Essay Archive - The Ethics of Euthanasia
The Ethics of Euthanasia
Euthanasia, also mercy killing, practice of ending a life so as to
release an individual from an incurable disease or intolerable suffering.
The term is sometimes used generally to refer to an easy or painless death.
Voluntary euthanasia involves a request by the dying patient or that
person's legal representative. Passive or negative euthanasia involves not
doing something to prevent death—that is, allowing someone to die; active
or positive euthanasia involves taking deliberate action to cause a death.
Euthanasia has been accepted both legally and morally in various
forms....
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