. Physicians should not participate in intentionally ending a person's life, and physician-assisted suicide requires physicians to violate specific prohibitions and the general duty of nonmaleficence (minimizing harm) (Sulmasy et al., 2018). This is inconsistent with the physician's function as a healer and comforter.
My Current Stance on the Topic
Previously, I held a firm stance in favor of legalizing physician-assisted suicide. However, as I delve deeper into comprehending the various perspectives from both sides, my position becomes increasingly uncertain. As of now, I cannot definitively declare my stand on the matter. I believe engaging in further research and consulting diverse academic literature will help me develop a well-informed perspective. I intend to take part in learning and utilizing personal critical analysis to form a stand in the debate of whether physician-assisted suicide should be legalized.
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References
Gómez-Vírseda, C., De Maeseneer, Y., & Gastmans, C. (2020). Relational autonomy in end-of-
life care ethics: a contextualized approach to real-life complexities.
BMC Medical Ethics
,
21
(1), 1-14.
Pence, G. (2021). Medical ethics: Accounts of ground-breaking cases (9th ed.). McGraw Hill Education.
Snyder Sulmasy, L., & Mueller, P. S. (2017). Ethics and the legalization of physician-assisted suicide: an American College of Physicians position paper.
Annals of Internal Medicine
,
167
(8), 576-578.
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