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Argumentative Essay Updated Project Report
english (eng12)
Air University
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ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY
The Legalization of Euthanasia in Pakistan
The concept of euthanasia has been contentious (arguable) ever since its foundation. The word “euthanasia” is derived from Greek words ‘Eu’ meaning ‘good’ and ‘thanatos’ meaning ‘death’, putting it together means “good death”. It is defined as the expediting of death of a convalescent to suppress more affliction in advance.
There are two types of euthanasia commonly known as active euthanasia and passive euthanasia. The active euthanasia points out the medical practitioners’ intended move, commonly the management of fatal (life-threatening) medication, to terminate an irremediable or doomed convalescent’s life. Passive euthanasia points out the concealing or abolishing therapy which is mandatory for sustaining existence.
There are further three types of active euthanasia, in relation to giving consent for euthanasia, namely voluntary euthanasia – at convalescent’s solicitation, non-voluntary euthanasia – without bearer’s petition, involuntary euthanasia – for instance when tolerant is unable to show his agreement. Other terminologies such as assisted suicide or physician-assisted suicide are not substitutes of euthanasia.
Everything in this world has its own pros and cons, so euthanasia, too, has pros and cons just like other things. Euthanasia has been in its development stage ever since its foundation because only a few countries like Switzerland, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Canada, Columbia, Australia, USA, France and New Zealand have legalized it not for all but for special situations under specified recommendations despite it is not allowed when ethics and religion are thrusted. Even though, there are still many countries where it is totally considered illegal. Islamic countries such as Pakistan, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia etcetera are a few of them where it is completely prohibited because people think that their religion does not allow it in any case. Now the dilemma is for the physicians as their duty is to provide relief to the convalescent who is suffering from an irremediable disease. However, euthanasia is forbidden when it comes to Hippocratic Oath taken by the doctors and physicians as well because it argues that a doctor or a physician’s objective should be to save lives of convalescents but not to kill htem in any case.
Do not take life, which Allah made sacred, other than in the course of justice. (Qur’aan 17:33)
When it comes to pros, euthanasia lets convalescent die if he thinks that the disease he is suffering from is incurable and has a bad quality of life. It costs a lot of money when a patient, suffering from an incurable disease, remains hospitalized unless he passes away irrespective of natural or assisted death so euthanasia helps out in saving money. People, who are brain-dead, are perceived as a burden by their relatives in many ways so unplugging them is considered as fairer. People who are paralyzed and incapable of movement mostly find it difficult to exist in such kind of helplessness so it helps them in making decisions. For example, Tony Bland fought throughout his life to have the right of living or dying on an individual’s own decision.
It has been debatable whether an individual should be given the right to live and die by himself or not. Furthermore, it is considered that death is a personal matter of an individual so it should not be governed by the state. Mostly people consider that if they opt to die, they are not at all causing harm to anyone so it should be solely their decision. Euthanasia is much more dignified than dying slowly of a degenerative ailment. It has been implied in detail in the Human Rights act that everyone has the right to live and die so it is possible to modulate euthanasia. Many people consider that rules need to be universalizable especially when it comes to morality so all people in the society should be given equal rights. It implies that if people in other countries have the right to live or die by their own choice, it should be implemented in Pakistan as well.
Christianity believes that switching off life-support machines of convalescents is not at all immoral because it helps them in relieving their pain and ailment as well. Christians follow the doctrine of double effect, which teaches that bad results can be morally okay if they are a side- effect of a good action. It can be used to justify circumstances where doctors give extra painkillers to terminally ill patients to stop their pain, even when it can shorten the person’s life.
It is often considered doubtful whether patients really want to be treated euthanasia because there are certain situations where they are unable to make rational decisions so this is the most prominent con of euthanasia. Diseases are never 100% terminal because there is no specific time of finding out cure of it so treating patients euthanasia is not fair at all. Furthermore, if it is legalized in the countries, it would ultimately lead to a slippery slope as it helps doctors in being less helpful, creative, cooperative, more negligent in their duties.
Doctors take the Hippocratic Oath, which means that they are obliged to preserve life wherever possible and if they do not do so, it is immoral. Mostly religions believe in the sanctity of life, which means that all lives are sacred as already mentioned and should be saved at any cost. Only God should decide when we die- the bible says “ If we live, we live for the lord, and if we die, we die for the lord, so that alive or dead, we belong to the lord. ” Moreover, Allah Almighty decides how long each of us will live, that means we cannot decide it by ourselves. It is clearly mentioned in the last holy book that,
When their time comes they cannot delay it for a single hour nor can they bring it forward by a single hour. (Qur'aan 16:61)
Euthanasia is considered as murder in most of the countries. As everyone knows that murder is against the law and the Ten Commandments so it should not be legalized at all. Furthermore, all the Holy Books ban suicide which is essentially what euthanasia is all about. The doctrine of double effect which Christians believe in has some limits to its usage- For the doctrine to apply, the bad result must not be the means of achieving the good one. So if the only way the drug relieves the patient's pain is by killing him, the doctrine of double effect doesn't apply.
