Analysis of Articles about Euthanasia - Annotated Bibliography Example

Paterson, Craig. Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia: a natural Law Ethics Approach. Farnham: Ashgate Publishing Ltd, 2008. Print In this book, Craig explores the ethic of ending an innocent person’s life, whether self or somebody else’s. There might be myriads of people who had explores this issue from various perspectives in the past. However, Craig opts to tackles the question on whether it is ethical to terminate an innocent life from the perspective of natural laws. In this regard, he revives the natural law approach to moral reasoning from where he proceeds to defend the proposition to the effects that it is a serious moral wrong to end the life of an innocent person’s life (including your own) on grounds of relieving pain or some other seeming convincing reasons. To him that is murder by another name. In this book Craig offer a detailed analysis of why deliberately terminating an innocent person’s life in the name of relieving such a person’s pain is murder or assisted suicide by another name. His use of natural law to reach this conclusion is more convincing than most of anti-euthanasia campaigners narratives on the same. In this regard, he contributes significantly to this debate, which in the spirit of open debate is very important. In this book, Craig attempts on several occasions to differentiate “natural laws” from the “law of nature” in order to convince the reader that sound ethical judgment is always grounded on objectivity but not on emotions and passion, as has been the case in the past (Paterson 5). Basri, Zakyah. Euthanasia: Which "M" Is It? Mercy or Murder? Bloomington: AuthorHouse, 2012. Print In this publication Zakyah present a simply way of looking at the concept “euthanasia” without necessarily getting caught in the maze of religion, stereotypes, emotions and utter misuse of this concept that has been generated by conflicting interest that have been championing this debate. According to Zakyah, the best a person can do to look objectivity while interrogating the pros and cons of euthanasia in an effort to decide its merit is to look at it from the medical and religious perspective that it has been subjected in over the years. In demystifying this concept Zakyah offer a very simplistic approach that he proceeds to explore the cynicism that has been generated in this debate, thereby exposing the passion and emotion that continues to obstruct the creation of an environment conducive for an objective debate. Though short, this book offers one of the most objective analyses of the controversial issue of euthanasia. It is interesting to see how Zakyah avoid getting involved in religious and stereotypical emotions of mercy killing that have almost solely denied this debate the much-needed objectivity. Wong, C. Kam. Whose Life is it anyway? Cardozo Public Law, Policy and Ethics Journal 5 (2006). Print This article does not pretend to break new ground on the issue of euthanasia whatsoever; rather it tries to bring into perspective the realities of whatever euthanasia attempt to heal. In this regard, it offers a case of a terminally ill cancer patient begging for a peaceful and dignified death from a humanistic physician who cannot entertain the thought of ending another person’s life in the name of relieving pain to such a patient. There is no doubt that the author in penning this article is informed by the need to reassess the old argument concerning euthanasia while prospecting on new possibilities. Therefore his effort in this particular case is to create conducive conditions for the generation of new and more creative ideas on the issue of euthanasia. This article has done a tremendous job in reassessing old arguments that has been advanced concerning euthanasia. However, in doing so it commit a common sin in this debate namely; evoking passion and emotion as a way of ensuring that one is heard. In this regard, I am referring to the authors report concerning a terminally ill cancer patient who is for a peaceful and dignified death in the hands of a humanistic doctor who can hear nothing of that. Haan, Jurriaan. The Ethics of Euthanasia: Advocates’ Perspectives.” Bioethics, 16 (2002) 154-172 This article reconstructs the debate on euthanasia particularly in Netherlands, which one of the few countries where it has been legalized. In this regard, it interrogates autonomy which is the justification behind Netherlands’ legalization of Euthanasia. The author criticizes the idea that the principle of autonomy and that of beneficent, both of which tries to argue that since a patient is suffering pain that is not only unbearable but also hopeless, then euthanasia or killing