Euthanasia. Why is it such a big problem to let people decide when and how they want to die? Is it unnatural that a person has a right to live but does not have a right to die? When my grandmother’s friend Mary was dying from cancer in the final stage and begged to set her free from the pain, the doctors said that assisted suicide was illegal. However, it was perfectly fine to put down my grandmother’s dog when it could no longer control its bladder. Why does it have to be that way?
There are two general philosophical perspectives on euthanasia, the utilitarian viewpoint, and the deontological viewpoint. Utilitarians say that an action is good or right when it leads to better outcomes than the alternative. Thus, according to the utilitarian viewpoint, there is no problem with euthanasia as along as it is better for the patient. In Mary’s case, euthanasia was clearly a better choice. She experienced much pain, and there was no hope of recovery. Dying was only a matter of time, and sooner was better for her than later.
However, isn’t that a slippery slope? Who is it to decide what is better for the patient? Aunt Mary, who is mad from all the pain and suffering? Her relatives, who don’t have a faint idea about her actual condition? Or maybe it is the doctor, who wants to act in the patient’s best interest? Who is there to take the role of God and take the lives of people?
The deontological viewpoint answers the question radically. People cannot predict the actual outcomes of the events. We do not genuinely know what will the consequences of our actions be. Thus, we should not try to take a step away from contextual rights and wrongs based on our forecasts about the outcomes. Instead, we should focus on general truths. Killing people is wrong. It is written in every single spiritual scripture and in every set of laws. It is not for us to decide when killing another person will lead to better outcomes. Moreover, it is against the principle of nonmaleficence in medicine. Therefore, Euthanasia is wrong, and it cannot be legalized.