by Ryan Yost

Created on: February 13, 2007   Last Updated: April 18, 2007

We live in a society centered on fears of the unknown. In a world where science can allow an individual to unnaturally cling to life, how are you able to determine what death actually is? And, if death is inevitable for all of us, why is it such a taboo topic when it is precariously close? The issues concerning euthanasia and physician assisted suicide are comprised of conflict. From the debate of more suffering versus less life, to the argument as to when death actually occurs and who determines when death happens, this argument pulls at our innermost fears and forces us to face our own mortality.

Before it is possible to wade into an argument of any type concerning end of life dilemmas, one must have an understanding of what death actually is. Some consider life to be a conscious experience; that death happens when consciousness is lost. Others believe that cognitive abilities of any magnitude are a sufficient judge as to whether or not a person is living. Traditionalists would argue that death occurs with the cessation of breathing and a heartbeat. Technically I choose to align my views with those of the traditionalist. Internment happens after death, and a person is not buried until after their pulse and breathing cease. I believe, however, on the other hand, that consciousness plays a large role in what it means to be alive. How can we actually exist without being aware of our existence?

As I said, this issue is comprised of conflicting views and emotions. Depending on the situation one's views can change drastically. Many doctors we saw interviewed in class made a distinction between physician assisted suicide and a morphine drip. They discussed how morphine merely eases the pain, but, as tolerance grows, the amount needed to numb the suffering ultimately kills the patient. With physician assisted suicide, however, the physician is pointedly taking steps to end the patient's life. Personally I see little differentiation between these two. Ending a person's suffering is ending it.

My problem with these situations, however, lies with religion. All my life I have been taught that suicide and murder are damnable. Whether this is actually the case, or whether this damnation extends to such end of life issues, is unknown. I feel, however, that this is a blurry argument (at best) because the physician is well aware, in both cases, that his or her actions will result in the death of the patient. So, aside from the distribution of sin, I see little differentiation.

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