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Active and Passive Euthanasia

The word euthanasia literally means "good death" in the original Greek. In dictionary definitions, euthanasia refers to an easy or painless death. In modern times, the word has been most closely associated with the concept of mercy killing: allowing or helping someone to die who is suffering from an incurable illness. There are two types of euthanasia in actual practice. Active euthanasia involves taking an active role in causing the death of a suffering patient. Passive euthanasia, on the other hand, involves simply allowing a terminally ill patient to die by "withholding from the patient drugs, the use of life-support systems, or other life-prolonging medical care" (Heintze 39). This paper will consider the contrasting points of view regarding these two types of euthanasia and will argue in favor of the "good death" in strictly defined cases.

Many people find the concept of passive euthanasia to be more acceptable than that of active euthanasia. Passive euthanasia is often seen as a humane alternative to keeping someone alive against his or her will. Modern medicine has allowed seriously ill patients to stay alive for long periods, thus raising concerns about such prolonging of life. Such factors as the suffering of terminally ill patients, the great amount of money involved in maintaining life-support systems, and the overall dignity of dying patients can all be used to justify the practice of passive euthanasia in specific cases. In 1975, the Supreme Court supported this view with its ruling in the case of Karen Ann Quinlan, a brain-dead patient whose parents wished to have her removed from life-support systems. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the parents, thereby giving legal precedent to the use of passive euthanasia as a matter of individual choice. Today, many people, including physicians, support the use of passive euthanasia in some cases in order to preserve the dignity of a dying patient. There is widesp...

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Active and Passive Euthanasia. (1969, December 31). In LotsofEssays.com. Retrieved 04:10, March 29, 2024, from https://www.lotsofessays.com/viewpaper/1681075.html