Free Term Papers and Essay on Assisted Suicide
Home       Free Paper Index

    

  1. Essay Galaxy Archive, 45,000 + essays and term papers (highest quality)
  2. Monster Essay Archive, 40,000+ essays and term papers  
  3. Essay Archive, 35,000+ essays and term papers
  4. Free Term Papers and Book Reports Index  (Over 2500 good papers)

Enter Your Term Paper Topic Below:

Search For Your Essay At MONSTER ESSAYS!

 

Today we struggle with the medical ethics on issues of life and death in a culture that denies the terminally and the infirm the right to maintain control over when to end their lives. They come to realize that at some level we are all dependent on others. From infancy to death, the cradle to the grave we rely on a number of people. One such person is our physician. In today’s society a physician is expected to be dedicated to the restoration of health, and the mending of the broken body. What happens when the body is past mending? Is euthanasia the answer? What do I believe?


Through discussions with my uncle, David Hollett M.D., and first hand observation of the suffering of loved ones close to death, I have come to the conclusion that when the body is past mending, the current practice by physicians is to medicate and provide a pain management program through strong narcotics. This often causes patients in their last days, months, and even years, to fail to recognize loved ones, hallucinate, suffer from confusion, and even cause, in the most severe cases to be unconscious.


There are two types of euthanasia active and passive. Active euthanasia, which is the injecting of a lethal drug, which ends the life, is opposed by many people, and illegal in most countries. This method requires one person killing another. This is also known as physician assisted suicide. Fewer people oppose passive euthanasia, which is the withdrawal of life sustaining medical treatment. The supporters contend that through passive euthanasia, the person dies what would be considered a natural death. Possibly God’s will.

 
In 1990, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that patients have a right to passive euthanasia if they have clearly made their wishes known. People can do so through living wills and by granting powers of attorney. A living will is a legal document addressed to a patients family and health care providers stating what type of treatment the patient wishes or does not wish to receive if he becomes terminally ill, unconscious, or permanently comatose (Mc Graw-Hill). A power of attorney is the legal right to act as the attorney or agent of another person, including handling that persons financial matters (Mc Graw-Hill). But what about active euthanasia?


Currently only Oregon and the Netherlands have laws permitting physician-assisted suicide. There was little need to until Dr. Jack Kevorkian, a 70-year old retired pathologist from Royal Oak, Michigan. Dr.Kevorkian used “bully pulpit” to strongly advocate for allowing patients the right to decide when they no longer wished to live. . He challenged the legal system by openly admitted to giving assistance to patients with no possibility of any relief from their pain and suffering. He has admitted to extending help to 130 patients up to now (Naidu). Because the Michigan Supreme Court up held a lower court decision, it was ruled that the current law outlawing assisted suicide was constitutional. Dr. Kevorkian, also known as Dr. Death, was charged in 1999, tried and convicted of second-degree murder and illegal delivery of a controlled substance. This was decided after the authorities reviewed a tape originally sent to “60 Minutes”. The tape was of Kevorkian directly administering drugs to a patient with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrigs disease. The judge sentenced him to serve concurrent prison terms of 10 to 25 years for the murder charge and 3 to 7 years for the drug charge (Globe). He is still in jail.


I believe that life is a gift from the divine Creator, temporarily entrusted to us as faithful guardians. Therefore, death, in and of itself, is not a road to heaven and should not be contemplated as such. I find my answers to these questions in the bible in various scriptures. James 5:16 advised that when we sin it is important for us to confess not only to God, but also to our fellow Christians. How does one do this if they have just ended their life? In Corinthians 3:16 it is stated “ Don’t you know that yourselves are Gods temple and that Gods spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys gods temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple” (NIV Bible). Philippians 4:11-13 “ I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength (NIV Bible).


I believe when people are faced with a debilitating or terminal illness, the time of ones death should remain in Gods hands. It is God’s choice and no one should make that decision but him. By taking a life a person would be playing God and I believe no one has that right but him. If you have Christ at the center of your life then the issue of wanting to end your life becomes moot. I have Christ at my center and leave those decisions up to Him.