him/her is in his/her best interest. According to the author this is more or less like forcing on its people the view that death is in a person’s best interests which to him is scandalous. Though well researched, this article restricts its focus on Netherlands where euthanasia has already been legalized. It would have been better to tackle this debate from a broader perspective as majority of its audience are from countries where the mere idea of legalizing euthanasia is still flown upon. Nicolosi, Barbara. “Exposing Euthanasia through the Art.” Crisis Magazine, 3 June. 2011. Print This article is just an admonition of the latest trend in the entertainment industry where euthanasia is being propagated. In this article the authors criticizes the “good” among us for keeping quiet as this pro-euthanasia propaganda is being waged perpetuated by Hollywood and in general, the entertainment industry. It is his strong believe that as pro-euthanasia continues framing sympathy on this issue, the pro-euthanasia will continue getting an edge over anti-euthanasia. He therefore urges those who care to initiate an all-out war against these pro-euthanasia campaigners instead of just issuing a harangue here and there once in a while. This article is a nice read for anti-euthanasia but not for a person looking for an objective analysis of the issue of euthanasia and mercy killing. In my opinion it is neither objective nor insightful as it has been penned by a person who already has a set mind. All what a person get after reading it is an attempt to incite anti-euthanasia forces again pro-euthanasia forces instead of countering their arguments with hard fact. In my view statements like “we ought to be not just shrewder but also all-encompassing in countering pro-euthanasia propaganda if we are to win this fight (Nicolosi 1)” is just unfortunate. Shakespeare, Jocasta. “Euthanasia: We should not be made to Suffer like this.” The Telegraph 25 Feb. 2008. Print In this article by Jocasta, we see an attempt to use emotion to win people heart in supporting euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. In this regard, he narrates the story of Val McKay, who is terminally sick with multiple sclerosis; a narration that is interspersed with directs quotes from Val on her suffering at the hands of this deadly disease. Val wish is perfectly reflected in this article title if the predicaments that she narrates are anything to go by. In the midst of the noise that the pro and anti-euthanasia campaigners have been generating over the years as they try to outdo one another in this debate, it is interesting to get a first-hand view of this issue from a candidate of euthanasia like Val. That said, I strongly believe that what this narration from Val does most is to evoke emotion thereby denying it the objectivity that it highly requires. There is also no doubt that due to his condition, Val cannot be expected to offer a balanced opinion on this issue, as has been betrayed by statement from her like “the law is very cruel which to me is wrong” (Shakespeare 1).” Pollard, Brian. “Why Safe Euthanasia is a Myth.” (2011). Retrieved on 15th April 2012 from http://www.mercatornet.com/articles/view/why_safe_euthanasia_is_a_myth This article takes a look at the laws that have been legislated in regards to euthanasia in Australia. In this regard, it audits the collection of these legislations together with their enabling laws since the debate on euthanasia commenced. However, one thing that is clear in this article is the fact that its author advocates against euthanasia which therefore explain why he appear to find so many faults and weaknesses with these laws and the logic behind their legislation. A critical analysis of this article reveals two things. First, is that autonomous of the patient, which is behind almost all arguments for euthanasia, cannot be enforced without the doctor consent. According to him a patient who expresses his/her desire to die ought to be counseled instead of being killed. Therefore, it is the author’s view that the doctor decision always carries the day in cases of terminally ill patients where such patients expresses their desire to be relieved their pain through a kind of an assisted suicide. That being the case, it would be totally unfortunate for a doctor to go ahead and kill his or her patients for reason that such a patient feels that death is the only option. This article is well researched and especially on legal issues touching on euthanasia. However, the fact the author exposes his opposition to euthanasia at every point denies him an opportunity to offer a balanced analysis of the issues surrounding this debate. This is the reason why even the title “why safe