Should voluntary euthanasia be allowed in Hong Kong?
Should voluntary euthanasia be allowed in Hong Kong?
The issue of euthanasia has been discussed for decades. Euthanasia is a medical practice to end one’s life with the purpose to alleviate pain or suffering while voluntary euthanasia is one of its categories that carried out at the request of the patient. A few years ago, a paralyzed patient had requested for euthanasia to end his life painlessly. This attracted wide attention among the general public in Hong Kong. People started to discuss whether euthanasia should be allowed. This essay argues the possibility to allow voluntary euthanasia in Hong Kong. It will begin with the debate on euthanasia with different perspectives. It will conclude that voluntary euthanasia should be allowed for the benefits of the suffered patient.
One of the main pro-euthanasia arguments is that the patient should have her own right to choose between life and death. Brock (1992) points out that respect for self-determination of the patient is important because self-determination allows people to make decision about their lives with respect to their own values and conceptions of a good life. If the patient got a terminal disease and suffered a lot, euthanasia can give her a chance to die in a more comfortable way. Everyone wants to die in a peaceful way without pain. What is more, the interests of the patient should be considered as the most preference when discussing euthanasia because it is the most affected and the most suffered party. The patient who wants to terminate her life when they feel unable to sustain living should be free to do so because suicide is not a criminal offence (Pauline, 1999). If suicide is not a criminal offense in Hong Kong, why voluntary euthanasia cannot be allowed as it is one form of suicide? Healthy people are able to promote better lives for themselves but the patient with terminal/incurable disease has no choice for a better living. As a result, the possible way that the patient can do is to
The issue of euthanasia has been discussed for decades. Euthanasia is a medical practice to end one’s life with the purpose to alleviate pain or suffering while voluntary euthanasia is one of its categories that carried out at the request of the patient. A few years ago, a paralyzed patient had requested for euthanasia to end his life painlessly. This attracted wide attention among the general public in Hong Kong. People started to discuss whether euthanasia should be allowed. This essay argues the possibility to allow voluntary euthanasia in Hong Kong. It will begin with the debate on euthanasia with different perspectives. It will conclude that voluntary euthanasia should be allowed for the benefits of the suffered patient.
One of the main pro-euthanasia arguments is that the patient should have her own right to choose between life and death. Brock (1992) points out that respect for self-determination of the patient is important because self-determination allows people to make decision about their lives with respect to their own values and conceptions of a good life. If the patient got a terminal disease and suffered a lot, euthanasia can give her a chance to die in a more comfortable way. Everyone wants to die in a peaceful way without pain. What is more, the interests of the patient should be considered as the most preference when discussing euthanasia because it is the most affected and the most suffered party. The patient who wants to terminate her life when they feel unable to sustain living should be free to do so because suicide is not a criminal offence (Pauline, 1999). If suicide is not a criminal offense in Hong Kong, why voluntary euthanasia cannot be allowed as it is one form of suicide? Healthy people are able to promote better lives for themselves but the patient with terminal/incurable disease has no choice for a better living. As a result, the possible way that the patient can do is to