Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Catholic Religion and Euthanasia
Catholic teaching condemns euthanasia as a "crime against life". The teaching of the Catholic Church on euthanasia rests on several core principles of Catholic ethics, including the sanctity of human life, the dignity of the human person, concomitant human rights, due proportionality in casuistic remedies, the unavoidability of death, and the importance of charity. The Church's official position is the 1980 Declaration on Euthanasia issued by the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith.
In Catholic medical ethics official pronouncements strongly oppose active euthanasia, whether voluntary or not, while allowing dying to proceed without medical interventions that would be considered "extraordinary" or "disproportionate."
In Catholic medical ethics official pronouncements strongly oppose active euthanasia, whether voluntary or not, while allowing dying to proceed without medical interventions that would be considered "extraordinary" or "disproportionate."
Euthanasia and the Law
During the 20th Century, efforts to change government policies on euthanasia in the 20th century have met limited success in Western countries. Euthanasia policies have been developed by a variety of NGOs, most notably medical associations and advocacy organizations.
Euthanasia is illegal in most of the United States. Attempts to legalize euthanasia and assisted suicide resulted in ballot initiatives and "legislation bills" within the United States of America in the last 20 years. For example, Washington voters saw Ballot Initiative 1119 in 1991, California placed Proposition 161 on the ballot in 1992, Oregon passed the Death with Dignity Act in 1997, Michigan included Proposal B in their ballot in 1998, and Washington's Initiative 1000 on the ballot in 2008.
Euthanasia is illegal in most of the United States. Attempts to legalize euthanasia and assisted suicide resulted in ballot initiatives and "legislation bills" within the United States of America in the last 20 years. For example, Washington voters saw Ballot Initiative 1119 in 1991, California placed Proposition 161 on the ballot in 1992, Oregon passed the Death with Dignity Act in 1997, Michigan included Proposal B in their ballot in 1998, and Washington's Initiative 1000 on the ballot in 2008.
Early History of Euthanasia
The term euthanasia comes from the Greek words "eu"-meaning good and "thanatos"-meaning death, which combined means “well-death” or "dying well". Hippocrates mentions euthanasia in the Hippocratic oath, written between 400 and 300 B.C. The original Oath states: “To please no one will I prescribe a deadly drug nor give advice which may cause his death." Despite this, the ancient Greeks and Romans generally did not believe that life needed to be preserved at any cost and were, in consequence, tolerant of suicide in cases where no relief could be offered to the dying or where a person no longer cared for his life.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Wikipedia Experience
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:Euthanasia&action=submit
I think it's a very good point you bring up that euthanasia is obviously to end one's suffering, but what about times where ending one's suffering was not ther decision? Like if a family member decides to have a doctor take you off life support, but you didn't ultimately want to be taken off life support (but did not have the ability to tell your family member what you truly wanted); how can someone really decide when and how one's suffering should end? I do not believe this is a legal question, involing injection and what not, but more of a moral issue, the deepest issue to face when dealing with euthanasia. [[User:KcutieKcutie]] ([[User talk:Kcutietalk]]) 21:28, 8 December 2008 (UTC)
It has not been deleted or commented on yet, but I do not think it will be bothered much because it was more of a comment rather than changing any information. I think editing Wikipedia can be useful and interesting to people who have a deep knowledge about the subject, but I feel wrong almost completely changing/modifying other peoples thoughts/opinions/facts. Also, the Wikipedia editing was slightly confusing (with codes and such), so it may be easier for people who do this on a regular basis.
I think it's a very good point you bring up that euthanasia is obviously to end one's suffering, but what about times where ending one's suffering was not ther decision? Like if a family member decides to have a doctor take you off life support, but you didn't ultimately want to be taken off life support (but did not have the ability to tell your family member what you truly wanted); how can someone really decide when and how one's suffering should end? I do not believe this is a legal question, involing injection and what not, but more of a moral issue, the deepest issue to face when dealing with euthanasia. [[User:KcutieKcutie]] ([[User talk:Kcutietalk]]) 21:28, 8 December 2008 (UTC)
It has not been deleted or commented on yet, but I do not think it will be bothered much because it was more of a comment rather than changing any information. I think editing Wikipedia can be useful and interesting to people who have a deep knowledge about the subject, but I feel wrong almost completely changing/modifying other peoples thoughts/opinions/facts. Also, the Wikipedia editing was slightly confusing (with codes and such), so it may be easier for people who do this on a regular basis.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Quick Facts
Some quick facts (history, definitions...) on euthanasia and physician assisted suicide.
