Euthanasia
... pain. "At times we must look at death as a welcome release from an untenable life. Death need not be a source of horror. It can be freedom, a release from agony" . This observation by Dr. Milton D. Heifetz encompasses the purpose of euthanasia: to provide "a welcome release from an untenable life" . One such "untenable life" would be that of the irreversibly comatose patient. The most widely accepted definition of an irreversible coma states that the patient displays total "unreceptivity and unresponsivity...even the most painful stimuli evoke no...response," according to the Committee of the Harvard Medical School . This includes "No movements of breathing...No reflexes...Flat electroencephalogram..." These are characteristics of a permanently nonfunctioning brain. There is no brain activity; thus, there is no thought, and without thought there can be no mind, no "being," no life. And yet, through the use of respirators, the heart and lungs can be kept pumping indefinitely. There was a case in which a patient was maintained in a state of no mental response for eight years . Euthanasia is Inhuman A subject that has been disputed more ever since medical technology has dramatically improved is Euthanasia. Euthanasia is assisted suicide, or it could be ending a patience's suffering by letting him die. Medical technology is advancing so fast euthanasia is not needed to be a practice in today's society. Moreover, it is inhuman and against the law. Many people with incurable diseases have thought about euthanasia. Their families do not want them to go through the pain any longer. One reason why these families should not consider euthanasia is because medical technology is advancing at an alarming rate. Diseases can be cured now that could not have been cured just a few years ago. The way things are going technology would probably find a cure for the patience's illness in the near future. Families or individuals thinking about euthanasia should get all the facts first about the research being done on the particular illness that has invaded a member of their family. Think twice before making any serious decisions. Euthanasia is an inhuman way of taking care of a difficult problem. Some people might say that it is inhuman to have someone suffer through the pain of his or her illness. Many of the families have a harder time dealing with the pain than the actual victim does. The families would like to ease their own pain along with the victim's pain. It is not inhuman to keep someone alive as long as humanly possible. If a cure is found, then the victim could possibly go on to live a long life. It would be inhuman to not let the victim have the chance to live the rest of his life. A human life is the most beautiful thing on the face of the earth or anywhere, and people should be given a chance to experience the beauty as long as possible. Some people want to die for one reason or another. These people go to someone and ask him or her to help them die. Most of the victims of diseases that would result in them wanting to die are in an unstable condition and are not fit to make these major decisions. A paper I read off the internet said "Contrary to the assumptions of many in the public, a scientific study of the people with terminal ill...