Assisted Suicide/Euthanasia

[P_R_Deltoid]

I've always wondered why it's illegal, or at least difficult, to end your own life in a way that is painless and certain. Why force people to commit suicide through hanging or overdose? It's people's own decision how they want to live, or die.

So what are some viewpoints on why it should stay illegal?

[i poop in your cereal]

Because people who're against it are both blind and plentiful.

[Cliche Guevara]

I've always wondered why it's illegal, or at least difficult, to end your own life in a way that is painless and certain. Why force people to commit suicide through hanging or overdose? It's people's own decision how they want to live, or die.

So what are some viewpoints on why it should stay illegal?

A good point to mention is that often time these people only to end their own life because they are in such pain that they not capable of making such a decision, they simply want the pain to end and are not thinking about the long term and the others affected by their suicide. Often times, in cases of vegetative state, these people are absolutely incapable of "deciding how they want to live or die" In that case, how do you decide who lives and dies. Althrough you can have a medical proxy, that is a tremendous burden on the person, if there was an option to "pull the plug"

The hospital does not want to be liable for these deaths, and because its such an ethical topic, are reasons why euthanasia remains illegal.

I believe that things like this should not all be umbrellaed as 'ethical' or 'unethical', but every scenario should be individually assessed, "Is the person in a healthy state of mind", "etc". In certain cases it should be considered as an ethical action (.i.e they are in an induced coma but still in massive amounts of pain, and will die in pie in 36 hours),

These are only my opinions

[Knight of Blackness]

It's legal in Holland to commit euthanasia. If you are terminally ill and in constant pain then your doctor will testify to this to a court. The court will then employ a shrink of some sorts who will examine your head to see if you are sane. If you are sane you will get permission to commit suicide. Two doctors will ask you one last time if you really want to do this. If you do, you are applied two IV's and two doctors will get a syringe. You will be put to sleep and then both doctors will inject you with a substance which will stop your heart from pumping. One doctor has a placebo but neither one of them knows who is injecting the real stuff.

Then its over.

My opinion personally: If a dear friend of mine wishes to depart from this live with honour, I would be honoured to assist him.

[LuKaZz420]

It should be legal, I don't think either the government or religious institutions should have the right to meddle in the private life of the citizens.

[Monkmaster]

I don't think it should be illegal. I think the only reason why is because of the dominant moral tradition of life being 'sacred'.
I mean, it is, to each own. If someone would wishes to give an order to hasten their death rather than live out their days in agony, they should have every right.

"The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others. His own good, physical or moral, is not a sufficient warrant ... Over himself, over his own body and mind, the individual is sovereign."
-John Stuart Mill

[lord]

I personally think it should be illegal. This is simply because some people (and it is the majority of people) try to commit suicide because they are cronically depressed. They dont think of anything except how they can end their suffering which consequently is ending their life.
However what they need is not to commit suicide its to seek help from loved ones or experts so they can turn their life around and stop being little emo cunts.

But yeah there is the odd few cases where there really isnt any other alternative so whatever do what you gotta do.... and yes i realise i have contradicted myself but you know think about the seperate cases.

[Cliche Guevara]

It's legal in Holland to commit euthanasia. If you are terminally ill and in constant pain then your doctor will testify to this to a court. The court will then employ a shrink of some sorts who will examine your head to see if you are sane. If you are sane you will get permission to commit suicide. Two doctors will ask you one last time if you really want to do this. If you do, you are applied two IV's and two doctors will get a syringe. You will be put to sleep and then both doctors will inject you with a substance which will stop your heart from pumping. One doctor has a placebo but neither one of them knows who is injecting the real stuff.

Then its over.

My opinion personally: If a dear friend of mine wishes to depart from this live with honour, I would be honoured to assist him.

I never really understood the point of injecting a placebo, or putting a blank mag into one of the guns of a firing squad. Is that somehow supposed to make you feel better about taking a life? (because it might not have been you specificially?)

I don't know how that is even supposed to work, if you are one of two doctors who euthanized someone, even if one of you didn't do it, you are still one of two doctors who had to euthanize someone.

I guess, its better that having nothing in place for guilt ridden euthanizers to feel better.

[Slave of the Beast]

It's not illegal in Britain to attempt suicide. On the other hand, assisted suicide can lack legal clarity: if British citizens assist a suicide abroad it's legally questionable (such as using Dignitas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dignitas_(euthanasia_group)) in Switzerland), but so far no one has been prosecuted. However assisting someone within Britain will likely result in a criminal prosecution, although even that is a grey area.

I support assisted suicide, especially in cases of terminal illness.

I personally think it should be illegal. This is simply because some people (and it is the majority of people) try to commit suicide because they are cronically depressed. They dont think of anything except how they can end their suffering which consequently is ending their life.
However what they need is not to commit suicide its to seek help from loved ones or experts so they can turn their life around and stop being little emo cunts.

Yes, I'm sure that knowing they're breaking the law is really going to worry somebody who's about to take their own life.

[Knight of Blackness]

I never really understood the point of injecting a placebo, or putting a blank mag into one of the guns of a firing squad. Is that somehow supposed to make you feel better about taking a life? (because it might not have been you specificially?)

I don't know how that is even supposed to work, if you are one of two doctors who euthanized someone, even if one of you didn't do it, you are still one of two doctors who had to euthanize someone.

I guess, its better that having nothing in place for guilt ridden euthanizers to feel better.

It's also for so they can always say: It isn't sure it was me who did it. If people start pointing fingers doctors can always claim that there is no proof that he/she was the one who "did it".

[P_R_Deltoid]

A good point to mention is that often time these people only to end their own life because they are in such pain that they not capable of making such a decision, they simply want the pain to end and are not thinking about the long term and the others affected by their suicide. Often times, in cases of vegetative state, these people are absolutely incapable of "deciding how they want to live or die" In that case, how do you decide who lives and dies. Althrough you can have a medical proxy, that is a tremendous burden on the person, if there was an option to "pull the plug"



It's there life to end, and their choice alone. The variable of "fit mind" is negotiable.

And I understand why assisted suicide to someone in a vegetative state is difficult, but I meant something more like Soylent Green

[lostmyface]

i support assisted suicide.

[Vizier]

Murder/Suicide? :eek:

[dontcallmeinsane]

I believe it should be legal. If i person really wants to die then they should have that right.
The only iffy part is whether they are just going through a phase, like depression or whether they realize that this is truly it, once it's over it's over.
But i do support it.

[Cliche Guevara]

I believe it should be legal. If i person really wants to die then they should have that right.
The only iffy part is whether they are just going through a phase, like depression or whether they realize that this is truly it, once it's over it's over.
But i do support it.

Yes and you cant exactly change your mind.

[dontcallmeinsane]

Yes and you cant exactly change your mind.

Yes that's right.

Apart from the moral religious reasons that make it illegal, the idea that you can't change it if you don't want it cos you're already dead.

[P_R_Deltoid]

It would be similar to Euthanasia proposed for terminally ill patients. They will be prompted many times, and make sure the person wants it.

[Knight of Blackness]

I believe it should be legal. If i person really wants to die then they should have that right.
The only iffy part is whether they are just going through a phase, like depression or whether they realize that this is truly it, once it's over it's over.
But i do support it.

If the suicider is merely going through a phase and does not commit suicide, it will become known that it was just a phase. If the suicider just goes through a phase and does succeed in commiting suicide, we will never know if it was a phase or not. Thus the whole "going through a phase" doesn't matter since people left behind can never say with proof that it was just a phase.