"Euthanasia" is a broad term for mercy killing - taking the life of a hopelessly ill of injured individual in order to end his or her suffering (Torr p.12) . The term "euthanasia" is derived from ancient Greek, and means "good death". While the debate over mercy killings has been going on for centuries, many people today believe that it is harder than ever before to achieve a good death. Advances in medicine have increased people's health and life span, but they have also greatly affected the dying process. For example, in the beginning of the twentieth century the majority of Americans died at home, usually the victims of pneumonia or influenza. Today most people die in the hospital, often from degenerative diseases like cancer that cause a painful, lingering death (Manning, p 4). .
In our judicial system today there is an ongoing battle whether terminally ill people have the right to end their lives. The question is, if the quality of life has deteriorated is it our right to end it? Is assisting someone to commit suicide unethical behavior? Some would argue that it is not only unethical, but immoral. It is my belief that it is not unethical nor immoral. When death is inevitable and the quality of life has deteriorated, that person has the right to die with dignity. .
Jack Kevorkian, a proponent of euthanasia and assisted suicide has become a controversial figure in America. He believes individuals who have afflictions that are terminal have the right to end their lives. Using a "suicide machine" he developed, patients are allowed to administrate their own deaths by hitting a switch, and releasing a lethal amount of drugs into their system. Death would come quickly and painlessly. The pain suffered by patients with terminal diseases can last for years. If an individual's quality of life has deteriorated and life has become painful, doesn't he/she have the right to end it?.
