Euthanasia Is Defined As The Act Of Painlessly Ending The Life Of A P

Euthanasia is defined as: the act of painlessly ending the life of a person for reasons of mercy (Encarta '98.) proponents of it believe that unnecessarily prolonging life in terminally ill patients causes immense suffering to the patient's friends and family members. Three reasons euthanasia should be supported are: euthanasia has been accepted in many other societies in the past, it helps alleviate the pain and suffering felt by people close to the patient, and it is only used after all other routes have been tried and failed. Euthanasia was accepted by many past societies. Ancient Greece and Rome both practiced it on the elderly and on children who "lacked health and vigor." Socrates and Plato both approved of its use when necessary. In fact, most ancient cultures sanctioned the use of voluntary euthanasia (when a patient gives permission to someone to help him/her die) for the sick and infirm. Once a certain level of illness has been reached, and there is no cure in sight, the horrible suffering of the patient and his/her family members must be taken into account. If a person is lying on his or her deathbed without the hope of ever getting better, instead of watching the patient's slow deterioration, it sometimes may be best to end it before the sufferer loses all the dignity he or she has left. If that person gives his or her permission, why shouldn't a doctor or family member grant a simple last wish and pull the plug on the machines breathing artificial life? Of course, most importantly in the battle over euthanasia is this: it is only used as a last resort. Doctors aren't coming into rooms at midnight and killing perfectly healthy people for extra bed space. These people are either total vegetables or about to die anyway. Practitioners of voluntary euthanasia are doing these people a favor. They want to die; they need to die. Summarily, euthanasia should be condoned because its practice has a long history, it relives some of the anguish felt by sufferers and their families, and it is used only after all other attempts to heal a person have been exhausted. Just think: if a person is in torment in front of your eyes, would you allow them to continue his or her suffering or would you do them a favor and end it in a merciful way.