religion euthanasia essay

Perspectives of Major World Religions regarding Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide: A Comparative Analysis

Affiliations.

• 1 QLD Specialist Palliative Rural Telehealth Service, Robina Hospital, Robina, QLD, 4226, Australia. [email protected].
• 2 Bond University, Robina, QLD, 4226, Australia. [email protected].
• 3 School of Medicine, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, 4222, Australia. [email protected].
• 4 University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia. [email protected].
• 5 Renew Church Gold Coast, Gold Coast, QLD, 4213, Australia. [email protected].
• 6 HammondCare Palliative Care Services, Greenwich, NSW, 2065, Australia.
• 7 University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia.
• 8 Institute for Ethics and Society, University of Notre Dame, Chippendale, NSW, 2007, Australia.
• PMID: 35092533
• PMCID: PMC9569313
• DOI: 10.1007/s10943-022-01498-5

Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide (EPAS) are important contemporary societal issues and religious faiths offer valuable insights into any discussion on this topic. This paper explores perspectives on EPAS of the four major world religions, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism, through analysis of their primary texts. A literature search of the American Theological Library Association database revealed 41 relevant secondary texts from which pertinent primary texts were extracted and exegeted. These texts demonstrate an opposition to EPAS based on themes common to all four religions: an external locus of morality and the personal hope for a better future after death that transcends current suffering. Given that these religions play a significant role in the lives of billions of adherents worldwide, it is important that lawmakers consider these views along with conscientious objection in jurisdictions where legal EPAS occurs. This will not only allow healthcare professionals and institutions opposed to EPAS to avoid engagement, but also provide options for members of the public who prefer an EPAS-free treatment environment.

Keywords: Assisted suicide; Euthanasia; Religion.

© 2022. The Author(s).

• Christianity
• Euthanasia*
• Suicide, Assisted*

• Volume 24, Number 4, April 2023 Supplement - Section I: The survey
• IAHPC Publications
• Special issues
• IAHPC Special Issue on Assisted Dying Practices

Perspectives of major world religions on euthanasia and assisted dying

Katherine Pettus IAHPC Senior Director of Partnerships & Advocacy

A 2010 report based on a study of more than 230 countries by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life claimed that, “worldwide, more than eight-in-ten people identify with a religious group.” 1 The religious profile of the world is rapidly changing, driven primarily by differences in fertility rates and the size of youth populations among the world’s major religions, as well as by people switching faiths. Over the next four decades, Christians will remain the largest religious group, but Islam is projected to grow faster than any other major religion. 2 While there are many differences within the major world religions, and a multitude of individual opinions and interpretations of their faith by people who identify as religious or “spiritual,” we at the IAHPC believe that, given the sheer size of the demographic that self-defines as religious, teachings of major world religions are an important frame of reference for assisted dying discussions.

While the teachings of Buddha do not specifically address euthanasia, it is clear that the religion opposes “mercy killing.” 3 A 2013 document by the Pew Research Center on how different religious groups view end-of-life issues states that, “Buddhists generally oppose assisted suicide and euthanasia. Buddhism teaches that it is morally wrong to destroy human life, including one’s own, even if the intention is to end suffering. Buddhists are taught to have a great respect for life, even if that life is not being lived in optimal physical and mental health. Buddhists also believe that life need not be preserved at all costs and that one does not need to go to extraordinary lengths to preserve a dying person’s life. This means, for instance, that while a terminally ill person should not be denied basic care, he or she could refuse treatment that might prove to be futile or unduly burdensome. […] The bottom line is that so long as there is no intention to take life, no moral problem arises. 4

Christianity: Anglican (Episcopal)

An Anglican Communion Resolution on euthanasia from the 1998 Lambeth Conference states that, “In the light of current debate and proposals for the legalization of euthanasia in several countries, this Conference:

• affirms that life is God-given and has intrinsic sanctity, significance and worth;
• defines euthanasia as the act by which one person intentionally causes or assists in causing the death of another who is terminally or seriously ill in order to end the other's pain and suffering;
• resolves that euthanasia, as precisely defined, is neither compatible with the Christian faith nor should be permitted in civil legislation;
• distinguishes between euthanasia and withholding, withdrawing, declining or terminating excessive medical treatment and intervention, all of which may be consonant with Christian faith in enabling a person to die with dignity. When a person is in a permanent vegetative state, to sustain him or her with artificial nutrition and hydration may be seen as constituting medical intervention…” 5

However, there is considerable debate in the Anglican Communion. 6,7

Christianity: Catholic

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, intentional euthanasia, whatever its forms or motives, is murder. It is “gravely contrary to the dignity of the human person and to the respect due to the living God, his Creator.” 8 Catholic teaching views suicide as a grave offense against love of self, one that also breaks the bonds of love and solidarity with family, nation, and God. 9 To assist another’s suicide is to take part in “an injustice which can never be excused, even if it is requested.” 10 At the European Regional Meeting of the World Medical Association on end-of-life issues, Pope Francis said “It is clear that not adopting, or else suspending, disproportionate measures, means avoiding overzealous treatment; from an ethical standpoint, it is completely different from euthanasia, which is always wrong, in that the intent of euthanasia is to end life and cause death.” 11  He reiterated the teaching of the Catechism of the Catholic Church that “Discontinuing medical procedures that are burdensome, dangerous, extraordinary, or disproportionate to the expected outcome can be legitimate; it is the refusal of ‘over-zealous’ treatment. Here one does not will to cause death; one’s inability to impede it is merely accepted.” 11

The Islamic code of law discusses many issues regarding life and death, as it considers any act of taking one's life to be forbidden. Islam sanctifies life and depicts it as a gift from God (Allah). It consistently emphasizes the importance of preserving life and well-being. Therefore Muslims, the followers of Islam, have no right to end their life. All Islamic doctrines consider physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia to be forbidden. However, if the patient has an imminently fatal illness, withholding or withdrawing a futile medical treatment is considered permissible. From a legal perspective, Islamic countries have not legalized physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia. Such practices are therefore considered suicides when patients consent to the procedure, and homicides when physicians execute the procedure. 12

