Triumphrat

HiDesert

I mentioned this in another thread, but I find it mind-boggling enough to think it might be worth discussing it on its own. I read this in the letters to the editor of Discover magazine:

"With an Alzheimer's pandemic in the offing, society now faces an end-of-life disaster that will be unresponsive to black-and-white solutions. Isn't it time for us to consider some end-of-life counterpart to abortion?"

If the guy had any intestinal fortitude, he'd have called a spade a spade and said "we need to consider a euthanasia program for those who are suffering from Alzheimer's."

The editor didn't seem to thing this proposal required any ethical commentary at all. Personally, I almost fell over when I read it. He's essentially saying "we don't think their minds work the way they should any more, and it costs money to care for them, so let's just kill them."

Am I alone in finding this a chilling throwback to the worst episodes of the 20th century (how's that for dancing around Godwin's Law?)? God help us.

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Catenaccio

I'm afraid the concept of euthanasia is embedded in a throw away society. As a society we dispose of many things without ever bestowing on them a sense of permanency or value. It is only logical that human life would fall prey to the same flawed mentality. Add war, random acts of violence, a declining economy, soaring health costs, and the lopsided distribution of wealth and power - which makes cynics of us all - and the problem becomes endemic. In my opinion, the only solution is to recognize in one's self the fallacy of such thought and to battle it at the personal level. When we each rise up in defiance, we all have a chance to change things for the better.

F4sSprintST

Well, we could legalize suicide.

Not that I understand how it's illegality would stop anyone........

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TriumphTengu

My mother had early on set Alzheimer's getting it in her late forties. She forgot how to talk, walk and forget how to breath. She died at 64.
Before that I also had to make the decision to terminate the life of my unborn son as my wife was in the hospital in a coma and it was him or her.
It was after that incident that I thought over how precious life is. I stopped supporting the death penalty. Sure it costs alot to keep prisoners in jail. It costs alot to keep old people alive.
Is this what it comes down to? Killing people because they inconvenience us?
My mother still loved my two brothers currently in prison doing twenty five to life.
I still remember hearing my unborn childs heartbeat in the hospital.
Hard choices to make.

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F4sSprintST

How about Right to Dignity?

How about a Right to a Quality of Life?

How about a Right to Self Determination?


It's not a simple issue, and GOD FORBID we euthanize people because of OUR desires..........

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Normandy

From the moment we are born we start to die. If I had some disease that caused me to be a burdon on others or was a vegetable I would WANT someone to help me to exit and put an end to the misery.

HiDesert

I disagree that an individual has the right to decide to end their own life, but my disagreement is based in theology, so I'll set that aside for the purposes of this discussion.

Our legal system generally places a lot of value in self-determination. But what do you do when the individual involved doesn't seem mentally competent to determine for themself? If you want to lay in a hospital bed saying 'put me out of my misery', that's one thing. I won't do it, but you can wish for whatever you want. But there's a big difference between doing that on your own behalf, and looking at an Alzheimer's patient and deciding for them that their life isn't worth living. That's way too big a leap. How do you know their mental world isn't fantastic? Even if it isn't, does that justify ending a human life? What if the patient had opinions like mine before their mind deteriorated? Aren't you violating that persons right to self determination?

I'd say the right to life trumps any presumptive rights to dignity or quality of life. If we kill all mental patients, we destroy any hope of ever finding cures for their ailments. First, do no harm.

Maybe I just can't get past the feeling that these arguments in favor of euthanasia put a thin veneer of compassion over a decision that is truly motivated by convenience. If the outcome is what the individual would want, is the motive really important? If the people who are truly motived by compassion got the necessary laws passed, how would we prevent convenience killings?

It's to big a can of worms, on a slippery slope to boot. Euthanasia is wrong.

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Flyingscott

Why not take the time to make someone or maybe several people really miserable so they will get p.o.'d & knock you off. Suicide seems to take all the fun out of human interaction.

I am against the death penalty and against abortion except when the mother's life is clearly at stake. Suicide can't and should not "be" or "not be" a legal right, it's simply an option we all have. The "state" needs to stay out of it.

But you know suicide is kind of like tattoo's and children- it's mostly a permanent reminder of a temporary feeling.

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cafecruzin

thou shalt not kill....end of argument.that statement can be found though out all nations in one form or another.....but
we in this human society constantly come up with reasons to allow for killing
call it what you like war ,justice/revenge ,religion its usually about keeping whats mine and taking yours.
so if you condone one form of killing are you any better than someone who condones another form?
but having said that i reserve the right to deal with the end of my life as i see fit.

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tba-golfer

"...on a slippery slope..."


My dear friend Hidesert: I must tell you that this phrase makes the few remaining hairs on the back of my neck stand up. It is used ( ala the "domino theory") so so often; from the Vietnam era, from the NRA zealots, from the religious right... on and on. It presupposes that there is one, fixed, eternal, high point, from which all else slips to the abyss. I am not trying to make this any sort of liberal diatribe (although I am, I think, the still reigning Boozefighter crowned Liberal of the Year); but I think the notion of relativism needs to be considered.
On a personal note, my 85 year old father, who is fit and sharp and lively, has done all he can, legally, to pass on to me the authority to make any medical decisions on his behalf. This responsibilty, to act on his wishes, is one that I take seriously, knowing that the decision points will be painful and full of doubt.
I am, in the end, trying to honor my father, and his wishes.
And, hopefully, not for a number of years.

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