Euthanasia

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HUMAN EUTHANASIA (MERCY KILLING ON HUMANS)

Euthanasia
 It is derived from the Greek words: eu ‘well’ + thanatos ‘death”,
meaning “good death”.
 It refers to the termination of a person’s life, to end their
suffering, usually from an incurable or terminal condition.
 It is for this reason that euthanasia was also coined the name “mercy
killing”.

2 types of euthanasia:
1. Active euthanasia
 It refers to the deliberate act, usually through the intentional
administration of lethal drugs, to end an incurably or terminally
ill patient’s life.
2. Passive euthanasia
 It is the deliberate withholding or withdrawal of life-prolonging
medical treatment resulting in the patient’s death.

3 Categories of Euthanasia:
1. Voluntary euthanasia
 It refers to euthanasia performed at the request of the patient.
(Assisted suicide)
2. Involuntary euthanasia
 It is performed when the patient does not request it, with the
intent of relieving their suffering – which, in effect, amounts to
murder.
3. Non-voluntary euthanasia
 It relates to a situation where euthanasia is performed when the
patient is incapable of consenting.

Countries Where Euthanasia Is Legal As Of 2024:


 Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New
Zealand and Spain
 Six states of Australia: New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia,
Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia

Euthanasia in the Philippines


 Natural Death Act of 2005; prohibits Active and Passive Euthanasia in
the Philippines. Doctors assisting patients to die can be imprisoned
and charged with malpractice.
 However, passive euthanasia is still practiced by some, mostly from the
poor segment of the country:
o to avoid unbearable expenses on medical treatments.
o to consider the emotional burden and physical pain that the
patient, as well as the family will undergo
o medical technologies and professionals here in the Philippines
are not entirely advanced.

Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Declaration on Euthanasia, May


5, 1980: Catechism of the Catholic Church:
CCC 2277
 Whatever its motives and means, direct euthanasia consists in putting
an end to the lives of handicapped, sick, or dying persons.
 It is morally unacceptable.

CCC 2278
 Discontinuing medical procedures that are burdensome, dangerous,
extraordinary, or disproportionate to the expected outcome can be
legitimate.
 Here one does not will to cause death; one’s inability to impede it is
merely accepted.
 The decisions should be made by the patient if he is competent and
able or, if not, by those legally entitled to act for the patient,
whose reasonable will and legitimate interests must always be
respected.

Islam on Euthanasia:
 Muslims believe that life is sacred and comes from God, so it's a sin
to take life.
 The Qur'an forbids suicide and euthanasia in verses such as 4:29,
which states, "Destroy not yourselves. Surely Allah is ever merciful
to you".

Christianity on Euthanasia in general:


 It's wrong to interfere with the natural process of death.
 Euthanasia is murder, which is contrary to the dignity of the human
person
 The Bible teaches that we should not comply with requests to assist
suicide (2 Samuel 1:14-16).

Arguments In Favor Of Euthanasia


1. The patient has the right to make the decision about when and how they
should die, based on the principles of autonomy and self-determination
2. It is said that relieving a patient from their unbearable pain and
suffering by performing euthanasia will do more good than harm.
3. James Rachels: He states that there is no moral difference between
killing and letting die, if the intention is based on a utilitarian
argument, which is to end the suffering of the patient.

Arguments Against Euthanasia:


1. Life is sacred; human life must be respected and preserved.
2. Christianity and Islam argued that life is a gift from God, who ought
not to be off ended by the taking of that life.
3. Euthanasia has a primary intention of killing another person, therefore,
it is inherently wrong, in spite of the patient’s consent.
4. It is often argued that pain and suffering experienced by patients can
be relieved by administering appropriate palliative care, making
euthanasia a futile measure.

The Principle of Double Effect.


The doctrine of double effect excuses the death of the patient that may
result, as a secondary effect, from an action taken with the primary
intention of alleviating pain.

Conclusion
 It can be seen that euthanasia is indeed a contentious issue, with the
heart of the debate lying at active voluntary euthanasia and physician
assisted suicide.
 The many arguments that have been put forward for and against
euthanasia, and the handful that have been outlined provide only a
glimpse into the ethical debate and controversy surrounding the topic
of euthanasia.

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