2007年5月19日土曜日

About Euthanasia ②

~Involuntary euthanasia~
Involuntary euthanasia is done against someone's (patient's) will, so this is as good as murder.

~Non-voluntary euthanasia~
Non-voluntary euthanasia is done when the patient is unconscious or unable to make a decision.

~Voluntary euthanasia~
Voluntary euthanasia is euthanasia with the patient's direct consent.

・Voluntary passive euthanasia = death with dignity
・Non-voluntary aggressive euthanasia = mercy killing

[What is mercy killing??]
ex) There is an elderly couple. Unfortunately, that wife (or husband) had been suffering from an incurable diesease. One day, her husband (or his wife) couldn't bear to see her (his) painful face. So, he (or she) killed her (or him) for some ways.
In another case, the wife (or the husband) asked her husband (his wife) to kill her (or her).

Like this case often happens in Japan. Of course, this is equal to murder, but can we punish the criminal severely?
This problem is also difficult. From now on, I'm going to think about mercy killing, too.

References: Wikipedia,
http://www.sal.tohoku.ac.jp/~shimizu/euthanasia/

1 件のコメント:

Kaoru さんのコメント...

It depends on the circumstances i'm in but basically i am against euthanasia.

What do you think will happen if Japan legalizes euthanasia? Hospitals are lacking in numbers of beds compared to number of patients so what concerns me is the thought that hospitals and old people's homes would become like seniors disposal facilities. What is good for the government keeping retired people who don't have to work to pay tax? Especially when Japan is becoming a serious aging society.

I recall someone stating that euthanasia gives us the idea that only productive people deserve to live. My grand mother can be recognized as one of these seniors but for me, she is so precious that I cannot regard her as a mere old lady like others. She must not be targeted as a drag on the society who should be eliminated. Nobody must be.