Assisted suicide is a valid response to human suffering. Discuss.

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1.        Assisted suicide is a valid response to human suffering.

Imagine yourself being unable to walk, unable to see, and can barely breathe let alone speak. You are in such unbearable pain that you can’t even cry. Your life was well lived all those years before but now, there is no way that you could function without assistance. You think and feel as if your life has no meaning and you begin to think, could ending your life be the answer to the pain? Well in all reality this isn’t something anyone needs to imagine. This is a real situation for many, many people. These people should be able to make their own choices and have control of their own lives and the way they die.

Before I can begin to discuss the statement there are issues that need to be illustrated; that there are no black and white answers. For example, a doctor who has pledged Hippocratic oath and believes whole heartedly in the bible may also believe in the human rights of an individual, i.e., the right to death without suffering (remembering that in this country a vet is allowed to put animals out of misery and suffering and provide them with a merciful death, a right under British legislation). Ultimately there cannot be a simple straightforward answer. There are issues that can only be truly relevant and appropriate to somebody actually going through pain and suffering. How can one claim to know what is right or wrong without experience? I am sure that many would change their outlook on euthanasia if confronted with a long painful death. Hence, one can be sympathetic but not empathic.

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Euthanasia translates as 'good death' or 'dying well' but what is a 'good' death? One could describe it as peaceful and painless and with our loved ones present. So shouldn’t we all have the right to choose a good death? We are faced with choices every day; we are given the liberty to choose our religion, our jobs our friends and even our path in life so why isn’t death our own personal choice too? It should be the first right before anything else. It isn’t fair or logical to give us the authorisation to do all those things but ...

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