The Right to Die Case Study
Today dying has become much more problematical than it used to be in the past. Centuries ago people died at home of illnesses that could not be cured by medicine.
Nowadays the modern technology has created alternatives for terminal patients and their families; these alternatives raise fundamental questions about social poise and what is natural and good death. That as well built an issue of having the right not only to live but also to die. Most people die in hospitals where the doctors make an effort to keep patients alive even if there is only the slightest chance of recovery. For some people it is perfect because they want to fight off death as long as possible. Others, when faced with incurable illnesses, may conclude that there is no point to fight anymore.
The debate over having a right to die raises such fundamental questions as Who decides whether a human life is worth living or not? Should people have the right to decide when and in what way they want to die? And should not it be obvious that if each has a right to live his life the way he wants, he also has a right to end this life the way he thinks he should? For people of many religious backgrounds, these questions encroach upon their most strongly held conviction that God should decide the life and death. However, different opinions on the morality and the religious acceptance of this question persist.In my case study, I would like to take a brief look at this up-to-date question and present the arguments of both groups that pro- and against- having the right to die. To begin with, I want to present the arguments of those who think that deciding whether to continue living or to go to the next world is up to the individual. Many people think they would rather depart this life than suffer in immense pain, or be trapped in a useless state of a vegetative.
According to these people, a person is only a person when he can maintain to be a full member of the society. So if the individual does not feel like a full member, he should have an option to leave this world. These people consider that if coming to the state of losing the senses and abilities a person should have, there is no more point for this person to continue living. Along with their opinion, deciding to stop your life is a merciful deed for both the individual itself as well as for his family. They think that a person should have a right to decide if he is ready to be a burdensome or he does not want to go on living like that.Though, there are people who hold a different opinion on this matter.
They think that life is the most important thing an individual may have and this life should be taken away only when the Lord thinks it is necessary – id est naturally. They argue that life is to be appreciated and enjoyed and not deserted, no matter what the conditions are. Consistent with their opinion the right to life is a seldom questioned primary ethical principle, while a right to die should not even appear on humans’ minds because of being simply aberrant.It is rather hard for me to form an opinion on this subject because I have never been faced with such a situation. However, what I am certain about, is that whether there is a right to die or not can be decided only by being applied to a particular life situation.
