Under what circumstances if any do you approve of Euthanasia?
Sam Williamson 11T
Religious Studies Coursework
Under what circumstances if any do you approve of Euthanasia?
The word 'euthanasia' comes from the Greek words 'eu' and 'thanatos', which together mean 'a good death'. Today, the meaning of 'euthanasia' has widened, to include how that good death is brought about. Specifically, 'euthanasia' is understood to mean a good death brought about by a doctor providing drugs or an injection to bring a peaceful end to the dying process.
In trying to make my decision I had to take into account the following:
The issue of voluntary euthanasia takes in medical, legal, ethical, political, individual and practical considerations. On one level, it is an academic debate, with experts battling it out about the pros and cons of assisted dying. It is also a religious debate, as people look to the teachings of their church for guidance on whether or not this could ever be permitted. On the medical front, doctors, nurses and other healthcare staff look to medical practice and ethics to inform their discussions on this issue. And for MPs and Peers who are asked to consider legislation, it is a political debate, with a very different set of considerations than the purely academic or religious.