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Is Active Euthanasia Morally Permissible

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Euthanasia is the act of ending a patient’s life to alleviate suffering from intolerable and incurable pain. In this essay, I intend to discuss the reasons why active euthanasia is morally permissible in some situations, as well as evaluate some arguments against active euthanasia. I believe that active euthanasia is morally permissible when the patient is in intolerable and incurable pain or suffering, and gives a form of consent to do so, as all competent human beings are entitled full rights to control and use their own bodies, as long as the rights of other human beings are not violated.

As stated before, euthanasia is the act of ending the life of a patient to alleviate intolerable and incurable pain or suffering. Euthanasia can be classified …show more content…

The first requirement is when the patient is determined to be in intolerable and incurable pain. If physicians determine that the patient’s life cannot be prolonged without intolerable suffering, active euthanasia can be offered as a choice. The second requirement is when the patient gives consent and authority. This is based on the idea of the responsible use of freedom, that all competent human beings are entitled full rights to control and use their own bodies, as long as the rights of other human beings are not violated. This requirement must be fulfilled in order to protect the patient’s autonomy and self-determination. As I have emphasized in previous statements, only competent human beings are entitled full rights to control and used their own bodies. To fulfill this requirement, health care providers must determine whether the patient is competent in order to make the decision. In a case where the patient is not able to make the decision themselves, the standard procedure of using a surrogate will follow (e.g. An advance directive written at the time the patient was competent. The two requirements ensure that euthanasia will be administered only if there are no other possible options for the patient that do not involve prolonged suffering. This is to prevent abuse or a possible slippery slope scenario (e.g. someone with depression wishing to end their life, a hospital saving …show more content…

The cases where active euthanasia can be administered morally must fulfill two requirements. The first requirement is that the patient must be in intolerable and incurable pain. To prolong the patient’s survival by putting them through suffering is a violation of the principle of non-maleficence, which states that health care providers must “not inflicting unnecessary pain, suffering, and/or harm on patients” (Fisher 20). The second requirement is that the patient must be competent when giving consent, which can be either in person or in the form of a surrogate. If the patient is determined to be competent, they may choose to accept or reject medical advice from the physician, as well as offer their own solution, if no harm comes to others. Going against the patient’s wishes will be a violation of their self-determination and rights. Overall, the two requirements render active euthanasia to be morally permissible in certain

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