Voluntary Euthanasia And Utilitarianism

Euthanasia

Introduction

Euthanasia is defined in Greek as a good death, while the dictionary defines it as an easy and gentle death. In modern terms, euthanasia refers to the killing or even ending of the lives of people who are very sick and in a lot of pain. Euthanasia, also known as mercy killing, applies to people in certain circumstances, especially those who are terminally ill, in distress, and those that do not have hope to be cured (Biggs 15). Euthanasia comes in three types: voluntary euthanasia, non- voluntary euthanasia and involuntary euthanasia (Biggs 39). Voluntary euthanasia applies when a very sick pain voluntarily requests for death in order to ease the pain. Non- voluntary euthanasia refers to a situation where the person

Euthanasia is also in the center of contemporary medicine that aims at prolonging the lives of the people. Several perspectives have been in the center of the euthanasia subject, like Utilitarianism, Kantianism and Rawlsianism. Utilitarianism theory holds that any action can be judged or termed as good or bad, while related to the consequences or end result that it emits. The result or the outcome of an action is what makes it good or bad. Utilitarianism ethical perspective on euthanasia is highly studied and accepted, when debating about the good and the bad of

Rawls theory is not applied so much in medical ethics while analyzing perspectives. Rawlsianism in relation with euthanasia gives the patient the right to be relieved off the pain in case one requests it. This is portrayed by the principle of liberty and equal opportunities for all. Rawlsianism portrays then rights of human beings in a society, as long as they are not hurting a person, but benefit the