The Moral Values as a Part of Suicide - Essay Example

Suicide Introduction The decision to end life for a person remains critical as it involves sensitive ethical issues, which have medico-legal repercussions. The dilemma of ending a person’s life is quite critical. Various thinkers and philosophers have analyzed the issue of right to die and its relation with the medical research. As most of times, medical professionals try to conduct their trial and experiments using the terminally ill patients. Such people are kept alive with artificial external help and instruments, although the patient may be brain dead or under coma. Medical practitioners have thus been the subject of attacks by critical thinkers and writers who have dissected the issues of bioethics and their relation with the topic of suicide. Anthony Weston is one such critical thinker, writer and philosopher who has authored many books and primers concerning ethical issues. The writer has suggested use of “ethical tools” to investigate into various issues related to the subject of suicide. The issues include ethical issues at the end of life, surrogacy, abortion, HIV/AIDS and morality. Although these may be divergent in their nature and impact, they have many common links. For example, each issue concerns the patient and medical practitioner, as the handling of each case involves life and death repercussions. While discussing the subject of suicide all these issues find elation to each other. Hence, this paper shall discuss any or all of these core issues, while viewing through the perspective of bioethics. Chapter 4-Decision at the end of life This issue has legal repercussions. While different states in USA have varied legal requirements related to the subject of “right to die”, New York state law has defined the issues connected with such act. These include the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment, suicide or active euthanasia-- assistance for committing suicide. The legal obligations take into account the patients autonomy, mental and physical condition, while ensuring that society is not subject to any harm. The law concerning right to refusal of treatment by a patient is upheld. However, when deciding on the subject of suicide and euthanasia, the law puts restrictions on such action with the aim of maintaining no ham to the society and for sake of individual’s own benefit. The individual consent remains under the shadow of societal limitations. Hence, for the sake of social good, an individual is denied the right to die, while also restricting the act of assisted suicide. However, laws in the New York state permit a patient, who is competent enough to decide about his health and the right to refuse any medical intervention. This means that every patient has the right to accept or refuse the medical treatment required to prolong the life. The Supreme Court of United States has upheld this right as being a “protected Liberty” interest enshrined under the American constitution. Although, most of the courts have identified the state’s interest in maintaining the ethical integrity of medical profession and interest of the state in preventing suicide, preserving life and ensuring protection of life of any third person; the patient’s right to refuse the treatment has always overtaken such interests. (Chapter 4) Feelings and morality Individual feelings and morality are connected with each other. Care, passion and concern are the feelings that come into consideration while discussing about the ethical issues. For example, the prejudiced or biased feeling toward any subject can be wrong as it reflects the closeness of mind and such feelings may not prove moral, while discussing the overall good of the society. There is a need to ask questions about why such pre-judged assumptions take place, without any fair investigation into the same by an individual. Hence, an attitude which is more tolerant, open-ended and more analytical as well as critical would help to draw a fine balance between ethics and personal feelings, thus avoiding the trap of passing quick judgments.(Card) Reasons for closed-minded attitude While there is a need to have an open mind when discussing on critical bioethical issues, it is essential to recognize the reasons that promote close-minded attitude. The moral value is one such issue that needs discussion with an open mind. Hence, there is a need to look at moral values as those, which promote our own expectations and needs while ensuring that needs of others are also met. While moral values and ethics have almost no difference, ethics relates to the critical analysis of these values with an open mind. The prominent reason for closed-minded attitudes is the “Dogmatism”. According to “Ethical Tool box” of Anthony Weston, dogmatism is the rigid attitude of the mind, which never changes with any counter argument or reasoning. The most common agenda of all dogmatists is the attitude of not listening to the other opinion, while sticking to their own, as they are sure that their thinking is the only right and all other viewpoints are wrong. This applies to making ethical decisions for critical issues like suicide and right to die. As dogmatists most often do not have any solid reasoning to support their thought