Abstract
This study examines the concept of assisted suicide. Precisely, it will look at whether medically assisted suicide is permissible and when an individual can be denied an opportunity to seek medically assisted suicide.
The arguments in this study are drawn from the writings of Susan Wolf on the death of her father. The study, also discussed the extent to which agree and disagree with the ideas of Wolf.
Introduction
Assisted suicide refers to actions undertaken by one individual to assist another voluntarily end his or her own life. Assistance is offered by providing the person with the means to end life. These means may include drugs, equipment, or other actions that aid in ending life. Assisted suicide differs from euthanasia that is an act of people ending their own lives without assistance from others (Mosser, 2010).
According to Susan Wolf (2008), her father’s death made her rethink her writings against the legalization of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. Wolf did a writing entitled’ end-of-life care’ that her father challenged and his views on medically assisted suicide are worthy support.
In my opinion, every person has a right to make choices on what should be done with their own lives provided they do not cause any harm to other members of the society. Therefore, seeking assistance to end one’s life is a right of free choice and individuals should not be opposed if they wish to terminate their lives.
Most sick persons wish to die dignified deaths but their illnesses may have incapacitated them to such an extent that they lack the strength to kill themselves. When such persons ask for assistance to end their lives, their wishes should be respected since dying is a choice they have made under no one’s influence or coercion (Weir, 1997).
Human beings have a responsibility to relieve the suffering of those who are in pain. There are too many people in hospitals facing painful conditions and terminal illnesses that make them permanently unable to function like other human beings.
These people undergo suffering, their lives are degraded and most of them are economically unproductive and a burden to their families and the entire society. Since these sick people were once productive, illnesses make them experience feelings of low esteem and they may opt for death.
In situations when these people beg for help that would end their indignity and the pain they are going through, it is recommendable that physicians assist them (Weir, 1997).
Human beings have the right to self-determination and they should be allowed to exercise what they view as best for them; people should be permitted to make decisions that affect their own lives. As a result, when people want to commit suicide or to be assisted to die, they should not be interfered with; instead should be facilitated to do so.
There are a variety of choices that one can make in life death being one of them, and as such one’s will to die should not be opposed (Mosser, 2010).
The capacities of individuals facing medical conditions such as mental illness cannot be easily restored. Such kinds of patients are normally stigmatized by the society, have miserable lives due to neglect by their family members. When such patients approach medical practitioners seeking assistance to end their lives, they should be facilitated to die.
Reasons why I agree with Susan Wolf
To an extent, I agree with Wolf’s ideas opposing the act of assisted suicide because of the following reasons: The society has an obligation and duty to preserve life and therefore individuals should not be allowed to commit suicide as they wish because it is morally wrong to encourage suicide.
If laws are passed permitting assisted suicide, relatives of sick individuals may even urge them to seek suicide to end the suffering and pain (Weir, 1997).
Sanctioning suicide is a violation of other people’s rights. If suicide is permitted, doctors and other medical practitioners may even cooperate in the murder of a patient who is not willing to die. It is not just for individuals to go against some convictions as a way of satisfying desires of patients who are willing to die (Wolf, 2008).
Reasons for disagreeing with Wolf
Medically assisted suicide should be encouraged because it results from the free will of suffering individuals without them being compelled to commit suicide. There is an agreement between the patients and the medical practitioners who facilitate this suicide, therefore assisted suicide should not be viewed as an immoral act for the reason that the sick individuals are not coerced to do so but they confront physicians to assist them.
Conclusion
The above study has summarized medically assisted suicide pointing out the arguments for and against the practice. Assisted suicide could be beneficial as it relieves the pain of the suffering individual. On the other hand, it is morally incorrect to assist other people end their lives.
References
Mosser, K. (2010). A Concise Introduction to Philosophy. San Diego: Bridgepoint Education
Wolf, S. M. (2008).Confronting Physician-Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia: My Father’s Death. Minnesota: The Hastings Center Report.
Weir, R.F. (1997). Physician assisted suicide. Washington: Indiana University press.