Euthanasia: Some Critical Remarks

Abstract

Euthanasia is generally regarded as killing in order to put an end to the unrelieved pain and suffering of a patient. Most terminal diseases are often associated with unrelieved pain and suffering, as a result advocates of euthanasia have argued for the legalization of euthanasia on the ground of compassion for the patients’ suffering. However advancement in medicine has made it possible for modern medicine to reduce pain and suffering to the barest minimum. The questions that arise from this are, given the advancement in medicine; is there any necessity for euthanasia? Is the relief of pain the same as the relief of suffering? Do the physiological treatment of pain and its symptoms treat the psychological and emotional effect of pain and suffering? This paper shall attempt to answer these questions and argue that though issues and fears raised by the anti-euthanasia movements are very legitimate, the problems are resolvable by a well regulated medical system. I will attempt to explain what a well regulated system entails and how it can take care of the concerns of the anti euthanasia movement.