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Argumentative Essay: The Robert Johnson Case Of Assisted Suicide

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A person should be allowed to make their own decision about their own bodies. In the event one is terminally ill without any evidence they would recover, their choice of whether or not to continue or discontinue treatment should be made up to them. I will be proving that patients are allowed to make their own decisions using the case-based approach, casuistry. And to do this I will be using the example case of an 82 year old man who decided to stop all treatment of renal dialysis. The first case I will be comparing is the Brittany Maynard case in which a 29 year old woman with terminal brain cancer wanted to die with dignity. Following that case will be the Robert Johnson case in which a premature infant had no hope to mature, but his parents wanted to continue treatment despite. The next …show more content…

She compares to the 82 year old man by that she was very ill and did not want to continue with chemotherapy treatment despite the evidence of it prolonging her life. But the side effects would prove that she would have been bedridden for most of the time and suffering considerably. The elderly man, although he has a severe illness, has a chance to recover with treatment. Brittany had 6 months to live and if she stopped treatment completely her body would carry out a long and suffering death. With the support of her family she decided that assisted suicide was her only option. This is what differs with the 82 year old patient. He does not want to pursue assisted suicide but rather die a natural death. However, what is similar is the stance of “I want to die on my own terms.” Both decide that they are entitled to their autonomy despite what is perceived as what is in their best interest. Brittany was able to successfully die with dignity in spite of the legal obstacles she faced. As can be seen Brittany maynard’s case allows us to accept the sovereignty we have of our right to die

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People still thought that she was “committing suicide” after her wise comments. She did not agree with these people, because she believes that people who commit suicide want to die, and since she did not want to die, she did not consider relieving herself of pain as suicide. This is similar to when George decided that killing Lennie while being peaceful would be the best decision, rather than letting a belligerent such as Curley end his friend’s life over a mistake. If Brittany decided to live until she died naturally,

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With that shocking statistic comes the thought of losing to this terrible disease that you’ve let define you for so long. That’s what Brittany Maynard thought until she came across the Death

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Public opinion polls showed increased support for physician assisted suicide. This was due in part to technological advances in medicine as well as a greater recognition of patient’s rights.” Twenty-nine-year-old Brittany Maynard, utilized Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act, took her own life in November 2014 following a diagnosis of terminal brain cancer. “A Pew poll conducted after Ms. Maynard’s death, revealed that people viewed this as a heroic act. Also, revealed, the majority of Americans, most likely including physicians, now favor legalizing physician-assisted suicide for painful and incurable conditions: 68 percent in favor, 28 percent opposed.

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We can always turn on our televisions and hear about a current controversy on all of our news channels. Near the end of 2014, we saw one story that was brought to attention to our whole country. Brittany Maynard created controversy on how sick patients should be able to choose their own death given their current situations. Moving to Oregon, Maynard would bring their Death With Dignity Act into her play, and be the face of their advocacy. Brittany Maynard was just 29 when she was first diagnosed with terminal brain cancer.

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With months of research she came to the conclusion that no treatment could save her life, and the treatments recommended would destroy the time that she had left. She considered hospice in San Francisco, but with palliative care, her body would develop morphine resistant pain and she would suffer personality changes including verbal, cognitive and motor function loss. Considering that she was physically healthy, her body would hold on for a long time and she would suffer for weeks or months in hospice and her family would have to watch that. Brittany didn’t want that for her family. So in her research she found the Death With Dignity Act, and decided that it would be the best option for her.

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Monday October 5th the governor of California, Jerry Brown, signed the “Right to Die” bill. This bill would allow doctors in California to prescribe lethal amounts of medications to end a terminally ill patient’s life. Brown signed this controversial bill after explaining that he did this based on his personal decision “of want he would want if ever faced with his own death.” Governor Brown wrote in his letter to addressing state law makers that he “is certain that he would find comfort in being able to consider the options afford by this bill”(Botelho). But the Californians Against Assisted Suicide (CAAS) called this bill flawed saying that lawmakers should first consider how this bill could affect the disadvantaged people of America.

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Brittany Maynard chose to the “Death with Dignity” option after learning that she only had six months to live after her brain cancer became more aggressive and turned to a grade 4 glioblastoma. She moved from California to Oregon in order to legally receive a prescription of a lethal dose of barbiturates. Oregonis one of five states in the U.S that has the passed the Death with Dignity Act. Brittany chose this option because she did not want to go through radiation or live the last of her days in pain while her family watched. Brittany stated, “Because the rest of my body is young and healthy, I m likely to physically hang on for a long time even though cancer is eating my mind, and my family would have to watch that,” (page 565).

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For the terminally ill the decision of ending their lives with compassion should be a fundamental right, a personal

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Some examples of a terminal illness include cancer, stroke, and ALS. Many people disagree with assisted suicide, but it is the better choice for those who do not what their disease to change who they are. The main arguments to allow this in our country is that the tremendous amount of pain and suffering of the patient will end, euthanasia, and health care costs will be reduced. Some people may choose to live their life with dignity and end their life in dignity, but assisted suicide would allow the choice to be their own. The pain a person can go through is a tremendous amount, especially those who are dying from a terminal illness.

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However, there is hope of a peaceful death for these patients that exists in a controversial law being considered by many states throughout the country. It is known as the Death with Dignity Act. This law gives terminally ill patients the option of ending their own life in a painless manner at a time and place of their choosing by

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Euthanasia is commonly practiced outside the United States of America; even though, its practice global still creates controversy if euthanasia should be allowed. James Rachael is a philosopher who believes in active euthanasia and passive euthanasia because it allows the patient to make their own decision on whether or not to continue some or no medical intervention. You would think who wants to die? Well, when you place the option to the patient who is enduring the tremendous amount of pain and misery it would be the Utilitarianism to avoid pain and create a happy environment for the patient. I will prove based off James Rachael theory will support Brittany Maynard decision to have physician-assisted suicide and stop "death without dignity."

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Thus, the second argument is based on the fact that, “Competent people should have the right to determine their own futures, euthanasia allows for death with dignity” (2). When we all have the ability to create ourselves, live with our own identities as independent individuals, then we are competent enough to choose voluntary euthanasia to terminate a life which would be very painful to live. Sue Rodriguez, was the first person to raise some of the very important questions regarding Euthanasia. She questioned that “if she cannot give consent to her death, then whose body is it? Whose life is it anyway?”

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There are real case incidents in which a 14 year old girl suffering from terminal cystic fibrosis is asking her country’s president for permission to end her life. She had self shot a video in which she says “I am tired of living this disease and she can authorize an injection through which I can sleep forever”. The girl's video has sparked a broader conversation about whether euthanasia should be legalized in the largely Catholic nation. According to me we should let euthanasia be legal as there is no significance in keeping them alive against their wish as we don’t know how much they are suffering. Another incident is where the woman moved to Oregon where euthanasia is legal to take advantage of Oregon’s death with Dignity Law.

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While some are convinced that ending a person 's life is wrong, others believe that it’s right. If the person accepts their condition and wants to end their life, doctors and people around them should respect their authority whether it’s right or wrong. In the case of Brittany Maynard, she was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. The doctors had told her that she only had six months to live.

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Brittany Maynard has been fed up with the government making medical decisions for her and patients in the same situation as her. This is what was on her mind “How dare the government make decisions for terminally ill people like me. Unfortunately, California law prevented me from getting the end of life option I deserved. No one should have to leave their home and community for a gentle death.” She has set things right for terminally ill patients in California.

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