by Elizabeth M Young

Created on: November 02, 2009

Active euthanasia is defined as the act of killing oneself. Passive euthanasia is the act of killing another. The term "euthanasia" is defined as the act of killing painlessly in order to end suffering from an incurable or hopelessly debilitating condition. In that sense, the act gains acceptance, as it is considered to be a justifiable premature death, when allowing a natural death would involve horrific suffering for an extended period, or would involve a prolonged life with inability to gain an acceptable quality of life.

The problem today, is first that euthanasia is considered a crime. Second, some individuals want euthanasia upon receiving a diagnosis of a terminal condition which could be treated and possibly even put into remission. Third, some societies and individuals consider killing children or the elderly who have disorders that are neither completely debilitating, nor the cause of prolonged suffering because they present economic or care burdens. Fourth, individuals with untreated emotional conditions, such as severe depression, want to die rather than to tolerate the treatment that would alleviate their symptoms.

Active euthanasia can come in the form of advance directives, which include orders to not engage in extraordinary procedures or to resuscitate when life supporting bodily functions have stopped.This applies to those who do not want extreme measures taken in order to prolong their lives in the event of major incurable and untreatable illness, horrific accident or massive injury.

The problem today is that doctors are compelled to use extraordinary technology to prolong life, then to adhere to strict ethical requirements to not withhold life sustaining care, when they know that the patient has a viable life to sustain. There are strict ethical and legal requirements to "do no harm", where removal of life support would definitely cause death. The individuals who have the legal authority to make such decisions for another are often at odds, have varying levels of emotional stability or judgment, and can engage in lengthy legal and interpersonal battles over whether to withhold or to maintain life supporting procedures.

This is how new technologies make it more difficult to determine whether an act will serve only to end exceptional life support, or to end life, itself. In the back of everyone's mind lies the well known case where life support was pulled and the person demonstrated an ability to live on his or her own, and even recovered from

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