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Post by katefosh on Mar 17, 2010 16:37:51 GMT -5
I'm studying this a lot in school at the moment and thought it would be interesting to see what the lovely people on the moon had to say about this issue Here are my questions: Do you believe it is right/wrong to help end someone's life if they're suffering? Whether it be a relative, friend or a stranger. And is this a big thing in your country? I know it's being discussed quite a lot in the UK news at the moment.
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Post by Ricky on Mar 17, 2010 16:43:36 GMT -5
I think that in some extreme cases it should be legal to have assisted suicides. Specially when the person is in too much pain. Here in Canada it is illegal, but there have been cases in which loop holes have been found to go around the legalities of the issue.
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Post by Johncoyne on Mar 17, 2010 16:46:59 GMT -5
It's not being talked about that much in the US. I think it's wrong for someone to help another person kill themselves. We humans are supposed to help each other, not help people kill themselves. If someone says they want to commit suicide, the person they are speaking to should convince them to not do it, rather than say, "OK I'll help! Yay, suicide!" It sickens me. If anyone is looking for an interesting film, look up Night, Mother on Youtube. It's a really interesting take on the morals of suicide.
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Post by Joey on Mar 17, 2010 17:03:58 GMT -5
Wrong. I believe it is wrong in any case. People who do it are wicked. We dont get to decide how long another human being lives. Thats not up to us.
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Post by Johncoyne on Mar 17, 2010 17:11:58 GMT -5
While on the subject of suicide, I strongly suggest you watch "Night, Mother". It's a great film.
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Post by Lex on Mar 17, 2010 17:13:31 GMT -5
Wrong. I believe it is wrong in any case. People who do it are wicked. We dont get to decide how long another human being lives. Thats not up to us. I don't know my opinion on this, but I think what they were talking about was people wanting to commit suicide but are unable to. Anyway, we practically do it anyways. People sign DNRs all the time, so it's nearly the same except that the doctors aren't killing them, they're just letting them die. It's their wishes. I don't think it's anyone elses business.
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Post by Joey on Mar 17, 2010 17:16:23 GMT -5
Even if theyre suffering i think it is still wrong. half the time the person has something mentally wrong when they commit/want to commit suicide.
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Post by zAkAtAk on Mar 17, 2010 17:17:30 GMT -5
Do you believe it is right/wrong to help end someone's life if they're suffering?
This question should be taken case-by-case but the short answer of it is YES. If I believe that my suffering is too much to bear and that I want to make a personal choice to end it, I shouldn't have to live just because it is the "right" or "most common" thing to do. Now there are cases where a person may not be in the right state of mind when they are making this decision (or maybe even no mind). If a person is in a coma, it's really hard to decide what to do with that person.
Look at the Terry Schiavo case. She was a vegetable. She could not speak. She could not eat. She could not blink. She could not move. Some people even thought that she could not think. Is it right to end her life? Do we even have a choice of whether or not to take someone's life away?
Looking at it from a medicine stand-point, I could see how doctors could be opposed. It is their profession to keep people alive, to help the sick and injured. It is not their duty to kill someone. But sometimes you gotta do what is asked of you. It's not like they entered their profession thinking that they would never have anyone's life on the line.
And is this a big thing in your country? I don't keep up on the euthanasia articles. They pretty much all say the same thing.
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zeromerc
Meteorite
This above all to thine own self be true
Posts: 35
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Post by zeromerc on Mar 17, 2010 17:17:59 GMT -5
In the US we have something called a advance directive that allows you to ahead of time say that if your doctor determines you cannot life with out the aid of a machine they are to not hook you up to a machine.
If this is the choice you have made while in full conscious thought then its your life.
I dont believe it should be anybody elses choice under any circumstance.
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Post by Joey on Mar 17, 2010 17:34:02 GMT -5
The big thing that has come up is that they are now finding out that people who were thought were to be in a vegitative state,( no thoughts, nothing) can really think, feel, and use their brain. What if you killed someone who you thought was basically dead but really wasnt
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Post by Ricky on Mar 17, 2010 17:56:56 GMT -5
Do you believe it is right/wrong to help end someone's life if they're suffering?This question should be taken case-by-case but the short answer of it is YES. If I believe that my suffering is too much to bear and that I want to make a personal choice to end it, I shouldn't have to live just because it is the "right" or "most common" thing to do. Now there are cases where a person may not be in the right state of mind when they are making this decision (or maybe even no mind). If a person is in a coma, it's really hard to decide what to do with that person. Look at the Terry Schiavo case. She was a vegetable. She could not speak. She could not eat. She could not blink. She could not move. Some people even thought that she could not think. Is it right to end her life? Do we even have a choice of whether or not to take someone's life away? Looking at it from a medicine stand-point, I could see how doctors could be opposed. It is their profession to keep people alive, to help the sick and injured. It is not their duty to kill someone. But sometimes you gotta do what is asked of you. It's not like they entered their profession thinking that they would never have anyone's life on the line. And is this a big thing in your country?I don't keep up on the euthanasia articles. They pretty much all say the same thing. WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ZAKATAK?! now, in all seriousness what do you think of the case of R.V. Latimer in which the father of this girl killed her since she had severe medical issues and mental disabilities, they were told she was going to be in severe pain for all her life. (she was 12)
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Post by katefosh on Mar 17, 2010 17:59:33 GMT -5
I too don't really know what my opinion is on this. I think part of me would consider helping to assist someone I love if they were really suffering and they wanted me to help end their pain and consequently their life. But then I find myself debating the sanctity of life and whether it really is a 'gift'. I guess I'm on the fence, so to speak. Most cases are going to be different so I defiantly agree that is should be taken case-by-case. Interestingly, Terry Pratchett at the moment is fighting for a tribunal to be created in the UK so that individuals can present their cases to a panel and prevent the person who is assisting in the suicide from facing any legal prosecution. Oh, and I will check out 'Night, Mother'. Thank you!
