Variety of Legal Perspectives on Euthanasia - Essay Example

?Euthanasia Euthanasia is recognized as the act of voluntarily taking one’s life. While in pure technical terms the act of euthanasia is a form of suicide, in practice it is generally associated with individuals facing end of life issues that choose euthanasia as a means of escaping pain and suffering associated with their condition. Specifically, euthanasia has been defined as, “a deliberate intervention undertaken with the express intention of ending a life, to relieve intractable suffering" (Harris 2001, p. 70). Globally there are a variety of legal perspectives on euthanasia. In these regards one considers the nature of voluntary and non-voluntary euthanasia. Voluntary euthanasia, when the act occurs with the willful consent of the patient, is permitted in some countries. Conversely, involuntary euthanasia is globally prohibited. The last two decades have experienced tremendous controversy over euthanasia as individuals such as Dr. Jack Kevorkian popularized the practice, gaining significant media attention in the process; still, one must note that even as Kevorkian gained some mainstream acceptance, he was ultimately convicted for his actions. While legal considerations of euthanasia are a major concern, of late ethical concerns have most prominently dominated the collective discussion. This essay examines ethical concerns within secular and catholic perspectives. While Catholic doctrine spans a wide array of considerations, one of the most comprehensive perspectives exists in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Part 3, section 2 of the catechism addresses many considerations related to euthanasia. One considers that the Ten Commandments is a foundational doctrine not simply of the Catholic Church, but of the Christian faith. The Fifth Commandment states, “You shall not kill” ("Vatican VA"). When one considers that euthanasia generally requires the aid of another individual this would seem to be in direct conflict with the Ten Commandments. Still, there is the recognition that committing euthanasia is on an ethical level that is not directly comparable to other acts of killing. When on considers the Catholic perspective on life more thoroughly, however, there is the continued recognition that euthanasia is viewed as a negative occurrence. The catechism states, "Human life is sacred because from its beginning it involves the creative action of God and it remains for ever in a special relationship with the Creator, who is its sole end. God alone is the Lord of life from its beginning until its end: no one can under any circumstance claim for himself the right directly to destroy an innocent human being" ("Vatican VA"). One considers that this passage more accurately stands against the act of euthanasia. Rather than simply prohibiting the act of murder this consideration extends the notion to include life as sacred from beginning to end, and granting God specific domain over life decisions. The preceding examples demonstrate that Catholic doctrine prohibits acts related to euthanasia. Still, individuals have argued that the nature of euthanasia – delivering one from their suffering – would be in line with the general mode of Christian thought. Further analytic consideration has been given to this counter-argument. While delivering an individual from suffering would seemingly be viewed as a positive step, it has been argued that Jesus suffering on the cross is positioned within the New Testament and larger Christian faith as a necessary aspect of life. In these regards, the suffering resulted in the forgiving of humanities sins. On a broader symbolic level it represents that oftentimes-suffering functions as a means of developing character or for ultimately positive reasons (Pavone). While the Catholic perspective on euthanasia strictly forbids its occurrence, there is a variety differing secular perspectives. In the realm of medical ethics one of the prominent ethical approaches is that of natural law. Natural law as established in Greek antiquity states that, “man should live life according to an inherent human nature. It can be contrasted with man-made, or judicial, law” (Medindia). Within the spectrum of euthanasia then the implementation of natural law would seem to support the recognition that if an individual is suffering then naturally they should be allowed the option to end their life. Of course natural law plays into euthanasia considerations in other ways. For instance, oftentimes in end of life issues the individual must be connected to a feeding tube or life support system. The natural flow of life would seem to indicate that in these events removing them from this system constitutes the right action. Another prominent ethical theory that is applied to medical concerns and end-of-life issues is utilitarianism. Utilitarianism contends that, “adherents to work for those outcomes that will give the most advantage to the majority of those affected in the most impartial way possible” (Medindia). This secular perspective is directly applicable to euthanasia when one considers advantage in terms of both the specific individual facing the end of life issues as well as their loved ones. Catholic doctrine, as established earlier, argues that euthanasia should be restricted as it violates ancient Biblical doctrine. Utilitarianism represents a mode of understanding that considers more functional, real to life considerations. A utilitarian perspective on the nature of euthanasia then would consider not simply the individual’s life, but how their potential death or life would impact their family and loved ones. In instances where the person’s early death would be deemed best – in terms of a lack of suffering – for those individuals involved, then euthanasia would be ethically justified. Ultimately, then utilitarianism functions as a prominent secular perspective that both affirms and denies the ethical viability of euthanasia depending on the specific circumstances. In conclusion, this essay has examined ethical issues surrounding euthanasia. Within this context of investigation, specific consideration is given to the Catholic perspective and the secular perspective on the issue. The essay has revealed that Catholic doctrine, as evidenced in the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Ten Commandments restricts euthanasia. Conversely, the secular perspective is evidenced in natural law and utilitarianism. Both of these perspectives seem to embrace a notion of euthanasia as ethical practice contingent on the specific context. Ultimately, it’s clear that there is considerable controversy and confusion regarding euthanasia and end of life issues. References "An Introduction to Biomedical Ethics." Medindia. N.p., 2011. Web. 8 Sep 2011. http://www.medindia.net/education/familymedicine/biomedical-ethics- theories.htm "Catechism of the Catholic Church." Vatican VA. N.p., 2003. Web. 17 Jun 2012. . Harris, Neal.. "The euthanasia debate". J R Army Med Corps 147 (3): 367–70. 2001. Pavone, Frank. Brief Reflections on Euthanasia. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Jun 2012. . Read More