The question asked is whether voluntary euthanasia, either active or passive, is morally acceptable. Voluntary euthanasia is morally acceptable because the autonomy of the individual allows him or her to decide whether extreme pain and suffering is a condition that he or she wishes to endure. Since euthanasia involves others, however, it must also be asked whether the principle of beneficence is violated for the person who kills the individual or allows him/her to die. In this case, the autonomy of the individual takes precedence over the moral imperative of beneficence. Active voluntary euthanasia is always morally acceptable--so long as the act meets the terms as defined below. But, passive voluntary euthanasia is acceptable only if that is what the individual desires. For, unless the painful effects of passive euthanasia can be controlled, it is not morally acceptable to offer it as the only possibility--denying the individual access to active euthanasia.
1. Euthanasia is taking a human life, whether one's own or that of another, when the individual is suffering from an illness or injury from which he or she cannot reasonably expect to recover.
2. Voluntary euthanasia refers only to those cases in which the individual has made the conscious choice of euthanasia. This may include either a choice made by a conscious individual after the condition develops, or a directive given prior to the development of a condition in which the individual is incapable of making a decision because he or she is unconscious.
3. Active euthanasia refers to all cases in which steps are taken to bring about the individual's death, rather than waiting for the medical condition to produce death.
4. Passive euthanasia refers to those cases in which the interventions necessary to keep the patient alive are withdrawn or withheld, and death is allowed to take place. This can include cases i
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