Brian Clark uses a number of techniques to dramatise the Euthanasia Debate in his play, "Who's Life is it Anyway".
Brian Clark uses a number of techniques to dramatise the Euthanasia Debate in his play, "Who's Life is it Anyway". Euthanasia is the means by which a person has the freedom of choice over whether they live or die. In the play there are two main arguments concerning this issue. One argument saying that a patient has the right to make this decision of life and death and on which disagrees and says the patient should not have this choice. Two characters in the play represent the two central arguments. First of all there is Ken, Ken believes that he should have the right to choose to die, it is his life, he says that his whole life before his accident was sculpture, and now that he cannot sculpt because he is paralysed below his neck, he will never be able to sculpt again: 'I'm almost completely paralysed and always will be. I shall never be discharged by the hospital.' According to Ken his life is already over: 'Of course I want to live but as far as I am concerned, I'm dead already...I cannot accept this condition constitutes life in any real sense at all.' 'Any reasonable definition of life must include the idea of it being self-supporting.' Ken only wants the dignity in death: 'each man must make his own decision. And mine is to die quietly with as much dignity as I can muster'. Ken also argues that he is not asking his lawyer to make a choice over his life or death, just
A Study of Beliefs about Euthanasia between two religions: Unit 3B, Section 1.
Jessica Johnson 5/7/2007 A Study of Beliefs about Euthanasia between two religions: Unit 3B, Section 1 For this essay I have decided to study the two religions Christianity and Buddhism. Like Christianity, Buddhism has many major denominations around the world; Thera vada, Mahayana and Zen to name a few. However, I am only going to focus on Christianity and Buddhism as a whole, quoting teachings from the Bible (Old and New Testament), and then referring to the two major denominations of Anglican and Roman Catholic when their points on euthanasia1 are absolute. I have chosen these particular denominations of Christianity because they have contrasting values. The process of ending someone's life can take place in a number of forms. By lethal injection or a form of lethal drug, for example. Euthanasia is illegal in most countries, the United Kingdom for one, but it is legal in one state, Oregon, in America, and also The Netherlands. Some people travel to these places where it is legal for euthanasia to take place2, so they don't risk any involved persons getting arrested. People can want to have euthanasia performed on them for a number of reasons. These include terminal illnesses, where each day the physical and emotional pain gets worse and worse. In cases like these, some people just want to break free from the pain, and believe ending their life is the only
The Language of Euthanasia
The Language of Euthanasia Our society is filled with controversial issues. Abortion, prostitution and euthanasia are all issues which lead to many heated debates in everyday conversation. An individual's stance on these topics is often a direct correlate of society's current environment as well as the individual's own value system. These values are often based upon religion, upbringing, and one's own personal experiences. One personal experience that most of us have endured at one point or another is that of having an elderly loved one die. Death and dying are an inevitable part of our existence which we must all face one day. It's interesting then to think that, there are those individuals that make the conscious decision to embrace death while others attempt to put off their last moments on earth. The power and ability to control when death is inflicted may soon become readily available to the elderly and society. Would this not then allow mankind to play God? It is this very question, which in the last decade has come to the forefronts of society, government, and organized religion. With its increasing popularity Euthanasia appears to have become an easy answer to a much more complex underlying problem. In essence then Sheila Grant in her article. The Language of Euthanasia accurately describes the concept of euthanasia as simply being a fancy word used to describe the
Euthanasia discussion.
EUTHANASIA: DISSCUSSION ESSAY The word 'euthanasia' derives from the Ancient Greek language meaning 'quick and easy death'. The words in Ancient Greek are 'eu' and 'thanatos' meaning well and death. Euthanasia is quite different to suicide. Suicide is when someone ends their life because they no longer want to live. Assisting someone committing suicide could give you quite a large sentence in jail. Euthanasia is different. Euthanasia happens when someone who is terminally ill with an incurable and painful disease is killed painlessly leading them to a gentle and easy death. A doctor or relative normally kills them because they are unable to move. If they could move and kill themselves, that would make it suicide. There are different cases of euthanasia including voluntary, involuntary, compulsory, passive and active. Involuntary euthanasia is when the patient is killed for his or her supposed benefit contrary to their wishes. This might happen if someone is in a coma after an accident and only machines keep him alive. The doctor or parents may or may not give permission to kill him. Another example is when a woman finds out she is pregnant, she may find out that the foetus has inherited a terminal illness due to abnormal genes. The woman may have the foetus aborted but the foetus would not be able to be consented. Abortion does not become involuntary euthanasia if the
Religious studies - Christian perspectives of euthanasia
What is euthanasia? Euthanasia is the act of intentionally ending the life of a person suffering from an incurable illness/disease to prevent them from having to suffer. The word 'intentionally' is used here because if the action isn't intended to kill the patient, but was intended for other purposes, it is not classed as euthanasia. For example, if a large dose of painkillers, such as morphine, is administered to ease the patient's pain (but without the intention to kill them), but as a result the patient dies of an overdose, then this is not euthanasia. Therefore, this is legal and part of good medical practice. This is called the Doctrine of Double Effect. Also, if a patient who has given a do not resuscitate (DNR) order, and they are not resuscitated following a cardiac arrest or a respiratory arrest, this in not euthanasia either. However, there is a possibility that this rule may be abused, as a doctor may write a DNR order in a patient's file without their consent. Euthanasia is also known as 'mercy killing', as it is merciful towards the dying person to allow them to die. In the United Kingdom, all forms of euthanasia are illegal. However, in some countries and states, such as Belgium and The Netherlands, euthanasia is legal under certain circumstances. Euthanasia can be voluntary, non-voluntary or involuntary. Voluntary euthanasia is where the patient expresses
What is the difference between euthanasia and assisted suicide?
