Euthanasia is a Greek language meaning ‘good death’ which is now used in English. Euthanasia refers to a practice that a person allows or asks the experts to help them to end their lives in order to be free from suffering or pain. There are different arguments and opinions towards to the idea of practicing euthanasia. To some who fall for euthanasia, euthanasia is a positive and peaceful death so they believe that it has to be legal. However, opponent believes that it has to be illegal and it has to be banned from practicing. These both different arguments are raised because of the pros and cons of euthanasia which are people’s right to death and relieving pressure on other family members as reasons for supporting euthanasia while not proven peaceful death and preciousness of lives are the factors for being against euthanasia in practicing.
First of all, the most major factor that people advocate euthanasia is that the people’s right to make decision for their own lives and even their death. This means that they believe that making decision to end their lives is still their own choice like other individual human rights for any matters in their lives. This believes is now being more believed by people because individuals’ rights are more respected today as well as freedom of making choices. Therefore, since the person, him or herself, is the one who is physically and actually facing any pain or suffer and deciding their own lives, people who support euthanasia strongly believe that individuals have to make their own choice but no others including loved ones and even family.
The other reason why people support practicing euthanasia is because euthanasia helps other family members to be relieved from any pressure or burden. When there is a family member who is suffering from pain and unsure if he/she will be cured, most likely, other family members are responsible to take care of the person. In order to take care and support, it will need time, money, and effort and face heart breaking moments. Therefore, some say that if they know that there is no hope to be cured and it is just a matter of time, then it is logically a better choice to practice euthanasia for both who are suffering in pain and who are suffering from watching the loved ones to suffer and supporting at same time. This is because it will lift burden off from the rest supporting family members financially, timely, and emotionally.
On the other hand, the opponents who stand against euthanasia have number of reasons to support why euthanasia has to be banned: importance of life and euthanasia is not yet scientifically proven to be a peaceful death.
Society has changed dramatically and be more individual minded. However, the value of humans’ lives and respecting lives are still be prioritized by some. This means that no matter what people have to respect and be responsible to the given lives both their owns and others. Therefore, the opponents resist euthanasia due to the strong believe that practicing euthanasia is against respecting the given life and no one should be legally allowed to end someone’s life.
The second factor that supports the opponents is that euthanasia is not scientifically proven to assure if it is a peaceful death. As mentioned earlier, euthanasia refers to ‘good death’ and ‘peaceful death’, however there is no evidence or any scientifically proven that if it would really be how people think since there is no experienced hands who can tell or try out. Nobody knows for sure how it would really feel or to be during the process or after the process of euthanasia. Therefore, some believe that it may not be a peaceful death just because it was their choice and they were ready for it.
To conclude, the argument about euthanasia is continuing and it will be since there are countries where they have legalized the euthanasia which are Netherland and Luxembourg. Moreover, currently number of countries is considering legalizing the euthanasia and even if they haven’t legalized yet, they are slowly legalizing by starting to allow other kinds of euthanasia such as assisted suicide. The topic of euthanasia should be disputed sensitively and it will be since it is dealing with humans lives.
