Euthanasia

[Vaati]

I wouldn't want him to die, but I wouldn't want to see him suffer either.

[MasterKeyX]

Euthanasia... quite a controversial topic, indeed.  WHat do I think of euthanasia personally?

It's a pretty hard thing to form an opinion on, considering how heavy it is (like abortion). It is my personal belief that, if a person is of legal age (18) and in a sane state of mind, they should have the choice of whether to terminate their life or not because they are horribly ill/severely handicapped.

Now, what if somebody is not able to form decisions in their state of being? Then I think that the family, as a whole, should come to a decsion on that person's fate based on what they think/know that person would want.

Of course, this should not be an easily made decision. I think a patient should be given sufficient time to think over and analyze the situation before coming to a final verdict (i.e, a "window period" were that person may contemplate whether or not they want to be euthanised).

This procedure however, would of course have various regulations and would have to be monitored carefully. And if a person is younger than legal age (18), I believe that they should come to a decision with their parents/guardians on their fate.

That is all. Feel free to comment, and don't flame me to death if you disagree, please.  

[Peka]

The hard thing about deciding is that you can never know what they're experiencing unless you've been through it yourself.  I think euthanasia should only be used when there is absolutely no chance at recovering and the patient is is immense pain.  It would be hard for the family and others, but you have to look out for the person first.  I do agree that it is the patient's decision first, and must have many regulations.

[Takun]

I agree with silver key.

[darkphantomime]

I think euthanasia should only be used when there is absolutely no chance at recovering and the patient is is immense pain.

BOTH of these qualities must be satisfied in order for someone to qualify for Euthanasia in my honest opinion. I don't think one or the other by itself would be cause enough to allow it.

[Takun]

I think it could be either one. Emense pain or terminal illness.

[Fishalicious]

We have every right to play god as long as were doing it for a good reason.

... We are humans. We are not gods. Don't get the two mixed up, please. >: Ever see Jurassic Park? They played God. See what happened to them?

We're not children, after all. :3

[Takun]

But were do we draw the line of human and "god"? We can open up a skull and fix the brain inside. We can split two people who have always been combined. We can remove the organs from others and give them to the dying. Yet, by puting someone out of their pain it is considered evil and "playing god". But thats only seems to aply if we're killing them. If we give them life then it has nothing to do with the gods. So actually Fisk, I dont see the difference. We create life every day, we give it, we take it. In a way, we are all gods.

[darkphantomime]

But were do we draw the line of human and "god"? We can open up a skull and fix the brain inside. We can split two people who have always been combined. We can remove the organs from others and give them to the dying. Yet, by puting someone out of their pain it is considered evil and "playing god". But thats only seems to aply if we're killing them. If we give them life then it has nothing to do with the gods. So actually Fisk, I dont see the difference. We create life every day, we give it, we take it. In a way, we are all gods.

How arrogant. Scientists do not think like men who want to be gods. So it's really stupid to try to put that argument right there. Scientists do it for the progress of humanity, rather than any control freak like Hitler or Stalin that wanted to be recognized as 'gods' by everyone.

So what if we can do a lot to make life better? We are no closer to being gods in the ultimate sense than hundreds of years ago. We are not gods and we will NEVER be gods. heh... even when we seek the power of gods, it will be meaningless. So don't try to compare humanity to gods, that would be... pointless.

[Takun]

How so? The gods, they created the trees, the people, they gave life were it was lifeless. We do that every day. I dont know how to explain it. We in an essance do the same things that the gods did. And I never said that scientists think like men who want to be gods. I said that we have accomplished so much that we can do things like give life, or death. We can grow new trees in a desolate wasteland. We may not do things like turn water to wine and what not but we do so many things that the gods have to. I do apologize for bringing sort of religious chat into this. It was not my intentions. But your right JQ, we will never be gods, it would be pointless to seek that ability. But we do things that if we did them thoudads of years ago, we would have been the definition of the word god. We are typing on a machine that can send a message anywhere in the world. And that in our time, is not even amazing. Its things like that, that made people call them gods. What Im getting at is that we do amazing things. And they should not be judged by people claiming that we play god.

[Fishalicious]

But were do we draw the line of human and "god"?

Okay, I honestly don't really believe in gods, but, well, Gods and People are not the same thing.

God: A being conceived as perfect, omnipotent, omniscient.

Just going off of that definition... we are nothing alike. Perhaps you have heard the term "Nobody's perfect?" We're all flawed. I don't just mean physically, either. Even children aren't totally innocent. /:

Don't ever say that a person has the right to play God. Yes, we can perform brain surgery and separate conjoined twins. But you know what? It still causes scars. People can still die. Surgery is not the same thing as "Playing God."

Surgery is a risk. Gods are perfect.

[Takun]

Im not saying that were perfect. Im saying that things like the topic of euthanasia or cloning make some people say that its playing god. But they wouldnt say that if we're saving a life. Yes, surgery is a risk. Yes it kills people. But why dont we have the right to use something that will HELP people? Because we're acused of "playing god"? When I say we have every right, I mean that we shouldnt let those acusations stop us from doing what can help, even if it has the risk of death.

[Fishalicious]

Ah, you posted before I did, I didn't see that.

I honestly... erm, don't like modern medicine. Sure, we could save things and people... but if we get cancer, we're supposed to die, not get over it. We're over-populated because we live. We're ruining the world.

Call me mentally unfit all you want for this, but if I get into a car accident, or get cancer or if something happens where if it weren't for medicine, I'd have died... Well, I'd want to die. I don't care about "oh, we can save her."

I suppose that's "wrong" in the context of modern day society, but... I honestly think that's the best way to go. /:


On a completely different note:
u_u;; I feel bad that we kill animals and euthanise them when they were hit by a car, or something like that. They're no less than we are... so why don't as many people struggle to keep them alive? Or why don't we try to rehabilitate "vicious" animals like we do to people?

[darkphantomime]

Do you even know what you're talking about? The MAJORITY would not agree with your assertion of something that helps people as 'playing god', even if it's about stem cell research.  To that effect, it is the potent religious that see it as 'playing god'. Not everyone else.

[Takun]

Yes, I do know what Im talking about. Im not trying to get the world to see things the way I do. Im mearly expressing my oppinion. And as for what you said Fisk. I dont think thats weird at all. And your right. Our constant "we can save them" is overpopulating the world. You have a point. And its not weird that you dont want to be saved by modern medicines. Thats how my great grandmother wanted to die.