Debate: Assisted Euthanisation ~ Is it right or is it wrong?

[lauren]

This is a place to debate on the topic of assisted suicide and whether or not you believe it should be allowed.

Do you personally think there are situations where assisted suicide is okay? Or are you completely against it?

I feel that assisted suicide is certainly a viable option for those who really, really need it. I understand you might say, "they don't need to die, they just want to", but the point I'd like to make is that from the outside we can't possibly have any idea how much pain and suffering that someone is going through so why should be force them to go on living if they don't want to? I do believe that banning AS means that many people will harm themselves and put themselves through more torture simply just to die. Take for instance a man in the news last year, he starved himself and died of pneumonia all because the government refused to assist him end his life. I understand AS if someone's quality of life is completely destroyed. They should be well enough to make the decision themselves and make the case for it, imo.

What do you guys think?
Do you think it depends on the illness or state of the person? Or should anyone be allowed to decide that they want to end their lives and need help doing so?

 

[Night]

Funnily enough, my opinion on doctor-assisted suicide contrasts my opinion on suicide that I talked about in this thread.

I think doctor-assisted suicide should be a viable option, provided there's a lot of legal failsafes involved for the process. It should be reserved for cases where the person in question is sound-minded (not delirious), for one- for two, probably terminally ill, in my mind.
The only thing that concerns me is that this might open up to... difficult pressures, for some unfortunate people. Someone who requires a lot of maintenance to live, doesn't want to die, but it facing pressure of some sort from anyone who might be helping finance their care, for example. I could see it happening with the elderly. :/

 

[rosebud]

i think that above a certain age and in cases of terminal illnesses it should be an option.

 

[Ben]

Of course it should be an option. We should use the technologies we have to alleviate those who wish to part from life.

 

[Poontang]

Of course it depends on the circumstances, if somebody's able-bodied enough to commit suicide themselves then they can do that, but if they can't and they're sure it's what they want to do then I don't see why not. It's a difficult one because if they were able-bodied enough to commit suicide then they may not want to, so you can't use that argument.

 

[borderline]

If you ask me, denying severely ill/injured people the decision that we able bodied people can make ourselves freely is immoral. It's taking advantage of their condition.

Of course, only if they're of sound mind, and have had plenty of time to consider their options and talk it through with loved ones. You've got to be careful though, because like Night said this opens up a lot of room for abuse by evil people. There should definitely be a series of interviews beforehand to make sure this is that persons decision and their alone.