Under Jewish law, the directive to preserve human life generally outweighs other considerations, including the desire to alleviate pain and suffering. According to Rabbi Leonard A. Sharzer, associate director for bioethics at the Louis Finkelstein Institute for Religious and Social Studies at The Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City, Judaism teaches that life is a precious gift from God. A person’s life belongs to God, he says, and therefore deciding when it ends should be left to God. 4 A Jew may not commit suicide, ask others to help in committing suicide, or assist in the suicide of someone else. Withholding or withdrawing machines or medications from a terminally ill patient, however, does not constitute suicide and is permitted. 13  

• Pew Research Center. The Global Religious Landscape: A Report on the Size and Distribution of the World’s Major Religious Groups as of 2010. The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, 2012.
• Pew Research Center. The Future of World Religions: Population Growth Projections, 2010-2050. Why Muslims Are Rising Fastest and the Unaffiliated Are Shrinking as a Share of the World’s Population . Pew-Templeton Global Religious Futures Project, 2015. 
• Chaicharoen P, Ratanakul P. Letting-Go or Killing: Thai Buddhist Perspectives on Euthanasia . Eubios   J Asian International Bioethics 1998; 8: 37-40. 
• Pew Research Center. Religious Groups’ Views on End-of-Life Issues . 2013.
• Anglican Communion. Resolution 1.14 – Euthanasia . 1998.
• Frankling S. Archbishop Nichols Urges Canadian Anglicans Not to Oppose Assisted Suicide Laws . Anglican Church of Canada. Anglican Journal, 2022.
• Cagney H. Anglican Bishops Declare Support for Assisted Dying. Lancet Oncology 2014; 15(9): e368. DOI: 10.1016/S1470-2045(14)70340-7.
• Catechism of the Catholic Church. Euthanasia. Point 2277 .
• Fisher S. National Catholic Register. What Does the Church Teach about Suicide? Catechism of the Catholic Church, Point 2281. August 14, 2014.
• John Paul II. Evangelium Vitae, no. 66 . (The Gospel of Life encyclical). Point #3.
• Pope Francis.   Pope Addresses End of Life Issues . https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2017-11/pope-addresses-end-of-life-issues-.html  
• Madadin M, Al Sahwan HS, Altarouti KK, Altarouti SA, Al Eswaikt ZS, Menezes RG. The Islamic Perspective on Physician-Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia. Med Sci Law 2020; 60(4): 278-286. DOI: 10.1177/0025802420934241
• Dorff Rabbi EN. The Rabbinical Assembly. Assisted Suicide . YD 345.1997a. For Jewish and Catholic reiterations, see the just published 17 th Bilateral Commission Meeting of the Delegations of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel and the Holy See’s Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews; Jewish and Catholic Approaches to the terminally ill: The Prohibited, the Permitted and the Obligatory (Jerusalem, May 2-4, 2023; Iyar 11-13, 5783) https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2023/05/12/0362/00784.html

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We have a right to die with dignity. The medical profession has a duty to assist

Distinguished Professor of Philosophy and Director: Centre for Applied Ethics, Stellenbosch University

Disclosure statement

Anton van Niekerk is director of the Centre for Applied Ethics and Head of the Unit for Bioethics in that Centre. The Unit receives an annual contribution from Mediclinic, but that is not for the exclusive use of Anton van Niekerk.

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Euthanasia represents one of the oldest issues in medical ethics. It is forbidden in the original Hippocratic Oath, and has consistently been opposed by most religious traditions since antiquity – other than, incidentally, abortion, which has only been formally banned by the Catholic Church since the middle of the 19th century.

Euthanasia is a wide topic with many dimensions. I will limit myself in this article to the issue of assisted death, which seems to me to be one of the most pressing issues of our time.

Desmond Tutu, emeritus archbishop of Cape Town, raised it again on his 85th birthday in an article in the Washington Post. He wrote:

I have prepared for my death and have made it clear that I do not wish to be kept alive at all costs. I hope I am treated with compassion and allowed to pass onto the next phase of life’s journey in the manner of my choice.

Assisted death can take the form of physician assisted suicide (PAS) . Here a suffering and terminal patient is assisted by a physician to gain access to a lethal substance which the patient himself or herself takes or administers. If incapable of doing so, the physician – on request of the patient – administers the lethal substance which terminates the patient’s life.

The latter procedure is also referred to as “voluntary active euthanasia” (VAE). I will not deal with the issue of involuntary euthanasia –where the suffering patient’s life is terminated without their explicit consent -– a procedure which, to my mind, is ethically much more problematic.

Passive form of euthanasia

The term “voluntary active euthanasia” suggests that there also is a passive form of euthanasia. It is passive in the sense that nothing is “actively” done to kill the patient, but that nothing is done to deter the process of dying either, and that the termination of life-support which is clearly futile, is permitted.

However, the moral significance of the distinction between “active” and “passive” euthanasia is increasingly questioned by ethicists. The reason simply is the credibility of arguing that administering a lethal agent is “active”, but terminating life support (for example switching off a ventilator) is “passive”. Both clearly are observable and describable actions, and both are the direct causes of the patient’s death.

There are a number of reasons for the opposition to physician assisted suicide or voluntary active euthanasia. The value bestowed on human life in all religious traditions and almost all cultures, such as the prohibition on murder is so pervasive that it is an element of common, and not statutory, law.

Objections from the medical profession to being seen or utilised as “killers” rather than saviours of human life, as well as the sometimes well-founded fear of the possible abuse of physician assisted suicide or voluntary active euthanasia, is a further reason. The main victims of such possible abuse could well be the most vulnerable and indigent members of society: the poor, the disabled and the like. Those who cannot pay for prolonged accommodation in expensive health care facilities and intensive care units.

