Euthanasia

Euthanasia Euthanasia, which is also known as assisted suicide, is the painless inducement of death” (Weir 281). “The term “euthanasia” is derived from the Ancient Greek, and means “good Death” (Torr 12). “Euthanasia is a broad term for mercy killing-taking a life of a hopelessly ill or injured individual in order to end his or her suffering” (12). Euthanasia is done one of two ways. It is either done actively or passively. Passive euthanasia is when someone disconnects a respirator or removes a feeding tube from someone who is solely dependant upon it (Bender 13). Active euthanasia is giving a patient an overdose of pills or perhaps a deathly injection of a substance (13). While passive euthanasia has become acceptable, active euthanasia is very controversial issue. Euthanasia is not a new idea to our culture. “In ancient Greece, the government gave hemlock to those who wanted it (13). Though, individuals’ opposing the idea of euthanasia is not anything new. In 1868, over half of the thirty-seven states prohibited the act of euthanasia (13). In the United States Oregon is the only state where euthanasia has been legalized. Those who have been told that euthanasia means dying peacefully have actually been fed a lie. euthanasia, life, suicide, out, person, state, death, suffering, ethical, done, say, pain, make, longer, being, assisted, while, right, patients, one, must, live, hitler, end, die, because, act, without, support, states, someone, people, own, oregon, liberty, issue, individual, find, example, due, decision, been, wrong, wish, ways, treatment, torr, time, take, said