Join now to read essay Life
Active voluntary euthanasia is where a conscious, mentally competent person, usually with a severe physical ailment, loses the will to live. Many have said that keeping them alive is just prolonging their death, a form of cruel and unusual punishment. They may ask that life support equipment be disconnected so that they can die quickly, painlessly, and most of all with dignity. Most doctors are trained to try their best to defeat death, or at least try to delay it as long as possible. However, if the patient is hopelessly ill and prefers to die, the doctor may consult the hospital ethics committee, and take the patient off life support. When taken to court in these issues, the doctors defend themselves in saying, “I didnt kill her; I let her die.” (Karen Ann Quinlan Case of 1975).This is illegal throughout the United States and the rest of the world, but it still is a common occurrence.
Passive voluntary