Assisted Suicide Essay Research Paper Assisted SuicideIn

Assisted Suicide Essay, Research Paper Assisted Suicide In thousands of homes across the nation victims of terminal illnesses sit in pain due to their sicknesses. Should these people have to go through all of that pain and suffering just for the end result of death? Should these people have the right to assisted death, to rid themselves of unbearable pain? This topic has been one of the great controversies over the last several years. Not too long ago if someone was found assisting in suicide, it was seen as a felony crime. But recently there have been court cases taken up in two federal appellate courts that ruled terminally ill patients have the right to seek doctor assisted suicide (Carter 1). These cases took place in New York and Washington. This added two more to the

list of states that legalized this means of ending life. However, doctor assisted is still seen as a criminal act in thirty four states(Rosen 1). In my opinion, doctor assisted suicide should be made legal throughout the nation. If a terminally ill patient wants to take his or her life due to excruciating pain, he or she should have the ability to utilize euthanasia. Ultimately, the decision should be that of the terminally ill individual. The main controversy over this issue, is the question of morality. Is it morally right for a doctor to assist in suicide? Many individuals feel that it is not. It is thought if assisted suicide is legalized throughout the states, it will encourage families with terminally ill relatives to push them prematurely to their demise(Carter 2). This is

an outlandish assumption. A family that truly loves one another would not urge a family member to rush any decision as momentous as ending one’s life. If there is caring among the family, the suicide would not take place until is was utterly necessary. Two other important moral questions also arise from this issue. First, do our mortal lives belong to us alone, are we sovereign over our bodies, or do they belong to the communities of families in which we are embedded? Second, will this right give the terminally ill a greater sense of control over their circumstances, or will it weaken respect for life?(Carter 2) The first question is ridiculous. It seems as though Carter is trying to say we will no longer be in charge of ourselves, and we will be living in a socialistic

society. There is no reason why we should not be able to control the destiny of our lives. We, as human beings, are solely sovereign over our own bodies. Therefore, it is the terminally ill patient who should have the ability to choose death over life. It is this person who is experiencing the pain and suffering of their disease, not a relative or close friend, much less the government. The legalization of doctor assisted suicide is no reason to change anything with people who are not terminally ill. The second question, on the other hand, has some validity and logic to it. Doctor assisted suicide would give the dying a certain sense of control. It would enable the patient to have a certain feeling of power, knowing that he or she has the ability to complete his or her life upon

request. This may sound somewhat awkward; however, it is quite possible that it would give the patients a sense of well being. Furthermore, it gives them a chance to end their lives on their terms, instead of letting a disease determine their course in life. As for the second half of this question, it should in no way weaken the respect for life. Losing respect for life is for the weak minded. If anything it strengthens the patient’s respect; a person in the last stages of a terminal illness has endured some of the worst life has to offer. It takes away many of his capabilities to perform what would normally be commonplace activities; in short it has overtaken his life and dignity. The ability to perform legal assisted suicide would help to replace some of the dignity which the