In this chapter, the authors discuss some of the ethical and practical challenges with active and passive euthanasia. Please write a minimum 300-word response that addresses the following three prompts:
Do you agree or disagree with euthanasia? Explain your reasoning.
Does your opinion on euthanasia change when it comes to animals (i.e., putting a pet to sleep)? If so, why? If not, why do you believe other’s opinions may change concerning animals vs. humans?
Before answering the third question, review the following scenario: Your parent – or another close relative/partner – is dying from an extremely painful and incurable form of cancer. When they are on sufficient pain medications, they are nearly comatose, but when they do not take sufficient pain medicines, they are in unbearable pain. Doctors have indicated that there is a very high likelihood that things will only get worse until death. As a result, your parent/relative/partner has decided to elect Physician Assisted Suicide because they do not want to suffer anymore from their cancer or the side effects of the medication, and they want to die on their own terms.
What role – if any – would you be willing to assist your parent or close relative in euthanasia in the scenario described above? If so, to what degree? If not, what actions would your take in discouraging their action?
Separate your three responses to the above prompts into three separate paragraphs. Failure to do so will result in a point deduction.