euthanasia is a myth (Pollard 1)” gives a reader a clue of what to expect in this article namely; a biased analysis of the issues surrounding euthanasia. Bommarito, Sal. “Euthanasia helps avoid Unnecessary Pain and Suffering.” (2012) Retrieved on 15th April 2012 from http://www.policymic.com/articles/4398/euthanasia-helps-avoid-unnecessary- pain-and-suffering Though short, this article offers a candid analysis of why euthanasia is necessary. In this article the author attacks all the grounds that have been used to support euthanasia thereby offering his reasons why euthanasia is good. In this regard, he starts with the attack on catholic’s view to the effect that suicide is not only a mortal sin but the only one which does not give the sinner an opportunity to repent. In countering this line of reasoning he invokes his doubts on eternal damnation. This article by Sal is another one sided article on the topic of euthanasia. The statement like “do we want to wear away as our loved one watch us while still our financial resources are wasted for just a few days of life (Bommarito 1),” betrays the author’s intention at rallying the readers behind euthanasia. Wolf, M., Susan. “Confronting Physician-Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia: My father’s Death.” The Hastings Center Report 38. 5 (2008): 23-26 In this article, the author details his struggles with her serious ill father’s appeal for accelerating his death. She narrates how she initially refuses her father requests for assisted suicide after the termination of artificial hydration and nutrition only to reconsider that decision afterward after witnessing the suffering that he subsequently goes through. In this article, narrative comes head-on with analytic scholarship, as the author is forced to re-evaluate arguments that have been generated over the years of research and scholarship concerning euthanasia as her father lies dying. Its greatest strength is in the fact that it explores arguments and research that have been forwarded for and against euthanasia over the years before making a conclusion based on that analysis. It is an insightful piece that explores the merit and demerits for and against euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide. Cohen-Almagor, Raphael, (2008). The Right to die With Dignity: An argument in Ethics and Law. Health Law & Policy 2. 1 (2008): 2-8. This article explores the ways people would like to die. In doing so it analyses the legal situation in countries like Netherlands, Belgium and several other countries that have legalized euthanasia. While criticizing the physician-assisted suicide models from these countries, the author concludes that the Oregon model is comparable better than the others because of the few abuses that it contains. It is at this point that the author set out guidelines for improving the conduct of physician assisted suicide which he has built from the experiences of Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, Oregon and the Northern Territory of Australia. By taking a look at the countries where euthanasia has been legalized this article does something that majority of commentators in this debate have ignored or deliberately refused to do. As a result this action has accorded him the opportunity to provide one of the most compelling reasons why euthanasia is not as bad as some people would like us to believe. Work Cited: Basri, Zakyah. Euthanasia: Which "M" Is It? Mercy or Murder? Bloomington: AuthorHouse, 2012. Print. Bommarito, Sal. “Euthanasia helps avoid Unnecessary Pain and Suffering.” (2012) Retrieved on 15th April 2012 from http://www.policymic.com/articles/4398/euthanasia-helps- avoid- unnecessary- pain-and-suffering Cohen-Almagor, Raphael, (2008). The Right to die With Dignity: An argument in Ethics and Law. Health Law & Policy 2. 1 (2008): 2-8. Haan, Jurriaan. The Ethics of Euthanasia: Advocates; Perspectives.” Bioethics, 16 (2002) 154-172 Nicolosi, Barbara. “Exposing Euthanasia through the Art.” Crisis Magazine, 3 June. 2011. Print. Paterson, Craig. Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia: a natural Law Ethics Approach. Farnham: Ashgate Publishing Ltd, 2008. Print. Pollard, Brian. “Why Safe Euthanasia is a Myth.” (2011). Retrieved on 15th April 2012 from http://www.mercatornet.com/articles/view/why_safe_euthanasia_is_a_myth Shakespeare, Jocasta. “Euthanasia: We should not be made to Suffer like this.” The Telegraph 25 Feb. 2008. Print. Wolf, M., Susan. “Confronting Physician-Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia: My father’s Death.” The Hastings Center Report 38. 5 (2008): 23-26 Wong, C. Kam. Whose Life is it anyway? Cardozo Public Law, Policy and Ethics Journal 5 (2006). Print. Read More