is being kept alive is also suffering great pain and indignity, and this cannot necessarily be measured objectively to an observer such as a physician. Even when the physician can see that the patient is suffering and understands the desire on the part of the patient to end it, he or she can do nothing about it because of the legal structures against mercy killing, assisted suicide, or whatever specific name is given to the act that would end the suffering. Physicians are dedicated to promoting a body of ethics related to health issues, but in truth "ethics" is not as precise a term as many believe:
Ethical decisions become relatively easy to reach of we start with a clear purpose on which we all agree. If people can then interpret that purpose consistently in all situations, even in situations with a conflicting ethic, they can still feel that they are doing right (Raffin, Shurkin, and Sinkler 129).
Yet, it is evident that the conflicting ethics in the decision regarding active euthanasia are each so strong that the conflict may not be easily resolved. Certain
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