Suicide- Ethical?

[Coolgamer]

Should people be allowed to choose when to terminate their own lifes?
What if they are terminally ill? What if they aren't?
How is it different from choosing who to execute on Death Row? Many inmates turned out to be innocent. Was their life somehow okay to terminate, but not someone bound to die who is is constant agony?

Should people who assist others in suicide be charged with murder, even if the other person requested them to help?

How is life termination different from killing soldiers overseas or abortion?

Is it for some reason okay to kill someone againest their will, but not okay for a willing and consenting person to kill themselves?

[Anticrombie0909]

Re: Suicide- Ethical?

To sum up your directionless bathroom musings, the term is called Euthenasia, and the debate specifically focuses on whether assisted suicide is legal for the terminally ill.

It's a stupid debate to begin with, propogated (like everything else nowadays) primarily by extreme fundamentalists following narrow Biblical views concerning the "sanctity of life" and essentially forcing their idiotic opinions on others. Because of them, people suffer daily and may attempt to use less effective and more painful methods of ending their life. Because of them, Terri Schiavo's family was subjected to endless public ridicule and humiliation, while she remained, like always, in a vegetative state, sucking up money and hogging a hospital bed. Because of them, cancer patients with no chance of survival have no option but to sit, suffer, and wait for the inevitable - the inevitable which can, and should be the right of each and every human being on this planet to decide. And yet, every single one of these attackers of Euthenasia fail to realize that they have absolutely no valid opinion from the start, and what I do with My life should be mine, and only my decision.

[sertman]

Re: Suicide- Ethical?

Should people be allowed to choose when to terminate their own lifes?

Only in euthanasia cases.

What if they are terminally ill? What if they aren't?

If it is apparent that the person is suffering horribly, yes. Otherwise, no.

How is it different from choosing who to execute on Death Row? Many inmates turned out to be innocent. Was their life somehow okay to terminate, but not someone bound to die who is is constant agony?

Most terminally ill patients don't kill productive members of our society. With the advent of DNA evidence, the chances that someone is innocent being sent to death row has decreased.

Should people who assist others in suicide be charged with murder, even if the other person requested them to help?

Of course they should. Taking another person's life unlawfully is murder. By helping them kill themselves, you are helping take another persons life unlawfully. Therefore, murder.

How is life termination different from killing soldiers overseas or abortion?

War is an entirely different issue that has nothing to do with that you're talking about. Abortion may or may not be depending on what you believe. If you believe that life starts at contraception, it may not be too much different. If you believe life starts at birth, like I do, then it's different, because it isn't a living human being.

Is it for some reason okay to kill someone againest their will, but not okay for a willing and consenting person to kill themselves?

Who said it was ok to kill someone against their will?

[Coolgamer]

Re: Suicide- Ethical?

The whole concept of war is about the approval to kill others we don't agree with.

And don't patronize me. I know fully well that the term for medical suicide is euthenasia. I didn't refer to it as such since I was focusing on the other aspect.

I know my first post was sparse and lacked detail and depth since it was made late at night. However, these are not bathroom musings (I think you'd have to be pretty twisted to wonder about this to yourself in your restroom.) nor are they thoughts pulled from my ass. I've read through college textbooks on social ethics debating this exact point. I've discussed it with some friends. I've read the novel Terri Schiavo's husband wrote. Hell, we had to decide if we should keep our sister on an artifical respirator with tubes draining fluid from her chest and lungs. So don't start like I don't know about making decisions or the medical process when my mother is a RN.

If a depressed person, after years of therapy, experimentation with mood stabilizers, no apparent cause for the depression, still feels the same, should they spend the rest of their life in a hospital? Or should they be allowed to make thier own choice? What is the difference between the emotional pain they are suffering daily and the physical pain of a person with medical problems? You can say in both cases "But there might be a cure or treatment someday!". Both are in pain, and incapable of leading a normal life. But one is (in some states) allowed to terminate their life, while the other is forced medications and treatments instead.

I'm not talking about some random depressed teenager or someone where medical treatment or therapy can help. I'm talking about years of unhelpful treatments, meds, doctors, therapists, and the whole bit. How is this person's choice somehow any different?

[The_Q]

Re: Suicide- Ethical?

I believe that people have the RIGHT to take their own lives if they really want to. However, I do think that it should be avoided. If you can prevent someone from commiting suicide, all the better, but don't make it illegal.

Nor do I believe they are required to go get help. I think that they should be convinced to go get help. Personal choice is a damn good thing.

Q

[T0rajir0u]

Re: Suicide- Ethical?

