Debate: Physician Assisted Suicide

[YuzuruHitokiri]

I think that becoming a physician is a really hard job. It is a great profession, the money is great. However, there is so much time and effort put into being a physician. I do not understand why a person would commit suicide in the first place especially when they have such good lives in front of them but, I guess maybe the person was depressed. Looks like even physician jobs make people do horrible things.

Sammy, I think you misinterpreted the topic...
It's about a terminal patient having the option of having their physician assist them in ending their life...
The patient here only has months to live, and is possibly going to be in excruciating pain for those remaining months...
and the physician isn't just killing someone that they think has no chance, they are assisting them in suicide...



Now, to answer kuoleva's questions:

1) Are you for or against physician assisted suicide? (I'll be calling it PAS now, for less typing.) What are your reasons?

Am I both for and against PAS; as it is a gray area, it would depend on the situation...
If it was a patient who was experiencing pain on a level that is unbearable, it would be fine, especially if it is only going to get worse...
If it is someone who has a chance at life, and they are not in a state (such as the above-mentioned pain), I would be against it, as they have a chance...
If it has ANYTHING to do with someone wanting to collect on life insurance while the patient is alive, and they would have a say in the PAS, I'm even more against PAS in that case...
In short, if it is merciful and eases a terminal patient's suffering, then it should be allowed...
If it is for some malicious purpose, then it should not be...

2) Basing this off of your answer above, are their any situations where you would feel the opposite way? (IE, if you said you are for PAS, are there any situations where you would be against it?)

See Question 1...

3) Here's a hypothetical situation.
"You've just been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Your oncologist tells you that you have only several months to live. You are mentally stable, or at least as stable as one could be after being told they are dying, and are capable of making reasonable decisions. PAS is legal in your state. What would you do?"

I would first try to beat the odds so that I can rule out a bad call on the medical staff's case, and if that does not work, only call for PAS when any pain or suffering becomes too much for me to handle, I go into a comatose state, or I lose enough higher brain function to not be my former self...

4) Let's change that a bit.
"Your son/daughter has just been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Your oncologist tells you they only have several months to live. Your child is underage, and thus you (and possibly your partner) are given the choice of what to do next. You are mentally stable, or at least as stable as one could be after being told that their child is dying, and are capable of making reasonable decisions. PAS is legal in your state. What would you do?"

Similar to my answer to #3, only different in that my partner would have say in the decision as well... We'd both have to agree for the same thing... If I were the only one to have to choose though, it would be the same as #3...

[pup5115]

I don't believe any form of suicide or murder is right.

[Sabeta]

I'm just commenting on Wraith and Okami's discussion. This is for religious views only, and I am not engaging in this particular debate, but I wish to settle their little mini-debate.

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (A rulebook on christianity, more-or-less) Suicide is the ONLY unforgivable sin. At the very basis, it is Murder. Even if you are murdering yourself, it is still murder, which is a Cardinal Sin. While Murder in and of itself can be forgiven, Suicide cannot, as you can't repent if you are dead. Bear in mind though, that Martyrdom and Suicide are completely different. Martyrdom is A-OK according tot he Catechism.

That is all. (Weather you are Catholic or not is a different story, and these are not my personal views, as I'm an atheist, but I did grow up taking religious classes, so I think I know a thing or two)

[wraith89]

I'm just commenting on Wraith and Okami's discussion. This is for religious views only, and I am not engaging in this particular debate, but I wish to settle their little mini-debate.

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (A rulebook on christianity, more-or-less) Suicide is the ONLY unforgivable sin. At the very basis, it is Murder. Even if you are murdering yourself, it is still murder, which is a Cardinal Sin. While Murder in and of itself can be forgiven, Suicide cannot, as you can't repent if you are dead. Bear in mind though, that Martyrdom and Suicide are completely different. Martyrdom is A-OK according tot he Catechism.

That is all. (Weather you are Catholic or not is a different story, and these are not my personal views, as I'm an atheist, but I did grow up taking religious classes, so I think I know a thing or two)

Yeah I knew that, although I am not Catholic. But thanks for the information.