Why Active Euthanasia and Physician Assisted Suicide should be Legalized

This reference source gives us an overview of why euthanasia should be legalized. It goes into depth about how patients and doctors are affected by the decision to end a person’s life, and moral issues, and whether it is right or wrong to purposely end someone’s life. This source highlights that euthanasia should be in the best interest of the patient who is suffering from an illness, such as an incurable disease or a serious health issue. Doctors should be able to end the life of a suffering patient only if they intend to relieve them from their pain.

In moral terms, if ending the lives of patients who are incompetent and not able to function is legalized and accepted by professional individuals, euthanasia should be allowed. This source is written by Len Doyal, a professor of medical ethics at the University of London. The source is also from the National Center for Biotechnology Information, which is an organization that specializes in biomedical information. Although the source is dated (2001), the source is still relevant today, because other states and countries in the world have not legalized euthanasia yet. This source can help future research, and can help understand the controversy over this topic and what people can do about it.

van Gend, David. “Euthanasia’s “Unproductive Burdens”.” Human Life Review, vol. 34, no. 4, Fall, 2008, pp. 110-117. ProQuest, https://search.proquest.com/docview/211712816?accountid=35330.

This reference source gives us an overview of euthanasia, and recognizing it as a positive

action in society. Governor Bill Hayden addresses many reasons for why euthanasia should be legalized. For example, he stated that if an individual has contributed to society and passed their usefulness in their life, they should be able to have assistance in ending their lives if it is necessary and wanted. Furthermore, Hayden connects euthanasia to other cultures in the world, where suffering people, who were unable to function, were given the right to be assisted in ending their lives. Although he advocates on behalf of euthanasia, he addressed the opposing side and reasons for not legalizing it. Reasons include that giving a lethal injection is considered murder. Since there is an intention to end a patient’s life, it can be considered as not euthanasia. This reference source is written by author David Van Gend, a family doctor, and passionate about bioethics. This source is also from the Human Life Foundation, an expert corporation in life issues, such as euthanasia, abortion, etc. Although the source is dated (2008), the issue of legalizing euthanasia is still relevant today, and this source can help analyze opposing sides on the issue. This source can also help future research and whether euthanasia should be allowed in various areas that have not legalized it yet.

Fisher, Anthony. Catholic Bioethics for a New Milennium. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2012.

This reference source gives us an overview of the opposing side of euthanasia and suicide according to what Scriptures say about it. Author Anthony Fisher highlights different stories in the Bible where euthanasia or suicide is present. Overall in Scriptures from the Bible, euthanasia is prohibited, and is said to not be used. No matter the condition or circumstance, an individual should never choose death over life, and the act of killing an innocent human being goes against God’s law. Furthermore, Scripture says that suffering should be something that is faced, because even if an individual is suffering and wants to end it right away, they still have time to fix their relationship with God and others, and develop stronger morals and virtues. This book is written by Anthony Fisher, a Dominican Friar in Sydney, Australia. Fisher is also the Bishop of Parramatta and a professor involved in the Pontifical Academy for Life, which specializes in moral theology and bioethics. This source is also published by the University of Cambridge, a public university designed for research of all kinds. Although this source is slightly dated (2012), this source provides information from a different view of perspective. Euthanasia is still an ongoing action that is still being argued over, and whether it should be legalized or not. This source can also help in the future as we continue to try and come to a consensus.

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