THE Right TO DIE

Euthanasia yes. A person should be allowed to decide in advance too, because when one is unwell and in serious prolonged coma one cannot express their wish.

I support euthanasia, but only if it's established consciously in black and white by the terminally ill person him/herself.

I understand the concerns pro-lifers or anti-euthanasia people have about this issue when it comes to the family or anyone else abusing the euthanasia clause, but at the same time, we cannot deny a person his/her right to exercise personal autonomy. We have as much a right to die as much as we have a right to live.

Which is why I also think labelling attempted suicide as an offense is a refusal to recognize our rights as sovereign individuals.

Euthanasia has a lot of types

Active (lethal injection) or Passive (removal of life support)

Voluntary (patient makes decision) or Involuntary (others make decision)

Involuntary active euthanasia would shock the sensibilities of most people. It is almost akin to murder. I don't think we can give the lethal dose to a person without their consent. Voluntary passive euthanasia has opposition, but is palatable for a larger group of people. A terminally ill patient chooses to end their life support devices.

The biggest controversies for debate are Voluntary active & Involuntary passive.

Voluntary active is the kind Dr.Kevorkian did for his patients. He gave them a lethal injection so they could die with dignity. I support it because I believe we have a right to die.

Involuntary passive is the kind in Terri Schiavo's case. The person is in a comma or vegetated and cannot make the decision, so the next of kin makes the call. The dispute arises if someone else ought to make a call for them. How do we know that they want to die? There is often dispute amidst kin on what the patient would want. Living wills are one means how the issue is alleviated. People can choose a decision maker and tell them what they want to do.

This is one place where I am a heartless soulless beast. While humane and compassionate, I don't think it is pragmatic for us to sustain a vegetated human that will never be able to function in society again. It is in the utilitarian interest of society that Involuntary passive euthanasia take place in this case. At least I would like it to be that way. But I can live with the current situation where you need a living will or next of kin to make decisions.

I cannot imagine a life being a dependent on others and society. For my family and society paying to sustain me for nothing. I don't want to live as a being that has no function but convert oxygen to carbon dioxide. In that case I want to die. The doctors and nurses wasting time caring for me can look after other humans who may actually live and do something for the world.

Originally posted by: LOVE_DMG

what do you think about "the right to die"? when someone is sick , (cancer) and have no hope should they have the right to die with help of doctors. what are your thought on euthanasia?

Originally posted by: pinkfreud

Which is why I also think labelling attempted suicide as an offense is a refusal to recognize our rights as sovereign individuals.

Originally posted by: RTH

Voluntary active is the kind Dr.Kevorkian did for his patients. He gave them a lethal injection so they could die with dignity. I support it because I believe we have a right to die.

Well said RTH...Completely agree on your post...👏

Taking away life support from a patient has nothing to do with euthanasia.

Originally posted by: TheUltimate

Basically, a patient is asking the doctor to commit a crime on his/her behalf so that he (patient) does not have to suffer through the physcical/emotional pain.

Do you think it's a crime if the terminally ill/vegetative patient has given full, prior consent in writing through a will? Executing a person's will and deciding what's good for a third person and what isn't are two different things in my view.