Euthanasia Definitions * Euthanasia: the intentional killing by act or omission of a dependent human being for his or her alleged benefit. (The key word here is "intentional". If death is not intended, it is not an act of euthanasia) * Voluntary euthanasia: When the person who is killed has requested to be killed. * Non-voluntary: When the person who is killed made no request and gave no consent. * Involuntary euthanasia: When the person who is killed made an expressed wish to the contrary. * Assisted suicide: Someone provides an individual with the information, guidance, and means to take his or her own life with the intention that they will be used for this purpose. When it is a doctor who helps another person to kill themselves it is called "physician assisted suicide." * Euthanasia By Action: Intentionally causing a person's death by performing an action such as by giving a lethal injection. * Euthanasia By Omission: Intentionally causing death by not providing necessary and ordinary (usual and customary) care or food and water. What Euthanasia is NOT: There is no euthanasia unless the death is intentionally caused by what was done or not done. Thus, some medical actions that are often labeled "passive euthanasia" are no form of euthanasia, since the intention to take life is lacking. These acts include not commencing treatment that would not provide a
The Roman Catholic Church teaches that Human life is sacred.Explain how this teaching influences its attitude to Abortion and Euthanasia, showing that you understand other points of view.
'RESPECT FOR LIFE, ABORTION AND EUTHANASIA' BY JAMES DAVID ROONEY 1V MISS YATES CENTRE NUMBER 40515 ABORTION AND EUTHANASIA (1) The Roman Catholic Church teaches that Human life is sacred. Explain how this teaching influences its attitude to Abortion and Euthanasia, showing that you understand other points of view. (You should refer to the Bible, to thinking/writing of Christians and Roman Catholic tradition to illustrate and support what you say.) (KU2/28 Marks) (2) "God gives life and only God can take it away." Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your answer, showing that you have considered more than 1 point of view. (E/12 marks) Write no more than 1400 words on (1) Write no more than 600 words on (2) The Roman Catholic Church teaches that life Human is sacred When a new-born child is brought into the Roman Catholic Church at baptism, it is celebrated by the whole community. This is the first part of the Church's teachings that life is sacred and so new life should be celebrated as it is a gift from God to the world. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that the word "sacred" means something given from God and all things that are considered sacred should be celebrated and treasured. This thing or person has been set aside by God to do His bidding or be part of His worship. The first mention that life is sacred from the Bible comes
Euthanasia -Humane or insane?
Euthanasia Humane or insane? In ward seven of the Royal Hospital in Belfast, a woman called Betsy, is lying ill on an impersonal mass produced hospital bed. She is terminally ill. She's dying of bowel cancer. Her limited future is bleak. Everyday there is a new ache a new pain. As time goes on her senses will gradually fail one by one. Her memory will be the first to go. Soon she will not be able to recognise even her closest family. Her visitors will be just like any other doctor or nurse who calls on her occasionally. Before things got so bad, Betsy was an outgoing lady who was eighty seven years young, who had lived her life to the full before this disease gripped her life. She was married for 60 years, to her loving and caring husband Brian. They had 4 children together James, John, Colin and Stephanie. Each child grew up in a warm caring environment that Betsy and Brian created for them, and they had provided an excellent example for them on how to live their own lives. Betsy had many friends and her hobbies included golf, bingo and knitting. In the last eight months unfortunately Betsy's health has deteriorated. Her family have watched in anguish as they slowly see their mother's quality of life steadily decline in front of their own eyes, powerless to stop it. Since this cancer has gripped her life Betsy has been bed ridden, during that time Betsy could
To what Extent was Hitler’s Euthanasia policy a distinct “Nazi” Policy?
Contents: SectionA_______________________________________________________3 Section B_______________________________________________________ 3 Section C_______________________________________________________ 4 Section D_______________________________________________________ 5 Section E______________________________________________________ 6 Section F______________________________________________________7 Appendices_____________________________________________________8 Section A: Plan of Investigation This report investigates how the Hitler's Euthanasia policy emerged and to the reason why Nazis had a drive to kill those people they considered "classified" as being "unworthy of life". The people in question, Hitler referred to as a threat to "race hygiene" and a huge threat to the "Aryan Race."1This idea of Euthanasia, which basically meant the slaughtering of mentally and physically ill patients, was in sense Hitler's way of enforcing racial hygiene with a non-voluntary euthanasia. This also lead the way to new fresh ideas for the establishment of massive concentration camps with the main purpose of killing Jews, gypsies and homosexuals etc. Hitler considered them inferior and maybe stretched the idea of euthanasia too far to be considered inside the policy boundaries. Does this suggest that this was not a distinctive Nazi policy? In my investigation I establish this
What is meant by euthanasia?
Euthanasia Euthanasia has recently been legalised in Holland (where it has been practiced for many years anyway) which brings back to life the debate about it's acceptance throughout Europe. To commit suicide (or to take one's life) is not actually a crime in the UK as there is not much that the law can do to punish someone for taking their own life. However if you were to help someone take their own life you could be charged with murder or manslaughter and face up to a life sentence in prison! There are two types of Euthanasia there is: Voluntary Euthanasia: This is where a person has a painful or terminal disease and cannot do anything for themselves, so they ask someone to kill them painlessly and mercifully so as to put them out of their misery. This is mainly to avoid suffering which they know will come with a slow and painful death (which is inevitable in their case). The most common form would be a doctor injecting them with a lethal dose of painkillers, which would cause him or her absolutely no pain at all, pain which they would suffer if left to die naturally. Non-Voluntary Euthanasia (also known as mercy killing): This is where a person is not kept alive as they are seen as having a life worse than death. This decision is made because the person concerned cannot make a decision for his or herself e.g. babies born with terrible abnormalities and in great pain;