The Ethical Dilemma Of Euthanasia

It is inevitable that some will not die well. Many feel that euthanasia may seem humane, and it is an act of compassion to end one is suffering. Assisted suicide has often been used interchangeably with euthanasia; however, assisted suicide seems to be a negative connotation. Derek Humphry would rather it be acknowledge as "justifiable suicide". "Justifiable suicide is a second form of suicide, that is, rational and planned self-deliverance from a painful and hopeless disease, which will shortly end in death."(Humphry, Derek. "Why I Believe In Voluntary Euthanasia". 1995) It may seem to be the right thing to end one from suffering; however, assisted or justifiable suicide is illegal. According to Stephen Jamison, "Suicide ends a life that could continue, and implies irrationality rooted in an identifiable mental condition that may be treatable with proper therapy and medications. An assisted death ends the life of the patient who has gone through the process including physical, social, emotional, and economic factors, whose hope for continued living and cure is gone, and who is faced with the alternative of suffering until inevitable death." He also goes on to say, "assisted dying is a compassionate act voluntarily requested by a patient who is destined to die and wants to die to relieve his or her suffering."(Stephen Jamison. "Final Acts of Love: Families, Friends, and Assisted Dying, 1995.).
             Many physicians, healthcare providers, politicians, educators, and lawmakers have different views about euthanasia. Some consider euthanasia as direct (active) killing, such as killing intentionally to end a person's life. Others view euthanasia as allowing a person to die by withholding treatment. These two views distinguish between the two concepts and suggest that indirect or passive euthanasia (allowing a patient to die) when contrasted with direct or active euthanasia as the underlying difference of being an act of omission as opposed to an act of commission.