Arguments in Support and Against Euthanasia

Abstract

The aim of this article is to present and confront the arguments in support of euthanasia and physician assisted suicide, and the arguments against. The arguments for and against euthanasia are listed and discussed to literature cited. Euthanasia is an act of mercy, and, basically means to take a deliberate action with the express intention of ending a life to relieve intractable, persistent, unstoppable suffering. The phenomenon about both the morality and legality of euthanasia and physician assisted death have been a significant debates of the last decades of the twentieth century and they will remain further a source of controversies. This paper explores and analyze the arguments in support and against euthanasia and physician assisted suicide. For the purpose of this article has been viewed over the Internet and Google total of 247 journal articles, book chapters and websites, and, in writing of this article we used 74 references cited in the manuscript. The ‘end of life’ issue in relation to euthanasia and physician assisted suicide is a most widely discussed phenomenon not only in academic and official literature, but also in daily life. Euthanasia should be legally permissible if certain conditions are present: the patient is terminally ill, death is imminent, and, treatment was appropriate and well. If a patient autonomously chooses to end his life or have someone else assist him in doing so, then it is morally permissible. Patient must be fully informed of the diagnosis and prognosis of an incurable, fatal disease, and competent to make the decision. This article is a contribution to the debate on the important topic of euthanasia. We conclude that euthanasia should be used only in cases of last resort and not as an alternative to palliative care.