Death with dignity

In support of physician assisted suicide or voluntary active euthanasia, the argument is often made that, as people have the right to live with dignity, they also have the right to die with dignity. Some medical conditions are simply so painful and unnecessarily prolonged that the capability of the medical profession to alleviate suffering by means of palliative care is surpassed.

Intractable terminal suffering robs the victims of most of their dignity. In addition, medical science and practice is currently capable of an unprecedented prolongation of human life. It can be a prolongation that too often results in a concomitant prolongation of unnecessary and pointless suffering.

Enormous pressure is placed upon both families and the health care system to spend time and very costly resources on patients that have little or no chance of recovery and are irrevocably destined to die. It is, so the argument goes, not inhumane or irreverent to assist such patients – particularly if they clearly and repeatedly so request – to bring their lives to an end.

I am personally much more in favour of the pro-PAS and pro-VAE positions, although the arguments against do raise issues that need to be addressed. Most of those issues (for example the danger of the exploitation of vulnerable patients) I believe, can be satisfactorily dealt with by regulation.

Argument in favour of assisted suicide

The most compelling argument in favour of physician assisted suicide or voluntary active euthanasia is the argument in support of committing suicide in a democracy. The right to commit suicide is, as far as I am concerned, simply one of the prices we have to be willing to pay as citizens of a democracy.

We do not have the right, and we play no discernible role, in coming into existence. But we do have the right to decide how long we remain in existence. The fact that we have the right to suicide, does not mean that it is always (morally) right to execute that right.

It is hard to deny the right of an 85-year-old with terminal cancer of the pancreas and almost no family and friends left, to commit suicide or ask for assisted death. In this case, he or she both has the right, and will be in the right if exercising that right.

Compare that with the situation of a 40-year-old man, a husband and father of three young children, who has embezzled company funds and now has to face the music in court. He, also, has the right to commit suicide. But, I would argue, it would not be morally right for him to do so, given the dire consequences for his family. To have a right, does not imply that it is always right to execute that right.

My argument in favour of physician assisted suicide or voluntary active euthanasia is thus grounded in the right to suicide, which I think is fundamental to a democracy.

Take the case of a competent person who is terminally ill, who will die within the next six months and has no prospect of relief or cure. This person suffers intolerably and/or intractably, often because of an irreversible dependence on life-support. This patient repeatedly, say at least twice a week, requests that his/her life be terminated. I am convinced that to perform physician assisted suicide or voluntary active euthanasia in this situation is not only the humane and respectful, but the morally justified way to go.

The primary task of the medical profession is not to prolong life or to promote health, but to relieve suffering. We have a right to die with dignity, and the medical profession has a duty to assist in that regard.

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Euthanasia from Religious Perspectives

The ethicality of euthanasia is a controversial issue in the philosophy of medicine, ethics, law, and other disciplines connected to the notions of death and the right to it. Euthanasia has divided people into two main camps – those who see it as a crime against God or some higher institution and those who see it as a prerogative of each individual. The main argument of the last is that to leave a patient suffering is uncivilized and that a dignified death should be granted for everyone. Following this point of view, the best option is to help a sufferer to end their life. The pain that terminal patients undergo cannot be experienced by medical staff or their family members. Nevertheless, the decision to end the misery often is up to the third party.

Euthanasia is translated from Greek as “good death,” still in various cultures and religions it is not viewed as such (Tarabeih and Gonţa 7). Euthanasia is considered illegal in many counties, and even in those where it is legalized, doctors may apprehend performing the procedure. Nevertheless, euthanasia has developed several subtypes that are classified based on the party who makes the decision. Voluntary euthanasia happens when a patient requests the procedure themselves to end their suffering. Non-voluntary euthanasia is applied to a patient who is not able to make a conscious decision. Moreover, there is involuntary euthanasia, which is performed against the will of a patient (Tarabeih and Gonţa 7). Despite the moral differences that may arise from each type of euthanasia, religious practices seemingly don’t make a distinction in their approach and form their general perspective to the notion entirely.

Choosing to die may seem like a personal decision; however, euthanasia involves three parties – the patient willing to die, the doctor who performs the act, and, potentially, the patient’s relatives. From a medical point of view, there are several options for terminating a patient’s life that fall under the definition of “euthanasia.” Turning off the life support equipment is known as passive euthanasia, while a medical overdose of painkillers would be considered as active euthanasia (Tarabeih and Gonţa 14). In this way, along with the medical progress in the sphere of alleviating a person’s suffering, the debates around the topic can spark especially acute reactions among religious people.

The debates around ending someone’s life in a consensual medical way became especially poignant, approximately, by the end of the 20th century. In media, it has been presented as an issue to be regarded from ethical or religious points of view rather than from the scientific one (Tarabeih and Gonţa 14). Religion remains one of the most significant influences for the considerable number of pious people on this planet. Following moral demands of the higher being, such as God, introduces inner conflict into the lives of believers, which expresses itself in the ambiguity of human life. Moreover, the concept of the afterlife takes the central place in the majority of religions – Judaism, Christianity, and Islam have particular views on how euthanasia affects a patient’s afterlife.

Although Islam is the youngest of the major worldwide spread religions, it has accumulated the second largest number of followers (Chaïma 3). Islam teaches that all its people are Allah’s vicegerents, who gave them power over many things on Earth. As Allah’s wards, Muslims are supposed to possess, among other, two qualities that would help them to cope with adversities – patience and endurance. Additionally, one of the primary duties of a Muslim is to be socially useful. Muslims are required to try to stay in proper health and to lead a life that could ensure their soundness and maximize their helpfulness. The social system established in the Islamic countries provides its members with a set of rules, which is supposed to give them moral, physical, and emotional maintenance (Ahaddour 22). Looking after the ill and old, in Islam, is the duty of a family as in many other traditional societies.