 

1. Assisted Suicide And Canadian Law - Term Paper - Essay
Canada still has not come to a decision on the need for legalizing euthanasia or assisted suicide. A woman named Sue Rodriguez brought it out into open to become one of Canada's famous court debates.
2. Dr Jack Kevorkian: Disrupting The Universe
12-27-96 Social Studies 2, Mr. Johnson Dr. Jack Kevorkian did something that most people would never even think of doing or think that someone would do such a thing. He really did disrupt the universe
3. Assisted Suicide: An Easier Way Out
Doctor Kevorkian and other so-called "death doctors" should be permitted to assist in the premature deaths of the terminally ill. Although many states outlaw assisted suicides, nevertheless, they shou
4. Doctor Assisted Suicide
has always been a controversial topic. Ever since Dr. Jack Kevorkian was introduced to us in newspapers and on television, and long before that, people have been debating over whether or not physician
5. Analysis Of "Scared To Death Of Dying", Article By Herbert Hendin
English 102 Mr. Vegh The background for this work is that the existing conflict over legalizing assisted suicides and euthanasia could bring our values down and society apart. The problem is not legal
6. Euthanasia
"It is conceivable, that life can deteriorate to the point where persons lose their dignity and self-respect and are unable to communicate; life in such a form no longer meets meets the basic criteria
7. Euthanasia
"It is conceivable, that life can deteriorate to the point where persons lose their dignity and self-respect and are unable to communicate; life in such a form no longer meets meets the basic criteria
8. The Right To Life
Life is a right held by all creatures on the universe, everything has life; however, everything also has it's own character or individuality. Every person is his or her own self and does what he or sh
9. Laws Against Assisted Suicide In Canada
"This is a very special day for me. It's the day of my release, the release from suffering, the release from the torment of my body." Those were the words of the very first Canadian to die through the
10. Issues Of Assisted Suicide
There are many issues concerning Assisted Suicide otherwise known as Euthanasia. As quoted in the “Euthanasia WebPages,” it states that the Doctor of Death otherwise known as Jack Kevorkian, is a 70 y
11. Patient Assisted Suicide: Whose Example Should Be Followed?
? There are many different methods of approaching patients facing the end of their lives. Since technology has increased the ability to sustain life longer, patient assisted suicide has become an incr
12. The Controversial Issue Of Doctor-Assisted Suicide
Imagine youu have just found out you are going to die within three months. Recently the questions have been changed form, "What am I going to do with the rest of my life?" to "When should I kill mysel
13. Suicide The Right To Die
The Right to Die, Physician-Assisted Suicide 6/3/99 History " I will neither give a deadly drug to anybody if asked for it, nor will I make a suggestion to this effect" -- The Hippocratic Oath Physici
14. Physician Assisted Suicide
Physician-assisted suicide presents one of the greatest dilemmas to the medical profession. Should someone who is mentally competent, but deemed terminally ill, be allowed to engage in physician-assis
15. Physician Assisted Suicide
Physician-assisted suicide presents one of the greatest dilemmas to the medical profession. Should someone who is mentally competent, but deemed terminally ill, be allowed to engage in physician-assis
16. Legalizing Physician Assisted Suicide
Our ability to sustain the lives of the terminally ill and permanently unconscious has increased more than ever. Higher longevity rates and the ability to survive life-threatening traumas have come fr
17. Right To Die
Physician-assisted suicide presents one of the greatest dilemmas to the medical profession. Should someone who is mentally competent, but deemed terminally ill, be allowed to engage in physician-assis
18. Euthanasia And The First Amendment
Physician-assisted suicide presents one of the greatest dilemmas to the medical profession. Should someone who is mentally competent, but deemed terminally ill, be allowed to engage in physician-assis
19. Euthanasia - The Right To Die
Modern medical technology has made it possible to extend the lives of many far beyond when they would have died in the past. Death, in modern times, often ensures a long and painful fall where one los
20. The Right To Die
Death with dignity, isn't that the way we all dream of dying? Dying of old age is dignified. When one dies of old age, one's heart just stops; it is quick and painless. But diseases such as AIDS