PHI2600
Euthanasia: A Kind Way to End Suffering
Watching a close family member suffer from lung cancer changed how
I think about the end of life. They fought the illness bravely, but over time
the pain became severe. Breathing was difficult even with strong medication,
and nothing fully eased their suffering. This experience showed me how
important it is for people to have a choice when their pain cannot be
relieved. Situations like this raise ethical questions about euthanasia, which
means helping someone die to stop extreme suffering when they ask for it.
Euthanasia can involve giving medication to end life or stopping treatments
that keep someone alive. In this paper, I argue that euthanasia should be
allowed when an adult is able to make well-informed decisions and clearly
asks for it, and when clear rules exist to prevent abuse. This position is
supported by two reasons: it respects personal choice, and it reduces pain
that cannot be treated.
One reason to allow euthanasia is that it respects a person’s right to
make decisions about their own body. When someone faces serious illness
and constant pain, they should have control over how much suffering they
must face. For example, imagine a former dancer who develops a disease
that causes intense pain and limits movement. She once lived independently
and found meaning in her work but now feels trapped in her body. If she
clearly asks a doctor to help her die peacefully, refusing that request would
remove her dignity. Society already allows people to refuse medical
treatment, even if that choice leads to death. Allowing euthanasia in certain
cases follows the same idea of personal freedom. Without this option, people
may be forced to continue suffering against their wishes.
Another reason to allow euthanasia is that it can prevent long and
unnecessary suffering. When a person has a terminal illness and no
treatment can improve their condition, keeping them alive may only extend
their pain. My experience with my family member’s lung cancer showed this
