Reasons Against Euthanasia

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9th grade English March 2006 Reasons Against Euthanasia Of the many controversial issues present in today’s society, the moral implications and legal evaluations of the topic of euthanasia are some of the most complicated and intense. With supporters of legal euthanasia using terms such as ‘the right to die’ and ‘the death with dignity’ that advocate for euthanasia as a way of showing sympathy and mercy to those greatly suffering, it is hard to see the connection between relieving one from incurable pain to permanently ending their life, and it is undeniable that this act, when used in this manner, is nothing more than mercy killing. Euthanasia is, by all definitions, simply a more furtive word for murder/homicide, and by legalizing such unforgiving, inhumane acts, our society is accepting a culture that undermines the basis of public morality and denies the value of human life. The definition of euthanasia is simply: “1. the act of putting to death painlessly or allowing to die, as by withholding medical measures from a person or animal suffering from an incurable, esp. a painful, disease or condition. 2. an easy or painless death.” (Webster’s College Dictionary). This is, in some ways, very similar to the definitions of murder: “the unlawful killing of a person”, and homicide: “the killing of one human being by another” (Webster’s College Dictionary). As stated, murder is illegal killing, whereas homicidal killing has no bearing on itsit’s legality—in other words, it can be either legal or illegal. Since —and since euthanasia is currently illegal in the United States, it would fall under the definition of murder; nonetheless, the legalization of. Nonetheless, if euthanasia were legalized, it would still cause it to be homicide. Neither murder nor homicide is ever seen as morally justified, unless
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