Assisted Suicide Essay -- Assisted Suicide Death Essays

Writing the fifth assignment for the English class was by far the hardest essay I have had to write. Constantly was I running into problems, and this ended up taking me much longer than I had originally planned. Writing about the opposing side of this topic was very hard, as I usually caught myself writing things that I couldn’t make work in my paper. The writing was very tough to keep on track because it isn’t actually how I feel. This essay helped me to better understand the argument that is presented from both sides. Originally I knew my own opinion, which is an advocate of euthanasia, but I did not know the side that the opponents argue. All in all, I was able to learn more than I thought I would. Since ancient times, many people have contemplated the concept of a merciful and acceptable death. However, individual choice in dying did not become a widespread social issue and legal concern until recently. As technology advances, the medicines have enabled doctors to keep patients alive for longer periods of time. This has caused the development people to legally be allowed to ignore medical intervention. Although a mentally competent patient’s right to refuse treatment is widely and obviously accepted, doctors, in most cases, assume control over the patient’s length of hospitalization and type of treatment. A patient who refused a life-sustaining treatment was considered to have requested something that could not be done. This view changed during the 1970s, when the right to refuse treatment was established by various court cases. Today the dispute over patient autonomy extends beyond the right of treatment refusal to issues of euthanasia and assisted suicide. Most people who believe that assisted sui... ... to death, because they can not even decide if they want the treatment. Assisted Suicide, more than many other things, gives opponents the fear that doctors will become less committed to saving lives, that families may respond to financial pressures by encouraging suicide, and that limitations in the resources of the health-care system might dictate decisions of life and death. All in all, assisted suicide has been a large topic for debate and discussion for many years. Ever since the incident with Dr. Kevorkian, very much attention has been brought to the topic of euthanasia. All in all, the act in itself is morally, ethically and obviously wrong. People should not be able to take their lives from themselves with aid from a doctor, because it is not good for a society or community. Assisted Suicide should not be condoned in any situation or at any time.