The slightest mention of euthanasia is already capable of provoking a stormy reaction of society. Moreover, this process becomes a cause of constant debate among lawyers, doctors, psychologists, politicians, and especially believers.
Some agree that this procedure is a necessity, others show a sharply negative attitude to euthanasia, equating it to intentional murder. Is there justification for “merciful” killing? Who are they, doctors performing such a "duty" - executioners or savior? Consider the pros and cons.
What is euthanasia?
"Easy, painless death," - this is the definition once given to euthanasia by the English philosopher Francis Bacon. Literally translated, this word means "good death." However, in the modern world he is associated more with “murder for good” than with independent death.
Euthanasia is an action aimed at a terminally ill patient that leads to death. Its main goal is to alleviate unbearable pain and physical suffering.
“Absolutely humane,” many will say. However, here it is not without problems. In particular, opponents of euthanasia are daily bombarded with letters and appeals by the Ministry of Health of some states, trying to indicate the immorality of this action. That is why the problem of euthanasia is still acute in the modern world, and to date, "easy death" has been legalized in only a few countries around the world.
The history of legitimization
Today, countries where euthanasia is allowed can be counted on the fingers of one hand. But more recently, in the pre-war period, this phenomenon was actively supported by all European states.
The very idea of euthanasia is not new. It was used back in the time of Sparta, when “unsuitable” babies were thrown into the abyss. The same can be said of the Chukchi, who deliberately took the lives of weak newborn children, supposedly unsuitable for life in the harsh conditions of the northern climate.
Before the Second World War, no one spoke in favor of and against euthanasia - it was distributed almost everywhere. Even the world-famous Sigmund Freud ended his life in a similar way. He suffered from incurable palate cancer and was no longer willing to endure intolerable pain.
The significance of this phenomenon was distorted by the Nazi regime in Germany when Adolf Hitler signed a secret decree stating that “all forms of life that are unworthy of it should be euthanized”. In the next 6 years, as many as six specialized centers were created in the state, in which, according to some estimates, up to 1 million people were killed.
Today, the hype surrounding "good death" has subsided. Until now, it is banned in most countries of the world, and the issue of its legalization is only at the stage of active discussion. For example, euthanasia in Russia is being actively studied on the basis of the State Institute of Complex Problems of Tanatology and Euthanasia.
Types of Euthanasia
Modern euthanasia is divided into two types - passive, implying the cessation of medical care; and active, during which the patient is given specialized means that cause an immediate and painless death.
Active medical euthanasia can take three forms:
- without the consent of the patient (for example, if the patient is in a coma), when close relatives or the doctor approve the procedure instead;
- with the help of a doctor;
- independent euthanasia, in which the patient himself introduces a tool or turns on the device that helps him commit suicide.
Euthanasia and religion
For and against euthanasia, active religious figures of various faiths in the world are actively speaking out. Some of them categorically do not accept the deliberate cessation of life, while others, on the contrary, contribute in every way to this. Consider a few opinions.
Protestant Church. One of the most talked about phenomena among Protestants is euthanasia. Opinions about it radically differ among representatives of different churches. For example, Lutheran German categorically does not accept this process, calling it a real murder. At the same time, the reformist community in the Netherlands considers this a progressive solution and strongly supports it.
Orthodox Church. From the point of view of Orthodox Christians, this is suicide. This is how euthanasia is perceived in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and other CIS countries. “For a dying person, suffering is the highest good,” says the archpriest of one of the churches of the Moscow Patriarchate.
Greek Catholic Church. Representatives of this church also believe that the problem of euthanasia is a complex phenomenon, and it is foolish to consider it on the one hand. So, in 1980, the so-called “Declaration on Euthanasia” was issued, which made it possible to alleviate the suffering of seriously ill people, even if as a result it could lead to death.
On the other hand, many Greek Catholics associate the suffering of a dying man with the pain that Jesus Christ felt during the crucifixion, and therefore completely reject the use of euthanasia.
Other religions. In Judaism, euthanasia is strictly prohibited. At the same time, Islam is ambivalent about this phenomenon. Muslims believe that accelerating the arrival of death is a great sin, but the terminally ill always has the right to refuse an ineffective treatment.
Hindus and Sikhs deny euthanasia, but there is a tacit law among them that allows terminal patients to commit suicide on their own.
Age restrictions of the "right to death"
Of all countries where euthanasia is allowed, only Belgium, Holland, Switzerland and Luxembourg have officially legalized the possibility of its use in relation to children. In other states, the main restriction is a minor under the age of 18 years.
However, it is worthwhile to understand that in order to get the right to euthanasia, you need to go a difficult way. History knows cases where some mentally unhealthy people have applied several hundred times for permission, but have been refused.
In turn, one woman living in Belgium, by the age of 51, still obtained permission for euthanasia. She could have lived a long life, however, doctors considered that prolonged depression for 20 years was a serious diagnosis and an occasion to stop the patient’s moral suffering.
Humane animal euthanasia: opinions
If people have the right to choose, albeit with restrictions, then pets are categorically deprived of it. Animal euthanasia is a ubiquitous phenomenon that also causes widespread public outcry.