One of Islam’s teachings says that Allah gives life and thus has full power to take it away; it is his prerogative. According to Islamic beliefs, Allah determined the lifespan of each individual, and prolonging or reducing it is not up to anyone but him. Thus, death is a matter that is entirely in Allah’s hands, and taking it away is supposed to only happen by Islamic rules. Allah instructs in Qur’an, “do not take life which Allah made sacred, other than in the cause of justice” (The Qur’an 17:33). This verse and many others overtly forbid euthanasia or any kind of assisted or unassisted suicide. Besides, Qur’an prohibits someone precipitating their physical deterioration, and it presents a clear position that Islam has towards euthanasia. In Islam, unlawful killing, helping others to die, and consenting to suicide are prohibited acts. Any pain or adversity in a Muslim’s life is a trial sent by Allah to prove a believer’s faith and endurance. Thereby, suffering should not overpower and discourage a Muslim to a degree where life would seem irremediable.

It may seem as if Qur’an and Muslim savants agree upon the ungodliness of euthanasia without a dissenting voice. It is the case for active euthanasia and mostly right for passive euthanasia, where treatment of a disease is suspended. For instance, the discussion of the ethicality of switching off a life support machine in Islam continues, and various conflicting points of view are presented (Ayuba 10). For example, some Islamic scholars accept the removal of the life support machine, if the sufferer has no potential for recovery (Ayuba 10). Therefore, the question of permissibility of passive euthanasia in Islam remains open, while active euthanasia is unanimously condemned. A Muslim’s life could be seen as an endurance test with a fixed deadline, where death is not the end but the final barrier between earthly life and the return to the Creator.

Judaism has a broader division of opinions on controversial topics: this also applies to euthanasia, on which there is no unanimous stance within this religion. Rabbis from different movements within Judaism tend to interpret to a degree different religious texts on which they base their opinions on euthanasia. Nevertheless, it seems that a lot of rabbis are contrary to this medical procedure. For instance, Rabbi David Bleich, when talking about euthanasia, underlines that “the quality of life which is preserved is never a factor to be taken into consideration” (Tarabeih and Gonţa 39). According to the rabbi, it is a Jewish duty to preserve and continue life with disregard to the circumstances that could push a Judaist into considering ending their life. Moreover, Bleich states that “never is he [man] called upon to determine whether is a life worth living – this is a question over which God remains the sole arbiter” (Tarabeih and Gonţa 39). Thus, Bleich represents a common opinion on euthanasia in Orthodox Judaism.

However, rabbis who advocate euthanasia also represent a valid group of Judaist religions. For example, Rabbi Sherwin, after an investigation of the sacred texts to form his opinion on euthanasia, concludes that there are exceptions to the rule of life preservation. The rabbi affirms that suffering that most definitely will result in death should be alleviated, if necessary, with the help of euthanasia (Tarabeih and Gonţa 43). In this way, Judaism asserts that human life is of infinite value, but recognizes that life is still finite. Moreover, a clear distinction between suicide and euthanasia is made by some rabbis, who find the latter permissible. Besides, attitudes toward active and passive euthanasia also vary from a rabbi to a rabbi – while some find that withdrawing life support machines is in agreement with Judaism, others do not.

When viewed from Judaism’s position, the attitude to euthanasia stems from the religion’s primary stances. These Judaist religious convictions are: the human body is a property of God, humans are mortal, and humans are obliged by God to care about their health (Dorff 155). Since the Jewish body belongs to God, they are required to preserve it and seek both preventive and curative treatment. Partially for this reason, Judaism strongly advises against resigning someone’s right to live without regard to circumstances that may push a person in this direction. Although, a terminal patient in Judaism is not supposed to commit suicide (medically assisted or not), they may pray to God and ask to accelerate death’s arrival (Tarabeih and Gonţa 44). Judaists piously believe that only God has the right to prolong or reduce someone’s lifespan.

While Orthodox Judaism forbids all types of euthanasia, some Christian confessions may allow, for instance, withdrawing a life support machine in severe circumstances (Raz and Schicktanz 6). Although specific movements permit euthanasia, strong opposition to the procedure can be found within Christianity’s broader belief system. It is argued that the human body should not be viewed simply in materialistic ways; thus, physical life on this planet should not be a primary concern for a Christian (Cherry 10). According to Christian tradition, life is God’s gift, and even though death is unavoidable, it should be met with dignity and faithfulness. On this belief, the unacceptability of all types of euthanasia in several Christian churches is based.

The main counterargument of pro-euthanasia Christians is that there is no support in the Bible for the stance that life should be prolonged for as long as possible (Tarabeih and Gonţa 43). This reasoning may shed a different light on passive euthanasia, making it more acceptable in the eyes of some believers. Nevertheless, a terminal patient who is suffering should be comforted but not pushed forward into the arms of death – this is the opinion of those Christians who oppose the procedure entirely (Tarabeih and Gonţa 43). Consequently, it may be concluded that a large number of confessions and movements within Christianity oppose euthanasia. Still, a smaller percentage of its proponents can be found as the religion transforms, adapting to contemporary society.

Islam, Judaism, and Christianity being Abrahamic religions, are to have similarities in their belief systems. One of them is the approach towards life and death questions, human health, and killing. Without diminishing the peculiarities of each religion, Islam, Judaism, and Christianity seem to agree about euthanasia to a certain degree. Moreover, the reasoning behind this is also similar: God is the giver of life, it is only up to the Creator to decide who is to die, and the human body is only a temporary asylum for an infinite soul, which can be corrupted by euthanasia. This simplification limits all the possibilities for discussion, as the sacred texts contain myriads of nuances that can be interpreted to one’s liking.

Works Cited

Ahaddour, Chaïma, et al. “God is the Giver and Taker of Life”: Muslim Beliefs and Attitudes Regarding Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia”. AJOB Empirical Bioethics , vol. 9, no. 1, 2018, pp. 1–11.

Ayuba, Mahmud Adesina. “Euthanasia: a Muslim’s Perspective “. Scriptura: Journal for Biblical, Theological, and Contextual Hermeneutics , vol. 115, 2016, pp. 1–13.

Cherry, Mark J. “Physician-Assisted Suicide and Voluntary Euthanasia: How Not to Die as a Christian”. Christian Bioethics: Non-Ecumenical Studies in Medical Morality , vol. 24, no. 1, 2018, pp. 1–16.

