Assisted Suicide

[Scarlet]

Just a couple of years ago there was the issue of assisted suicide revolving around Terri Schiavo. Terri was severely brain damaged, basically she was at a vegetative state. The parents of Terri Schiavo were disagreeing about pulling Terri's feeding tube, and believe that she still had a chance. Terri's husband wanted to pull the tube and end her life. Terri was on the tube for about 15 years. Eventually her tube was removed and passed away.

What do you think about assisted suicide? Do you think a person at a vegetative state or someone who knows they'll die should get the plug removed? Is it considered murder to you?

In my opinion I do not think it's murder when it comes to assisting someone who has no way of recovering. If someone very close was me was severely brain damaged then I would pull the plug. This will end the depression, stress, and cost of keeping the person alive. People at a vegetative state have no way of recovering.

When it comes to someone dying of a certain disease or a cancer such as leukemia....I might pull the plug then. For something as leukemia, or a rare incurable disease that will eventually kill you, then I would. As cruel as it seems it's best to not to suffer. I would hate seeing my own family slowly die in front of me, knowing the fact that there is no way to live through the health problem. I rather end it quick and continue on with my life.

If I were to have a rare disease, cancer, etc and I know I would die, then I would like to have my plug pulled.

 

[Darkstar]

Like I have already told you.

My dog had to be put down yesterday. She had Arthritis, a low blood pressure, a failing heart, internal organs starting to fall apart, a slipped disc in her back, meaning she couldn't walk, and she was at the age of 16! that is very old for a dog!

Yes, I miss her very much, as she was pretty much my sister, we grew up together, she was always 1 year older that me, she helped raise me, she watched me grow up, and i loved her more than the world. But I know it was the best thing, as much as I wanted to keep her, I couldn't stand to see her to live in pain, and sadness. When all of these things happened (which all happened over 1 night!) I knew what was going to happen.

So yes, I agree with you, Cerridwen, I believe this should be allowed, but I think it should be called something else, something not so depressing.

 

[The Phantarch]

WRONG NAME!

assisted suicide is when you hand someone the pills/ knife/ gun/ whatever that you know they're going to use to end there own life. Pulling the plug is known as euthanasia, the practice of ending someone's life to stop unnecessary pain. It is also passive euthanasia as you are pulling the plug rather than injecting them with morphine which would be a direct step towards ending their life known as active euthanasia.

I think it is acceptable as after all, you wouldn't allow a dog to endure such a bad state of existence so why should a human being have to endure it?

 

[Sephirothalpha]

I agree with it as long as the person is in a vegetable state or agrees to it. Who are we to keep people alive if at the end of the day they want to die. I believe it all comes down to religion but people like me with no religion think that its bullshit.

 

[SapphireStar]

The Phantarch, theres no need to upper cap the fact that the wrong name has been given. We basically know what the thread is going to be about. There was no need for that ...

I dont think that helping someone end their suffering is wrong. If you truly love that person, would you want them to suffer? No, so youd help ease their pain. I myself know I couldnt do it because I dont have the guts to do it.Yes, I love all my family and friends, but them chosing me to help end their life would be hard for me.

 

[Scarlet]

WRONG NAME!

assisted suicide is when you hand someone the pills/ knife/ gun/ whatever that you know they're going to use to end there own life. Pulling the plug is known as euthanasia, the practice of ending someone's life to stop unnecessary pain. It is also passive euthanasia as you are pulling the plug rather than injecting them with morphine which would be a direct step towards ending their life known as active euthanasia.

*Rolls eyes* It doesn't matter, it's a forum. I know it's called euthanasia but it's easier to call it assisted suicide. Most people assume it's called assisted suicide, and don't know the actual technical term for it.

 

[Zanmato]

Yeah....I say there is nothing bad about ending the suffering of a loved person. It's a really ugly moment and I hope that nobody has has to face it...ever, but I think that the person in the vegetable state should be allowed to rest for eternity somewhere nice...not in a hospital bed with cables and needles in his/her body.

 

[The Phantarch]

Tell me you are kidding, I should hope most people on here do know the correct term. Maybe I was a little OTT with the caps lock but the fact remains that this and assisted suicide are two separate things.

 

[Host]

Euthanasia is fine. There is no point to have a person live like that, its a waste of money, time, and space in the end. Also, Cerriden, i have never heard anyone call Euthanasia "Assisted Suicide" ever ever. Its not Suicide in anyway, shape or form.

 

[Scarlet]

We I've always heard it was called Assisted Suicide in the US and Media. This is congress and senators calling it Assisted suicide by the way. The again, it could be that they were republican and all pro-life about it. When the Terri Schiavo issue was all over the media the kept calling it Assisted Suicide.

http://www.assistedsuicide.org/what-do-you-call-an-assisted-death.html

Anyways this issue is getting off topic....

Also Terri Schiavo's case called Assisted Suicide. If there is hope, just some hope of a person to wake up from Coma then killing them is considered murder. Terri was alive, moving, but they weren't sure how conscious she was. Assisted Suicide is illegal.

Euthanasia is more mercy killing. If someone has a brain tumor, and doctors can't remove the brain tumor, and doctors say that person will die in a month. Then that's Euthanasia.

 

[Host]

Please explain how it is suicide.

 

[Scarlet]

I said it above. Assisted Suicide is when someone is a critical state but they still have a very, very small chance of recovering. Such as for example there is still hope for a person who is in a vegetative state. Even though they have been a coma for years they could still one day wake up from that coma. Having any little hope for that person and pulling the plug is called murder, or assisted suicide.