On the one hand, loving owners understand how difficult it is for their pet at the time of a terrible disease. On the other hand, lulling an animal, no one asks his opinion, but because many “advocates for the rights of the smaller brothers” believe that this process is nothing more than killing and animal abuse.
Do not confuse “good death” with the intentional euthanasia of annoying yard cats and dogs. This is a murder that is strictly punishable by law in all countries of the world.
Where is euthanasia permitted?
Today, there are different opinions: people are in favor of and against euthanasia. However, despite this, it has already been legalized in the most developed countries of our planet.In other states, the issue is still under discussion, but certain bills have already been submitted to the parliaments of many countries.
To date, euthanasia is supported by:
- Albania.
- Belgium.
- Luxembourg.
- Netherlands.
- Switzerland.
- Sweden.
- Luxembourg.
- Germany.
- Some US states.
By the way, the United States did not legitimize euthanasia at the state level, entrusting this complex decision separately to the government of each state. So, today it is allowed in Vermont, Washington, Montana and Oregon.
Japan and Colombia have somewhat conflicting laws regarding euthanasia. For example, in Colombia, the law was adopted at the end of the last century, but was never ratified. In Japan, although there is a strict prohibition on the process, at the same time there are 6 criteria that a doctor should follow, giving the patient the opportunity to die legally.
There are also countries that once passed the law, but then for some reason refused. These include France, which supported euthanasia in 2014 and completely abandoned it in the spring of 2016.
Arguments for"
Human euthanasia is a moral issue. People supporting this phenomenon cite a lot of arguments, among which the most vivid and convincing can be distinguished:
- It allows you to fully realize a person’s desire to manage his own life at the legislative and ethical level.
- The basic principle of democracy is that man is the highest value. Therefore, the state should do everything to satisfy its needs, including the desire of a citizen to end his life.
- Euthanasia is the highest degree of humanity. It allows you to stop once and for all the unbearable suffering and physical pain, which is the basis of the doctrine of humanism.
- States should realize this right at the legislative level not for all citizens, but only for those who really want to ease their torment.
Also, do not miss the other side of the issue, which can easily demonstrate whether euthanasia is needed. Countries that completely abandoned this procedure can be understood. However, in 40% of cases, the clinical death of the patient occurs as a result of decisions made by the doctor on disabling life support systems, terminating medication and other treatment. That is, in fact, doctors in such states risk not only their own careers, but also freedom.
As you can see, euthanasia is a complex phenomenon, which is definitely worth considering from different angles, studying all aspects of the problems. Only then can the only positive result be achieved.
Arguments against"
Among the arguments for and against euthanasia, the latter are still leading in many countries. Why do many refuse the procedure? Let's consider.
- Religious views are the first inhibitory factor. Despite the difference in faiths in the world, almost all of them prohibit deliberate killing, arguing that "God gave life and to dispose of it."
- The constant fight against deadly diseases allows medicine to stay still, to constantly develop, to seek new medicines and treatment methods. The introduction of euthanasia can greatly inhibit this process.
- Possible problems with physically disabled people who are a "burden" for others. Their defects can lead to public pressure and coercion to "easy death".
- Euthanasia can easily become one of the methods of committing a murder, as well as lead to abuse of official position, bribing medical staff, intentional harm, etc.
- It is extremely difficult to understand when the patient really wants to die. Stress, prolonged depression, public pressure or threats - all this can cause a petition to be submitted to resolve the procedure.
- Cases of miraculous healing are completely excluded.Medicine knows hundreds of cases when a seemingly doomed patient suddenly got up after a severe form of cancer or returned after a 20-year-old coma: health returned when no one had any hope. With euthanasia, all this is ruled out.
Finally, it is worth saying that killing the patient is completely contrary to the Hippocratic oath, which states that the doctor should not give a lethal remedy and show ways to achieve death. This moment is a braking factor for decision-making among physicians.
To summarize: is euthanasia a murder?
Euthanasia is definitely a multifaceted problem that cannot be viewed from one perspective. That is why its legalization still causes a resonance, provoking a lot of discussion, condemnation and criticism.
Of course, on the one hand, one can always agree with the assertion that a person’s desire is the highest law, that people themselves have the right to manage their own lives, regardless of the prejudices of society. However, there are a number of issues that need to be considered.
Firstly, the introduction of euthanasia requires a strong legislative foundation, which, unfortunately, today many states cannot be proud of. Secondly, neither the Christian, nor the Muslim, nor the Hindu world accepts the intentional deprivation of human life, and therefore this process in the eyes of believers is a real murder.
On the other hand, doctors who stop suffering patients in countries where euthanasia is not permitted also legally commit murder. And this is already a huge risk of getting under investigation, which can lead to unpleasant consequences, including imprisonment.
In general, a completely logical question arises: is it worth talking about the legalization of euthanasia in many countries when the moral principles of society are so unstable? Is it worth insisting on it when the legislation is not able to ensure the safety and reliability of doctors and patients? Definitely not.
So what is euthanasia? Perhaps today, while the active discussion of this issue continues, it is impossible to find the only right answer. We can only say one thing: until medicine has found a miraculous cure for all diseases, the “good death”, which grants deliverance from suffering, will not lose its relevance.