Dorff, Elliot N. “Jewish Perspectives on End-of-Life Decisions”. Death and Dying: Comparative Philosophy of Religion , vol. 2, 2019, pp 145-167.

Raz, Aviad E. and Silke Schicktanz. Comparative Empirical Bioethics: Dilemmas of Genetic Testing and Euthanasia in Israel and Germany . Springer Briefs in Ethics, 2016.

Tarabeih, Mahdi and Victoria Gonţa. Euthanasia – the Right to a Dignified Death. LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing, 2019.

The Qur’an . Trans. by M.A.S. Abdel Haleem, Oxford UP, 2005

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A Level Philosophy & Religious Studies

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Theories on the value of life.

Euthanasia being morally acceptable or not will depend on which view of the value of life is correct and, if relevant to the theory, on the particular type of euthanasia or situation involved.

The Sanctity of life

The conservative, sometimes also called the ‘strong’ sanctity of life view, claims that because God created human life, only God has the right to end it. Humans were created in God’s image, further suggesting that human life is especially valuable

Both conservative Catholics and protestants believe that the strong sanctity of life principle is justified by the Bible. Catholics would also think that Natural Law ethics provides justification for the conservative sanctity of life principle.

The sixth of the ten commandments is “thou shalt not murder”

“Your body is a temple of the holy spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God. You do not belong to yourself” (1 Corinthians 6:19).

This quote clearly shows there is something sacred about the body such that destroying it would be like destroying a temple. It was given to us by God, implying a gift, and then very straightforwardly and clearly states that we do not belong to ourselves. We essentially do not have the right to take our own life.

“Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind.” Genesis 9:6.

This quote shows that the ultimate penalty is deserved for those who take life. The value of life is explained through its link to our being created in God’s image.

The weak sanctity of life view. Proponents of the weak sanctity of life principle criticise the strong version by pointing out that although the sanctity of life is found in the Bible, it is only one of many biblical principles and themes. So, although sanctity of life is important in judging the value of life, there are other principles that should also be included, such as Jesus’ emphasis on compassion. The problem with the strong sanctity of life view is that it allows unnecessary suffering and is uncompassionate, seeming to ignore the demands of compassion. In some cases, then, compassion for the quality of life might outweigh the sanctity of life.

However, although the Bible does have the theme of compassion, that doesn’t mean it can be used to overrule the sanctity of life. The Bible clearly is against killing. There is no exception mentioned for the sake of compassion. Although the Bible says to be compassionate, it doesn’t follow that it is Biblical to go against the sanctity of life when it would be compassionate to do so.

Quality of life

Quality of life refers to how happy or unhappy a life is. Proponents of the quality of life in relation to euthanasia regard it as a valid ethical consideration because they think that life has to be of a certain quality in order for it to count as worth living.

Peter Singer believes the quality of life to be an important factor in euthanasia. He goes as far as recommending non-voluntary euthanasia for babies whose potential quality of life is low, such as due to being born with an incurable condition like spine abifida.

Peter Singer’s criteria for personhood are rationality and self-consciousness. He distinguishes between ‘humans’ (members of our species) and ‘persons’ (rational self-conscious beings). Not all humans are persons. Singer argued that belief in the sanctity of life of members of our species (humans) was based on ‘Christian domination of European thought’, especially belief in an afterlife and that God had ownership of us, his creation. He proposes that since Christian theological tenants are no longer accepted, we should re-evaluate Christian ethical precepts too.

Singer argues that if we think about what we find wrong with killing someone, it is that it deprives them of the life they want to continue live. A consequence is that if euthanasia is voluntarily asked for by a competent adult, then it would not be wrong because they don’t want to continue living their life. In the case of non-voluntary euthanasia for babies or patients in a vegetative state, they have no sense or conception of their life, let alone their life continuing. So, it’s not morally wrong to kill them because it doesn’t deprive them of anything that they are able to have a preference to not be deprived of.

The slippery slope & effect on vulnerable people.   Archbishop Anthony Fisher makes the slippery slope argument against the quality-of-life view, arguing that wherever euthanasia is legalised, it is extended to more and more people. He points out that in Holland euthanasia was legalised for the terminally ill but 10 year later was legalised for babies in cases of severe illness.

Fisher further argues that if Euthanasia is allowed for quality of life, then some elderly or otherwise vulnerable people might be tempted to die because they feel like a burden. Western culture values success, self-sufficiency, productivity and beauty. Those who fall short can feel miserable as a result. If we allow euthanasia, such people might feel encouraged to die because they feel like failures.

Adding to Fisher’s argument, In 2022 in Canada there was a controversy over two high profile cases of people with medical conditions for which they received insufficient financial support applying for euthanasia. One called Denise saying they have applied for euthanasia “because of abject poverty”.

The valid ethical approach would be changing our society, not allowing euthanasia. Those who advocate for euthanasia think they stand for compassion, not realising they are the unwitting executioners for our merciless success-driven society.

Singer responds that people who receive euthanasia in Oregon are disproportionately white, educated and not particularly elderly, so euthanasia does not especially target vulnerable people.

Singer adds that there is no creep of euthanasia becoming more widespread. He points out how in Oregon only one in three thousand deaths are by euthanasia. Genetic screening allowing mothers to know if their baby has a condition before its born and aborting it meant the post-birth non-voluntary euthanasia numbers dropped from 15 in 2005 to 2 in 2010.

We can conclude that Fisher’s points are not criticisms of euthanasia per se . They highlight the problem with allowing euthanasia in a society which lacks proper support for those who need it. Arguably it at most suggests that euthanasia must be combined with proper support for the vulnerable, not that euthanasia cannot be justified.

Autonomy is the freedom of people to make their own choices. This isn’t directly a view on the value of life, but it is the view that the decision about whether a life is valuable ought morally to be up to the individual whose life it is. There are two approaches to autonomy: deontological and consequentialist.