FACT #1: The earliest American statute explicitly to outlaw assisting suicide was enacted in New York in 1828
FACT #2: In 1998 U.S. state of Oregon legalizes assisted suicide
FACT #3: Euthanasia by omission is intentionally causing death by not providing necessary and ordinary (usual and customary) care or food and water
FACT #4: Physician assisted suicide is NOT the same as euthanasia
FACT #5: Euthanasia can be conducted either voluntary (with consent) or involuntary (without consent)
FACT #6: The term euthanasia comes from the Greek words "eu"-meaning good and "thanatos"-meaning death
FACT #7: Dr. Jack Kevorkian was a Michigan physician infamous for encouraging and assisting people in committing suicide which resulted in a Michigan law against the practice in 1992
FACT #8: Perhaps the strongest argument made on behalf of legalizing euthanasia or assisted suicide is that it, like abortion, it is a "choice" issue
FACT #9: “I will give no deadly medicine to any one if asked, nor suggest any such counsel” ---The Hippocratic Oath
FACT #10: Although euthanasia and assisted suicide are illegal in Switzerland, assisted suicide is penalized only if it is carried out "from selfish motives."
FACT #1: The earliest American statute explicitly to outlaw assisting suicide was enacted in New York in 1828
FACT #2: In 1998 U.S. state of Oregon legalizes assisted suicide
FACT #3: Euthanasia by omission is intentionally causing death by not providing necessary and ordinary (usual and customary) care or food and water
FACT #4: Physician assisted suicide is NOT the same as euthanasia
FACT #5: Euthanasia can be conducted either voluntary (with consent) or involuntary (without consent)
FACT #6: The term euthanasia comes from the Greek words "eu"-meaning good and "thanatos"-meaning death
FACT #7: Dr. Jack Kevorkian was a Michigan physician infamous for encouraging and assisting people in committing suicide which resulted in a Michigan law against the practice in 1992
FACT #8: Perhaps the strongest argument made on behalf of legalizing euthanasia or assisted suicide is that it, like abortion, it is a "choice" issue
FACT #9: “I will give no deadly medicine to any one if asked, nor suggest any such counsel” ---The Hippocratic Oath
FACT #10: Although euthanasia and assisted suicide are illegal in Switzerland, assisted suicide is penalized only if it is carried out "from selfish motives."
Sunday, November 16, 2008
YouTube Video
Euthanasia - our right to choose the time to die
This was an interesting video because it gives the argument(s) for why voluntary euthanasia should be a right and legalized. The speaker has experienced the pain of losing someone, and she expresses how difficult it was losing her family member in such a painful way. The video discusses since we all have the right to life, we should all have the right to decide our time to die, and when/how we choose to do it. I think this video obviously shows how hard it is for family members to watch loved one's live in pain and then to suffer, and why it would morally and emotionally make sense to legalize euthanasia and physician assisted suicide. After watching the pro's of legalizing these practices, it would be interesting to find a video where someone discussed the con's of the practices (perhaps telling a personal experience where euthanasia was performed and had a negative outcome).
This was an interesting video because it gives the argument(s) for why voluntary euthanasia should be a right and legalized. The speaker has experienced the pain of losing someone, and she expresses how difficult it was losing her family member in such a painful way. The video discusses since we all have the right to life, we should all have the right to decide our time to die, and when/how we choose to do it. I think this video obviously shows how hard it is for family members to watch loved one's live in pain and then to suffer, and why it would morally and emotionally make sense to legalize euthanasia and physician assisted suicide. After watching the pro's of legalizing these practices, it would be interesting to find a video where someone discussed the con's of the practices (perhaps telling a personal experience where euthanasia was performed and had a negative outcome).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
