Essay on Moral and Ethical Issues of Euthanasia - 1521 Words

Moral and Ethical Issues of Euthanasia As we all know, medical treatment can help save lives. But is there a medical treatment that would actually help end life? Although its often debated upon, the procedure is still used to help the aid of a patients death. Usually dubbed as mercy killing, euthanasia is the practice of ending a life so as to release an individual from an incurable disease or intolerable suffering (Encarta). My argument over this topic is that euthanasia should have strict criteria over the use of it. There are different cases of euthanasia that should be looked at and different point of views that should be considered. I will be looking into VE (Voluntary Euthanasia), which involves a request by the dying†¦show more content†¦In the past, a person is considered dead if the signs of pulse or breathing is absent. But in the 1960s, advance life-supporting technologies have re-defined the meaning of death. The invention of the mechanical ventilator or respirator and the heart-lung machine allowed p hysicians to revive or artificially maintain function in hearts and lung. This made bigger chances for the survival of patients. Then later in the 1980s, brain activity is added to the criteria of death. The brain acts as the center headquarters of all functioning parts of the body. The brain sends impulses through the nerve to muscles and organs. The brain also controls memory and the ability for a person to learn and react to his or her environment. The brain is divided into different parts for different functions. The front part of the brain is called the Cerebrum, which is referred to as the higher brain. This part of the brain controls the memory and thinking abilities of a person. The brainstem, composed of the midbrain, the pons, and the medulla oblangata is called the lower brain because it controls spontaneous and vegetative functions such as swallowing, yawning and sleep-wake cycles (Presidents Commission). Since respiration and circulation can be restored, therefore defining brain death or the loss of brain function is a certification of death (Encarta). The higher brain is considered to be the most important part in determining the death of a personShow MoreRelatedEthical, Moral and Religious Issues Surrounding Euthanasia Essay1214 Words   |  5 PagesMiriam-Websters online dictionary defines euthanasia as the act or practice of killing or permitting the death of hopelessly sick or injured individuals (as persons or domestic animals) in a relatively painless way for reasons of mercy. In contrast to euthanasia, the definition of assisted suicide is suicide committed by someone with assistance from another person. 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