Ethics and Euthanasia

IMAGINE a man, 80 years old, who has just been informed by his doctor that he has contracted a deadly and incurable disease. He is told that from then on, his condition will deteriorate. The disease will cause increased pain and while drugs will blunt the agony for a while, in the final stages of the illness, he will be in great pain until he finally dies. The old man reacts by illegally signing a contract giving his doctor permission to administer a lethal injection when the pain becomes too much. This action is called EUTHANASIA or “mercy killing.” Euthanasia is defined as the deliberate act of ending a person’s suffering by killing them. Based on my moral principles, I am completely against euthanasia and I believe it would be a mistake to legalize it.

Let’s consider the above situation a little closer. The old man was informed that he has a terminal illness and absolutely no hope of recovery. Although it may be bit naive of me, I believe that you should nev...