Loosing Ground?: The Argument for Life in Face of Changing Society

Euthanasia remains taboo in the United States of America but logical arguments and emotional appeals are beginning to shift traditional perceptions. However, the point of stasis between the pro-and-con factions is on a battlefield of moral principles. Does one have an individual right to end his or her own life, and under what conditions? On one side, there is mounting support for allowing active euthanasia; on the other side are traditional values, especially those rooted in religious dogma. A multitude of information has been presented on the subject of euthanasia and it all yields to one certain conclusion: we have a long way to go before defining and accepting active euthanasia.
James Rachels defines the difference (or lack thereof) between active and passive euthanasia in his essay “Active and Passive Euthanasia.” Passive euthanasia is the practice of withholding life-sustaining medical treatment with the expectation of a hastened death, whereas active euthanas...