process, they remain adamant in sticking to their established viewpoint. This makes them fall into trap of their own, as they are unable to defend their position. However, there is a need to overcome this negativity, with an attitude to be proactive while listening to the other viewpoint. Starting with such an effort will ultimately lead any dogmatist to understand the counter arguments in a better manner. The way to open minded attitude opens thereafter. Since most of the societal moral values are changing at a fast pace, due to technological developments, there is a need to relate these changes to the established ethical values or bioethical concerns regarding decisions required at the end of life for an individual. (Anthony) Hence, there is a need to investigate into various aspects of problem solving techniques for resolving the above conflicts as related to personal and societal impediments that connect suicide to involved bioethics issues. Creative Problem solving techniques Individuals must function within a spectrum of familial, societal, cultural and political, concerns, as no one is isolated from society. Accordingly, medical professionals and clinical consultants need considering these factors, while respecting the individual’s humanity, freedom and uniqueness within the given social-cultural inferences. The psychologist and clinical consultant must understand the importance of maintaining the dignity of an individual, considering the person as a human being. As the social structure of an individual influences the action warranted by the psychologists, the clinical consultants need taking every patient as a unique personality to decide on the method of treatment. The end of life decision can follow this technique. Similarly, the economic influences are responsible to differentiate between an underprivileged patient and any other individual with similar clinical symptoms, having privilege of access to expensive medical intervention. Weston’s Ethical Tool Box, chapter 13 discusses the issues of individuals under the socio-cultural context, while finding solution to each problem in an unique manner.(Page) Finalizing the key issues The important issue related to the question of life and death is the assistance to commit suicide, called euthanasia. This issue needs analyzing the related concerns within the socio-cultural, economic, moral and societal as well as familial factors that govern the individual. Looking from this perspective, different countries and states have framed various legal guidelines that suit their particular conditions concerning the above factors. Accordingly, the key ethical issues that surface in relation to euthanasia need summarizing under different headings. Legalizing euthanasia If the right to die is made legal, the chances are that medical consultants will misuse this provision, as the medial care expenses witness rising trend along with the increase in population demanding medical attention. Health care rationing With increased young population needing medical attention, many opponents of euthanasia voice their concern that terminally ill patients will not be provided the needed medical care, as they wait for assistance to die. Such ‘futile care theory’ will mean health care rationing that leaves similar individuals without getting any help to prolong their life. Decision-making It is essential to look at the issue of euthanasia, from the patient’s viewpoint. If the right to die is legalized, medical professionals will have greater say in deciding the fate of any patient. While such patients may have the right to refuse any treatment, the final say about deciding issue like ending their life remains with the concerned medical doctor. Relative factors determine moral values The socio-cultural and economic issues frame the moral values. Hence, such values differ globally. In addition, the religious concerns have deep relations with the moral values. For conservative societies, euthanasia can never be deemed ethical due to the belief that God creates life and he only has the right to take it away. However, for non-believers in God, suicide, euthanasia and abortion is permissible.(Ethical key issues) Conclusion As psychology plays an important part in the act of suicide, various bioethical issues crop up when discussing this topic. The moral values form an important part of such issues as suicide is seen in relation to the societal, familial and economic environment concerning the individual. Medical professionals need acting responsibly while deciding on the fate of any patient, particularly the one who is continuously subject to life saving equipment, which requires prolonged hospitalization. Works-cited Anthony, Weston, “A 21st. Century Ethical Tool Box”, Oxford University Press, 2001, web, 8 March 2015: < http://sesultan.web.wesleyan.edu/pdfs/weston_chapter_1.pdf > Card. F.R., “Critically Thinking About Medical Ethics”, Medical ethics books, 23 Dec. 2003, web, 8 March 2015: “Chapter 4- Decisions at Life’s End”, USA Department of Health, April 2011, web, 8 March 2015: < “Ethical Key Issues”, New Zealand Resource for Life Related Issues, nd, web, 8 March 2015: Page Andrew, “Chapter 13- Respecting the Humanity of Clients”, Cambridge e-books, nd, web, 8 March 2015: Read More