Suicide isn't unethical. It's just stupid. There's a difference.

How is life termination different from killing soldiers overseas or abortion?

Holy ****, there's a huge difference. The three issues are not remotely related, don't bring them up. Start a separate topic if you want to discuss those.

[whorlichan]

Re: Suicide- Ethical?

I did a huge report with loads of research and interviews with people who work in old age homes, hospitals, etc. on the ethical and moral realities of human euthanasia, and my ultimate conclusion was that a lot more people than you'd think like the idea of NOT suffering on their way out of this life, regardless of its current legality or lack thereof.

Personally, it makes me very sad that I can offer my pets a painless way out of suffering, but I cannot offer that same relief to a grandparent or friend who needs it.

As for myself, I hate pain. I never want to be in the position of suffering just to prolong my life. I'd rather go to sleep and never wake up--I'd also be the first to sign the papers that said if I was a brain-dead vegetable to pull the plug, and beyond that not even plug me in in the first place.

[Orch_Dork]

Re: Suicide- Ethical?

you know that killing yourself ends u right up into hell. and concidering thats not a good place to go to, people might not want to kill themselves. But that is only if your christian

[Idonnoimconfused]

Re: Suicide- Ethical?

you know that killing yourself ends u right up into hell. and concidering thats not a good place to go to, people might not want to kill themselves. But that is only if your christian

You're not killing yourself though.
SURE, you want to die, but someone else is actually pulling the plug or whatever.
So, in theory, you didn't commit suicide, you got killed, and you aren't going to hell (well atleast for that).

[sertman]

Re: Suicide- Ethical?

you know that killing yourself ends u right up into hell. and concidering thats not a good place to go to, people might not want to kill themselves. But that is only if your christian

Don't turn this into a religous argument. We're talking about how ethical it is, not what happens when the deed is done. People may use that as a reason to not kill themselves, but we aren't discussing that. We're talking about when should it be OK to request ones own death.

[Coolgamer]

Re: Suicide- Ethical?

Suicide isn't unethical. It's just stupid. There's a difference.



Holy ****, there's a huge difference. The three issues are not remotely related, don't bring them up. Start a separate topic if you want to discuss those.

Actually, all involve the value placed on one's life, or on another's.

A man with a gun could shoot himself, or decide to shoot someone standing near him and kill them.

Currently, both acts would be a crime.

Yes, in war, both sides are out to kill, but mistakes made, such as friendly fire, aren't treated as crimes unless they become scandals.

[Lolzerize]

Re: Suicide- Ethical?

Only thing I can think to say is that, Who are we to judge people for killing themselves? It was their choice. I'm not saying its ethical, or unethical, but if your thinking about killing yourself, "REALLY THINK" "Is life REALLY too hard to handle?", "Is it ever going to get better?". In Most :NOT ALL: cases things will get better if you make them better. If you have the power to make things better and you don't...and you kill yourself...then it is very idiotic of you..

Also, no one will EVER know what state of mind that person was in when they did it.. so you can NEVER tell what was happening in that persons mind.

-0-Lolzerize

[Maebara]

Re: Suicide- Ethical?

Yes. Suicide is an extermination of the weak breed. If they do not feel themselves fit to carry on their gene then they deserve to die.

[Anticrombie0909]

Re: Suicide- Ethical?

And don't patronize me. I know fully well that the term for medical suicide is euthenasia.

Chill out, I wasn't patronizing you. You may have had an excuse for your directionless musings, but that doesn't change how I interpret them.

Yes. Suicide is an extermination of the weak breed. If they do not feel themselves fit to carry on their gene then they deserve to die.

Drink bleach.

you know that killing yourself ends u right up into hell.

Oh man, this kid's right. Argument over, suicide is bad.

[iggymatrixcounter]

Re: Suicide- Ethical?

As for myself, I hate pain. I never want to be in the position of suffering just to prolong my life. I'd rather go to sleep and never wake up--I'd also be the first to sign the papers that said if I was a brain-dead vegetable to pull the plug, and beyond that not even plug me in in the first place.

(talking only about 'vegetation state of mind')

Durable Power of Attorny cards. I carry one that basically says that if my life is being saved by constant machines then they WILL pull the plug or whatever, ending my life.

Course I don't know if it's just my state where that's legal or not. But if you had the chance to make sure you didn't end up in that type of life (meaning machines, meds, etc.) then I just see it as your own fault for suffering the way you would.

But like I said, I don't know if it's legal in all states or whatever so if you don't have that ability don't jump on my case.