Euthanasia is putting someone out of their misery when the person has absolutely no hope of recovering at all. Someone who is going to die within the next few days, weeks, or a couple of months. Basically a painless death.

I should have called this thread Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia since this is bothering people apparently.

 

[Host]

Thats certainly not suicide at all, in any way shape or fourm. Suicide means Taking One's own life, and vegetable people don't take their own life.

 

[Bei Bei]

Actually it's called involuntary euthanasia when the person is incapable of making the decision and the decision is then left to be decided by a representative. One famous case is that of Terri Schiavo which was all over the news in the United States when the decision was made.

 

[Howl]

Actually...I can understand situations where the authorities step in during suicidal cases. Everyone falls into states of depression; some worse than others, and ending their life isn't necessary.

But I think that in cases where a person is deemed physically numb to the world (that sounds cruel, but it's true), they should be able to decide whether or not they continue living. If I were on my deathbed, I would want my father or significant other to pull the plug. And I think that should be a legal act.

 

[Mugen]

Suicide means Taking One's own life, and vegetable people don't take their own life.

Thats why it's called ASSISTED SUICIDE, meaning someone else helps them do it. >>

OT: I do believe that in cases such as this one, with little or no hope of recovery, it would be just painful and a torture to keep these people alive, just a strain on everyone. It might sound blunt and emotionless, but thats my opinion.

 

[Lord Kaos]

Thats why it's called ASSISTED SUICIDE, meaning someone else helps them do it. >>

Wrong. ASSISTED SUICIDE. That means the person decides to die, and uses someone else to end their life. When they're in a vegetative state, they can't talk, let alone think straight, if at all. They really have no say in the matter. Assisted suicide is when someone with a serious disease just decides to end their torment and pull the plug... Vegetative people have no say, therefore, it is an entirely diffrent thing.

Use the correct terms please.

 

[Scarlet]

Okay, I explained it wrong. Well, media kept calling it Assisted Suicide at the time.

Assisted Suicide is when someone has some hope of living. Dictionary terms:

American Heritage Dictionarn. Suicide accomplished with the aid of another person, especially a physician.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Webster's New Millennium™ Dictionary of English - Cite This Source - Share This
Main Entry: assisted suicide
Part of Speech: n
Definition: See doctor-assisted suicide

Webster's New Millennium™ Dictionary of English, Preview Edition (v 0.9.7)
Copyright © 2003-2007 Lexico Publishing Group, LLC
Webster's New Millennium™ Dictionary of English - Cite This Source - Share This
Main Entry: assisted suicide
Part of Speech: n
Definition: See physician-assisted suicide

Webster's New Millennium™ Dictionary of English, Preview Edition (v 0.9.7)
Copyright © 2003-2007 Lexico Publishing Group, LLC
WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
assisted suicide

noun
suicide of a terminally ill person that involves an assistant who serves to make dying as painless and dignified as possible

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Main Entry: as·sist·ed suicide
Pronunciation: &-"sis-t&d-
Function: noun
: suicide by an individual facilitated by means or information (as a gun or indication of the lethal dosage of a drug) provided by someone else aware of the individual's intentespecially : PHYSICIAN-ASSISTED SUICIDE

Euthanasia

The American Heritage Science Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
euthanasia (y'th?-n?'zh?) Pronunciation Key
The act or practice of painlessly ending the life of an animal or a willing individual who has a terminal illness or incurable condition, as by giving a lethal drug.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
American Heritage New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition - Cite This Source - Share This
euthanasia [(yooh-thuh-nay-zhuh)]

Painlessly putting someone to death — usually someone with an incurable and painful disease; mercy killing.

Note: Proposals to make euthanasia legal in the United States have inspired heated debate.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
American Heritage Stedman's Medical Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
eu·tha·na·sia (yth-nzh, -zh-)
n.

The act or practice of ending the life of an individual suffering from a terminal illness or an incurable condition, as by lethal injection or the suspension of extraordinary medical treatment.
A quiet, painless death.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Main Entry: eu·tha·na·sia
Pronunciation: "yü-th&-'nA-zh(E-)&
Function: noun
: the act or practice of killing hopelessly sick or injured individuals (as persons or domestic animals) in a relatively painless way for reasons of mercy; also : the act or practice of allowing a hopelessly sick or injured patient to die by taking less than complete medical measures to prolong life called also mercy killing

Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law - Cite This Source - Share This
Main Entry: eu·tha·na·sia
Pronunciation: "yü-th&-'nA-zh&
Function: noun
: the act or practice of killing or permitting the death of hopelessly sick or injured persons in a relatively painless way for reasons of mercy called also mercy killing —eu·tha·na·sic /-'nA-zik, -sik/ adjective

Webster's New Millennium™ Dictionary of English - Cite This Source - Share This
Main Entry: physician-assisted suicide
Part of Speech: n
Definition: a situation in which a physician provides the means of death for a gravely ill patient but the patient takes the final step; also called doctor-assisted suicide, assisted suicide

 

[Mugen]

Thats why it's called ASSISTED SUICIDE, meaning someone else helps them do it. >>

Wrong. ASSISTED SUICIDE. That means the person decides to die, and uses someone else to end their life. When they're in a vegetative state, they can't talk, let alone think straight, if at all. They really have no say in the matter. Assisted suicide is when someone with a serious disease just decides to end their torment and pull the plug... Vegetative people have no say, therefore, it is an entirely diffrent thing.

Use the correct terms please.

How is what I said different from what you said... ? Never mind... Still it is a kind of morbid subject, having to decide whether someone lives or dies...

 

[Lord Kaos]

It IS morbid, but it has to be done... Death is not something put aside, but something that barges into life... Your going to have to deal with it sooner or later.