Euthanasia in Perspective

Supporters of euthanasia contend that contrary to what morality teaches, euthanasia should not be viewed as a morally depraved option but a choice that is motivated by compassion. Advocates believe that when a patient is helped to die or decides that he wishes to die because the pain or the situation that he is in is so unbearable and burdensome and can allow no remedy, the moral thing to do is not to allow the patient's suffering to prolong.

Contrary to popular belief however, the burden of deciding whether to commit euthanasia or not does not always fall on the hands of the patient's loved ones but may fall on the hands of the patient himself. In a case when a patient decides on death as an option the term to properly describe it is voluntary euthanasia.

At present, the debate for and against voluntary euthanasia has been raging continually. Some fear that by legalizing voluntary euthanasia, other forms of euthanasia may also be subsequently legalized and anyone may just be allowed to die. The nature of the law however, presupposes that when something is legalized, guidelines accompany the legalization.

Advocates of voluntary euthanasia propose that conditions should be set up before a person is allowed to make an option and that only when all conditions are met can euthanasia be performed. The most popular condition for voluntary euthanasia is that the patient requesting to die should be proven competent to make such a decision and that the wish to die should be voluntary and persistent.

Supporters also propose that voluntary euthanasia should be allowed only to those who are terminally ill and so ill to the extent that it is beyond their physical capacity to deal the death blow themselves. With such conditions, it is understood that those who have been debilitated by an accident and who maintain some physical ability are not allowed to opt for euthanasia. The counter argument to this