The deontological (absolutist) view of autonomy. Nozick is a libertarian, meaning he thinks people have an absolute right to do whatever they want, so long as they are not harming others, no matter the situation. He argued for the principle of ‘self-ownership’, meaning we essentially have property rights over our own lives and bodies. This results in a deontological view of autonomy regarding euthanasia. If a person wants to die and receive help from others (making it euthanasia) then that is their right.

However, Nozick’s approach seems to have enormous downsides. People will choose euthanasia for short-sighted reasons such as when in the temporary grip of negative emotion. Singer takes a more consequentialist view of the value of autonomy. He’s not an absolutist about autonomy as he says he doesn’t want to make it easy for people to end their lives when they have a treatable condition or when they might easily recover. He gives the example of a young person wanting euthanasia due to depression over relationship issues. Singer argues we can ‘safely predict’ that they will come to view their life as worth living again and the value of that ‘overrides’ the temporary violation of their autonomy when denying them euthanasia.

The consequentialist view of autonomy. Singer’s consequentialist approach to autonomy was influenced by Mill. Mill did not comment on euthanasia directly, but his philosophy formed the basis for justifying the autonomy principle. Mill developed political liberalism. Before the enlightenment, religion told people what to do. Mill thought that people would be happier if granted individual freedom. Individual people are in the best position to judge what is best for them and have the greatest motivation to ensure they live the best lives possible. This shows that euthanasia should be left to the autonomy of a competent adult.

The slippery slope vs consequentialist autonomy. Archbishop Anthony Fisher argues that allowing euthanasia for the reason of autonomy is vulnerable to the slippery slope issue. There is no logically coherent way to restrict the principle of “freedom to die” to the cases where it seems most applicable. If we grant that people have the autonomous freedom to die, how can we then avoid extending it to all cases where someone wishes to die, no matter how short-sighted their reason?

Fisher is arguing that it’s not logically consistent to take a consequentialist approach to autonomy. It’s only possible to coherently believe in absolute autonomy like Nozick. Since that has such morally terrible downsides, it’s better to not adopt autonomy as a principle at all regarding euthanasia.

However, there is a way to coherently adopt a consequentialist view of autonomy, which is to pair it with rationality.

Following Singer and Mill’s arguments, the individual who is in the best position to judge what is best for them and whether the potential value of their future life is of sufficient worth to make continuing to live the best choice for them. However, sometimes people can make irrational choices, not taking their actual long term self-interest into account.

To ensure that autonomy avoids ethical issues, we can therefore add the condition of rationality. The young love-sick person is clearly not making a rational calculation, for example. This position is not susceptible to the slippery slope argument. It would not allow euthanasia for short-sighted unthinking reasons since that would not be rational. This is a logically coherent way of avoiding extending autonomy absolutely.

Situation ethics on Euthansia

Fletcher’s rejection of legalism in the Bible including the sanctity of life. Fletcher’s liberal view of the Bible. Fletcher argued that the Bible is not a legalistic ‘rules book’ but an ‘editorial collection of scattered sayings’ which at most offers us ‘some paradigms or suggestions’. We can’t take the Bible literally, nor can we figure out which interpretation is correct. The best approach is to follow the general themes of the Bible, the most important of which is agape. This approach allows Fletcher to reject the sanctity of life principle.

Application to euthanasia. Situation ethics would judge that euthanasia can be morally good, in situation where it maximises agape. In situations where it would maximise agape to avoid euthanasia, it would be wrong, however. For example, if someone has a very low quality of life and an autonomous wish to die, it seems that Fletcher would accept euthanasia. However if someone is pressured into euthanasia by their family who are greedy for inheritance or by society making them feel like a failure or a burden, or if they have a short-term issue like Singer’s example of a lovesick teenager, Fletcher would think it wrong to allow euthanasia in such cases.

The issue that love is subjective applied to euthanasia

Situation ethics claims that love is the basis for ethical judgement. However, what counts as loving is subjective, meaning a matter of opinion. The Nazis had a forced euthanasia program against terminally ill patients and also babies they deemed disabled. Love is too subjective a thing to provide a stable basis for ethics.

Defence of Fletcher: love might be subjective, but agape is not. Agape is more than just love – it involves selfless love of your neighbour; loving your neighbour as yourself. A person would not want to be pressured into euthanasia themselves, so it cannot be agape to pressure your neighbour into it.

Optional further evaluation: However, what if someone genuinely thought that they would actually want to be euthanised if they were in the circumstance their neighbour was in. Many Nazis would probably genuinely feel like they would hope someone would have euthanised them If they were born with what the deemed to be a disability. So in a grotesque sense they would technically be ‘loving their neighbour as themselves’. The problem with loving your neighbour as yourself is that it depends on whether you love yourself in an ethical way.

W. Barclay’s criticism applied to euthanasia

People are not perfectly loving so if given the power to judge what is good or bad, people will do selfish or even cruel things. People’s loving nature can be corrupted by power. Someone might find it loving to manipulate/pressure someone into or out of euthanasia, perhaps if they will get inheritance to pay for their children’s food or something. Some might find it loving to end their life because they feel like a burden.

Fletcher and Robinson argue (influenced by Bonhoeffer) that humanity has ‘come of age’, however. This means that humanity has become more mature. In medieval and ancient time, when humanity had not come of age, people in general were less educated and less self-controlling. This meant that they needed fixed ridged clear rules to follow, because they could not be trusted to understand and act on the nuances and complexities in how a rule could justifiably be bent or broken if the situation called for it. However, now people are more civilised, to the point that granting them more autonomy will increase love without risking the stability of society.

Barclay disagrees however, and thinks that although people might appear improved, if granted the freedom (and thus power) to do what they want, they won’t choose the loving thing they will choose the selfish or even the cruel thing. This is essentially the classic argument that power corrupts. It also echoes the debate about the extent to which human nature is corrupt, such as by original sin. Also relevant is psychology like the Stanford prison experiment and literature like lord of the flies. It is a well-known feature of human psychology that power is corrupting. The freedom to decide what is good or bad without external supervision of legalistic laws grants humans more power and thereby corrupts them.

