by Arden Davidson

Created on: August 18, 2009

In an ideal world, people would not have to make decisions as painful as whether or not to end another person's life as an act of mercy. But in reality, this is one of the most important and painful decisions a loved one or a physician can make. Decisions regarding 'the right to die' come from complex sets of diverse factors that involve an array of ethical and moral complications. Furthermore, because decisions regarding euthanasia involve rational thought as well as strong emotion, this is a naturally volatile issue.

Euthanasia is a subject that has long been debated all over the world due to the ethical and moral debate that accompanies this issue. The recent release from prison of Dr. Jack Kevorkian, (or the man commonly known as "Dr. Death") has brought the controversy to the front burner once again. Involved in the arguments are the physicians, the patients, the lawyers, and even those who may have not had personal experience with the practice of euthanasia but are also included through their own cultural, social, and even religious backgrounds.

In order to understand the ethical implications of euthanasia, it is important to have a clear picture of the difference between passive and active euthanasia. Passive euthanasia simply means that you are allowing an individual die, for example complying with a cancer patient's request to stop chemotherapy. Active euthanasia involves actually participating in a "mercy killing" by doing something to immediately end the person's life, such as removing their life support machine or giving them toxic medication.

In understanding the implications of this issue it is also important to realize that the terms "assisted suicide" and "euthanasia" are not entirely synonymous. The difference is that in assisted suicide, a physician, or other party, provides a terminally ill patient with the means to take his or her own life. In contrast, euthanasia involves the physician actually causing the patient's death.

At the heart of the debate about euthanasia are its ethical implications. Opposition to the right-to-die movement has come from many sources, including the right-to-life movement. Opponents argue that suicide is wrong on religious and theological grounds, as well as being harmful to the community and the common good.

Others have argued that no human being has a right to decide, for themselves or for others, when life is no longer worth living. Opponents argue that there is a danger that such decisions may

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