If we accept legalization of euthanasia, it creates a kind of negative perception in the society that brain-dead people suffering from irremediable diseases are worthless as compared to other members of the society. Furthermore, if it is allowed to practice euthanasia in the hospitals, it gives too much authority to the doctors. They can kill people irrespective of their intentions under the umbrella of euthanasia and surely it can lead to slippery slope. There is also a concern that doctors can kill the patients without their or their family member’s permission just because
were from the public-sector universities. It was found that students from first year to final year participated in it but majority of them were fourth year students. The male-female ratio was 1:3.
To appraise the attitude of all students belonging to different cities and areas, a few statements about demographics were asked to find association with their knowledge, attitude and perception regarding euthansia. When it comes to primary education, 46% of the students were from the matriculation system, the commonly most used method in Pakistan. 39% of them were from the O-Levels/A-Levels system while the rest were from high schools and hybrid systems. Furthermore, religion is the most important thing when it comes to demographics. It was found that only 17% of the students were very religious.
When the respondents were asked about the knowledge of euthansia they possess, 99% of the students belonging to private universities were aware of its concept while 77% of the public- sector universities students were also aware of it. In short, more number of students belonging to private universities were aware of it as compared to the students from public-sector universities. Furthermore, it was found that 100% of the students from high school as well as O-Levels/A- Levels system were aware of euthanasia as compared to the 79% of the students belonging to matriculation system. When asked about the subject of euthansia, 82% respondents expressed that they consider euthansia as a physician-assisted suicide. It was also observed that increasing levels of medical education created a significant linkage with the association of definition.
When the respondents were asked about the demulcent treatment or should a convalescent be allowed to take life-threatening doses in order to suppress the sufferings in advance, 52% of the respondents disagreed. Momentous correspondence was observed between the religious thoughts and terminating the life of a convalescent suffering from irremediable disease. When asked if a convalescent, suffering from incurable illness with absolutely no chance of getting cured, aska for a life-threatening dose, should the doctor be given permission to provide it to him or not, 54% of the respondents were disagreed with it, 33% agreed while the rest of them were having partial views. Noteworthy dissimilarity was observed between the genders because the majority of the male students showed their consent over it as compared to the female students who disagreed to it in a majority.
When asked if students would practice euthansia in case it gets legalized nationwide, only 17% of the respondents showed their willingness to it. The majority (63% of them) disagreed at all while the rest of 23% students were bewildered whether they would use it as a way of treatment or not.
Concerning whether convalescents, suffering from an illness that cannot be cured, could maintain a sufficient standard of life but at the same time, having financial issues that did not allow so, 82% of the respondents disagreed to it considering the negative impact of this practice on the society. When asked about the introduction of a law allowing the practice of euthansia as a legalized way to treat convalescents in the hospitals, 58% respondents disagreed. Only 27% of them were desirous of practicng euthanasia in the hospitals while the rest were confused whether they wouls practice it or not.
In conclusion, there are many good reasons for and against Euthanasia. I would say that if someone were religious, he would have to be Anti-Euthanasia because he would believe that God
gave us life so we should preserve it. However I think that Atheists and more liberal Christians may be Pro-Euthanasia, because it is a way of ending someone’s suffering and giving them the right to choose what happens to them – a right that we would all want if we were in the same position.
Despite the fact that a lot of developed countries have accepted the practice of euthanasia legally and socially, I believe it is morally wrong. Whatever the situation is, every person deserves to die a natural death. By carrying on such practices we interfere in the jurisdiction of God.
questia/library/journal/1G1-145474301/emotional-and-psychological-effects- of-physician-assisted.
Sullivan, and Dennis. “Euthanasia versus Letting Die: Christian Decision-Making in Terminal Patients.” Questia (Trusted Online Research), Sullivan and Dennis, Vol. 21, No, Summer 2005, 06. Ethics and Medicine, questia/library/journal/1P3-872731821/euthanasia- versus-letting-die-christian-decision-making.
Jen, Allen, and Sonia, Chavez, et al. “American’s Attitude toward Euthanasia and Physician- Assisted Suicide, 1936-2002.” Questia (Trusted Online Research), Allen Jen and Chavez Sonia, Vol. 33, No. 2, June 2006, 05. Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare, questia/library/journal/1G1-147522547/americans-attitudes-toward-euthanasia- and-physician-assisted.
Ladger, and Dianne, Sylvia. “Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide: There is an Alternative.” Questia (Trusted Online Research), Ledger and Sylvia Dianne, Vol. 23, No. 2, Summer 2007, 06. Ethics and Medicine, questia/library/journal/1P3-1298386961/euthanasia-and- assisted-suicide-there-is-an-alternative.
Argumentative Essay Updated Project Report
Course: english (eng12)
University: Air University
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