Natural law and the Catholic church on Euthanasia

Natural law ethics claims that we should follow the Bible teachings, which Aquinas calls the ‘divine law’. It claims there is also another law, the ‘natural law’ which also comes from God. God has given reason to human nature and designed it to be able to intuitively know the primary precepts of natural law.

Application to Euthanasia. Euthanasia violates the primary precept to protect and preserve human life. 

Violating the sanctity of life, such as by allowing euthanasia, also violates the primary precept of maintaining an orderly society. Natural law is the idea that God designed all things, including humans, with the potential to be in harmony if they follow God’s natural law, such as the preservation of human life. Failure to follow this will therefore cause disharmony. Our society will break down because living contrary to God’s design is unnatural and thus leads to immorality and social disorder.

Mother Theresa summed up this kind of argument well during her speech upon receiving the noble peace prize. She claimed “the greatest threat to world peace is abortion. If a mother can kill her own child in her own womb, what is left to stop us from killing one another?”

It is dangerous for human beings to give themselves the right to judge when it is ok to kill people. We are unworthy of that power because we would be corrupted by it. If we stop believing life is sacred, we reduce the value our society places on life and thus will treat it as less valuable. That will endanger the order of society. No human is good enough to wield that power responsibly.

The Catholic Church on euthanasia & the sanctity of life  

The Catholic Church uses the double effect to claim that sometimes doctors can stop or withdraw treatment (passive euthanasia) or even administer pain medication which could speed up death. So long as the intention is not to kill, the double effect would suggest such actions can be morally acceptable.  

The Catechism of the Catholic Church on euthanasia:

‘Direct’ (active) euthanasia is never justified, but passive euthanasia, whether voluntary or non-voluntary, can be justified through the double effect.

“Whatever its motives and means, direct euthanasia consists in putting an end to the lives of handicapped, sick, or dying persons. It is morally unacceptable … Discontinuing medical procedures that are burdensome, dangerous, extraordinary, or disproportionate to the expected outcome can be legitimate … Here one does not will to cause death; one’s inability to impede it is merely accepted.” – Catechism of the catholic church.  

Interestingly, the Catechism does allow for administering high doses of pain killers even if it risks killing them, so long as death is foreseen but besides the intention:  

“The use of painkillers to alleviate the sufferings of the dying, even at the risk of shortening their days, can be morally in conformity with human dignity if death is not willed as either an end or a means, but only foreseen and tolerated as inevitable. ” – Catechism of the catholic church.

Peter Singer criticises the way that the sanctity of life principle is applied by the Catholic Church – claiming that “they do not really act as if they believe it”. He points out that the Catholic Church allows for passive euthanasia – the withdrawal of life support machines from patients who are in a coma or vegetative state. The Church claim that this is because they have no obligation to provide “burdsonsome or disproportionate treatment”. However, there are cases of patients in comas who the Church have allowed passive euthanasia for (e.g. Karen Ann Quinlan). Singer points out that since such patients are in a coma, it’s impossible to see how keeping them alive on life-support machines could have imposed a ‘burden’, since unconscious people cannot experience burden. Singer concludes that the only logical way to think it good to remove treatment is if you believe that life must have some “positive quality” in order to be valuable, i.e. the quality of life view.

Whether Natural law ethics and the sanctity of life is outdated

Weakness: Aquinas’ Natural law ethics and the sanctity of life principle are increasingly seen as outdated. Sociologically, we could claim these ethical principles were created to be useful in the socio-economic conditions of their time. Ancient and Medieval society was more chaotic, strict rules were important to hold society together and because people were not educated nor civilised enough to be trusted with the freedom to interpret their application. It made sense to create strict absolutist ethical principles to prevent society from falling apart. This would explain the primary precepts. They served a useful function in medieval society.

Applied to euthanasia, we can argue it was useful to simply ban all killing in medieval times, because violence and killing was much more common and therefore needed to be strongly restricted. People were less self-controlling and less educated, so they needed clear simple rules to follow.

The issue clearly is that all of these socio-economic conditions have changed. So, the primary precepts are no longer useful. They were designed for a different time and are now increasingly outdated. Society can now afford to gradually relax the inflexibility of its rules and think about how they might be reinterpreted to better fit modern society.

Evaluation: Aquinas could be defended that this doesn’t actually make his theory wrong. The fact that mainstream culture has moved on from natural law ethics doesn’t mean it was right to. If Hitler had won WW2 and enslaved humanity, then democracy might have been viewed as ‘outdated’, but that wouldn’t make it wrong. Calling an ethical theory outdated is not an argument against its actual truth.

Counter-evaluation: A better version of the ‘outdated’ critique is to argue that Aquinas’ theory was actually a reaction to his socio-economic context and since that has changed, Natural law is no longer relevant.

Aquinas thought that he discovered the primary precepts through human reason, as God designed. However, arguably it’s a simpler explanation that Aquinas was simply intuiting what was good for people in his socio-economic condition. The idea that the resulting principles actually came from God was only in his imagination.

The great strength of religion as a form of social organisation is also its greatest weakness. By telling people that its ethical precepts (such as the primary precepts or sanctity of life) come from God it creates a strong motivation to follow them. Yet, because those precepts are imagined to come from an eternal being, they become inflexible and painstakingly difficult to progress. This makes them increasingly outdated.

Types of euthanasia which the theories on the value of life will have judgements on:

Terminal illness.

Terminal illness is the most common reason for euthanasia as the person is going to die anyway often after a period of suffering.

Incurable physical illness

incurable physical illness such as cluster headaches are simply extremely painful and have no cure, reducing quality of life. Other incurable physical illness such as locked in syndrome almost completely paralyse a person which make them incapable of committing suicide even if they wanted to.

Incurable mental illness

incurable mental illness raises the issue of whether there is a kind and degree of mental illness which sufficiently impinges on the mind such that a rational choice to die cannot be made. Someone might be suffering considerable from an incurable mental illness, but if their ability to make informed rational choices is undermined by their illness, pro-autonomists would argue they shouldn’t be given euthanasia, while quality of life advocates might decide they should be.

