Analysis Of Moral And Religious Issues Raised By Euthansia
Submitted by mizztick on 06/30/2008 05:21 PM
- Category: Social Issues
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Analysis Of Moral And Religious Issues Raised By Euthansia
Euthanasia is the practice of mercifully ending a person's life in order to release the person from an incurable disease, intolerable suffering, or undignified death. The word euthanasia derives from the Greek for "good death" and originally referred to intentional mercy killing. When medical advances made prolonging the lives of dying or comatuse patients possible, the term euthanasia was also applied to a lack of action to prevent death. Euthanasia today is condemned if it is active euthanasia in most branches of Christianity, Judaism and Islam, although some permit restricted forms of passive euthanasia. This essay explores and elaborates euthanasia morally and religiously, and more precisely is an analysis of the issues raised. Therefore, in order to understand euthanasia we need to briefly outline the different forms that it can be considered.
Active euthanasia involves painlessly putting individuals to death for merciful reasons, as when a doctor administers a lethal dose of medication to a patient. Passive euthanasia involves not doing something to prevent death, as when a doctor refrains from using an artificial respirator to keep alive a terminally ill patient. Voluntary euthanasia is when a person asks to die (by either active or passive euthanasia). Non voluntary euthanasia refers to ending the life of a person who is not mentally competent to make an informed request to die, such as a comatuse patient.
Firstly, the definition of an issue is a controversial topic where a disagreement occurs. Euthanasia raises many issues. These include; who has the right to give and take life, sanctity of life, quality of life and role of doctors.
One of the main religious issues that euthanasia confronts is the sanctity of life. . Christianity holds all human life to be sacred. To say that life is sacred implies reverence and respect. It's commonly assumed that killing is wrong, although there are justifications such as self-defence that allow...
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