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zeromerc
Meteorite
This above all to thine own self be true
Posts: 35
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Post by zeromerc on Mar 17, 2010 18:01:14 GMT -5
um... mistakes happen, nothing is perfect.
That is why the Advance Directive indicates what the persons wishes are when they were still lucid. Then the doctor decides based on the directive... its not perfect.
I also think you are only looking at this from one side of multisided shape
side 1 - I am young and alive with nobody that really depends on me. side 2 - I am older but still dont really have anybody that depends on me but I have more life experiences side 3 - I have a wife and that is all side 4 - I have a wife and kids that depend on me side 5 - I am single and will remain that way for the rest of my life side 6 - I am old and was single my whole life side 7 - I have lived a full life and now am old and dont want to burden my family.
AND MANY MANY MORE...
I think the advance directive lets all the diffrent types make their choice and then puts the fail safe in of the doctor.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2010 18:22:25 GMT -5
It is illegal in the UK and you can expect up to 14 years in prison for committing assisted suicide, although many people are campaigning for a change in the law.
Lots of people from this country are simply travelling to countries in which it is legal to help someone commit suicide in order to try to avoid their aides being convicted back in the UK. Which works most of the time.
This subject is strongly tied with religion, as most theists will believe that only their God has the right to decide to start or end life. I disagree. I would like to think that if I want my life to end and I am unable to do so, people around me should be legally able to do so.
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Post by Lex on Mar 17, 2010 19:21:28 GMT -5
I think we need to clarify this:
Assisted suicide denotes that the person has it within their will to kill themselves, but needs help in doing so.
We are not talking about a involuntary euthanasia/mercy killing, which is what people are confusing it with.
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Post by zAkAtAk on Mar 17, 2010 20:42:42 GMT -5
WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ZAKATAK?! now, in all seriousness what do you think of the case of R.V. Latimer in which the father of this girl killed her since she had severe medical issues and mental disabilities, they were told she was going to be in severe pain for all her life. (she was 12) I'm not really much into euthanasia articles because it doesn't personally affect me. Legalization of drugs affects me a great deal. Gay marriage affects me. Religion affects me. Euthanasia, not so much. In the case of R.V. Latimer it would be hard for me to put my own daughter to death. If I had a daughter that had Down Syndrome or some other serious mental disability, I would not put them down. I think there is a difference between being able to function and just lying in a bed. If I had a daughter that would just lie in a bed all day, could not speak, and was basically a vegetable, I would without a doubt pull the plug. That is what I would want done to me, and I think that's the consensus most people would come to.
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Post by nickgreyden on Mar 17, 2010 21:31:48 GMT -5
you know, i had a hard time relating to Zak when I first started seeing his posts, but as time has gone on, I've liked him more and more.
I agree with him on this as well. If I want to die, then let me die. It should be my choice. Many doctors have trouble with this as the oaths they gave include "do no harm". However, if constant pain is all I have to look forward to, let me make my peace, make my arrangements, and let me go. No one should be able to take that freedom from me.
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Post by zAkAtAk on Mar 17, 2010 21:54:55 GMT -5
<3
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Post by Ricky on Mar 17, 2010 21:58:28 GMT -5
WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ZAKATAK?! now, in all seriousness what do you think of the case of R.V. Latimer in which the father of this girl killed her since she had severe medical issues and mental disabilities, they were told she was going to be in severe pain for all her life. (she was 12) I'm not really much into euthanasia articles because it doesn't personally affect me. Legalization of drugs affects me a great deal. Gay marriage affects me. Religion affects me. Euthanasia, not so much. In the case of R.V. Latimer it would be hard for me to put my own daughter to death. If I had a daughter that had Down Syndrome or some other serious mental disability, I would not put them down. I think there is a difference between being able to function and just lying in a bed. If I had a daughter that would just lie in a bed all day, could not speak, and was basically a vegetable, I would without a doubt pull the plug. That is what I would want done to me, and I think that's the consensus most people would come to. Yea I completely agree with you. Its the case i'm doing my final paper on for my crim class. Its quite interesting, but I think what the father did was wrong
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Post by thekmatheory on Mar 17, 2010 22:52:51 GMT -5
I'm honestly on the fence with this one. If somebody is incredibly depressed and wants to kill themselves but can't, I wouldn't help them. If it is still possible to help them see what is better about life, and if it's possible to help one rid of themselves of their depression, I'd rather help them do that.
But if somebody is in a large amount of pain, and will remain in pain for the rest of their lives, I think it would make more sense to allow them to die rather than allowing them to continuously suffer. Of course, I'd never be able to help them die...I have trouble killing spiders and cockroaches as it is.
So I guess it really depends on the situation...
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