In Belgium euthanasia is legal for people who don’t have a terminal illness but have an incurable and severe mental illness. Even young people in their 20s have been euthanized for this reason. If they have tried everything including every medication available, euthanasia is seen as a last resort.

Active & passive

Active euthanasia is when the person is killed by some positive action such as lethal injection, usually by a Doctor. Passive euthanasia is when no one performs an action which results in the death of the person but they are left to die by natural means, either by the result of their illness if they have one or simply by removing life-support machine equipment or even stopping giving them food. The death takes longer and unless they are unconscious in a coma or braindead, is more painful. However, the moral difference is that no one performed an action of killing them.

Situation ethics would likely regard active euthanasia as morally better than passive euthanasia, since it is quicker which can mean less suffering, which seems the more loving option.

The sanctity of life view would regard active and passive euthanasia as equally wrong since all life is sacred and must therefore be preserved.

The Catholic Church’s use of Natural law regards passive euthanasia as being potentially justifiable in certain circumstances under the double effect, so long as the intention is to accept ‘one’s inability to impede’ death.

Voluntary & non-voluntary

Voluntary euthanasia is when a person has the mental capacity to choose euthanasia.

Non-voluntary euthanasia is when someone does not have the mental capacity to choose euthanasia. If they are in a coma for example, or a persistant vegitative state,

This also applies to the euthanasia of babies. When a baby is born with a terrible terminal condition that will cause them significant pain before killing them in a few months anyway, many argue that non-voluntary euthanasia would be justified.

Case study: Alfie Evans. A particularly difficult case because the (apparently religious) parents wanted medical treatment to continue but the High Court of the UK ruled that the decision should be taken away from them as continued treatment of Alfie would be unkind and inhumane, due to it pointlessly delaying inevitable death and causing pain to Alfie in the process. It’s tempting to think that the parents should have the right to decide in cases like this, but what about the rights of the child not to suffer unnecessarily?

Possible exam questions for Euthanasia

Easy Assess whether natural law is helpful for dealing with the issue of euthanasia Assess whether situation ethics is helpful for dealing with the issue of euthanasia ‘euthanasia can be the loving choice in some situations’ – Discuss. ‘euthanasia goes against God’ – How far do you agree? Can euthanasia ever be justified? To what extent is euthanasia morally good?

Medium Should a person have complete autonomy to choose euthanasia? Is quality of life a basis on which euthanasia might be justified? ‘Life should never be ended because it is sacred’ – Discuss.

Hard ‘The religious concept of sanctity of life has no meaning in twenty-first century medical ethics’ – How far do you agree? Critically compare sanctity of life with autonomy as principles for judging the issue of euthanasia Is there a moral difference between active and passive euthanasia? Critically compare the morality of voluntary with non-voluntary euthanasia

Quick links

Year 12 ethics topics: Natural Law. Situation ethics. Kantian ethics. Utilitarianism. Euthanasia. Business ethics. 

Year 13 ethics topics: Meta-ethics. Conscience. Sexual ethics. 

OCR Philosophy OCR Christianity OCR essay structure OCR list of possible exam questions

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Essay on Euthanasia: 100, 200 and 300 Words Samples

• Updated on  
• Feb 22, 2024

Essay on Euthanasia: Euthanasia refers to the act of killing a person without any emotions or mercy. Euthanasia is an ethnically complex and controversial topic, with different perspectives and legal regulations on different topics. School students and individuals preparing for competitive exams are given assigned topics like essays on euthanasia. The objective of such topics is to check the candidate’s perspectives and what punishment should be morally and legally right according to them. 

If you are assigned an essay on euthanasia, it means your examiner or teacher wants to know your level of understanding of the topic. In this article, we will provide you with some samples of essays on euthanasia. Feel free to take ideas from the essays discussed below.

Master the art of essay writing with our blog on How to Write an Essay in English .

This Blog Includes:

Essay on euthanasia in 150 words, euthanasia vs physician-assisted suicide, euthanasia classification, is euthanasia bad.

Euthanasia or mercy killing is the act of deliberately ending a person’s life.  This term was coined by Sir Francis Bacon. Different countries have their perspectives and laws against such harmful acts. The Government of India, 2016, drafted a bill on passive euthanasia and called it ‘The Medical Treatment of Terminally Ill Patient’s Bill (Protection of Patients and Medical Practitioners). 

Euthanasia is divided into different classifications: Voluntary, Involuntary and Non-Voluntary. Voluntary euthanasia is legal in countries like Belgium and the Netherlands, with the patient’s consent. On one side, some supporters argue for an individual’s right to autonomy and a dignified death. On the other hand, the opponents raise concerns about the sanctity of life, the potential for abuse, and the slippery slope towards devaluing human existence. The ethical debate extends to questions of consent, quality of life, and societal implications.

Also Read: Essay on National Science Day for Students in English

Essay on Euthanasia in 350 Words

The term ‘Euthanasia’ was first coined by Sir Francis Bacon, who referred to an easy and painless death, without necessarily implying intentional or assisted actions. In recent years, different countries have come up with different approaches, and legal regulations against euthanasia have been put forward. 

In 2016, the government of India drafted a bill, where euthanasia was categorised as a punishable offence. According to Sections 309 and 306 of the Indian Penal Code, any attempt to commit suicide and abetment of suicide is a punishable offence. However, if a person is brain dead, only then he or she can be taken off life support only with the help of family members.

Euthanasia is the act of intentionally causing the death of a person to relieve their suffering, typically due to a terminal illness or unbearable pain. 

Physician-assisted suicide involves a medical professional providing the means or information necessary for a person to end their own life, typically by prescribing a lethal dose of medication.

In euthanasia, a third party, often a healthcare professional, administers a lethal substance or performs an action directly causing the person’s death.

It is the final decision of the patient that brings out the decision of their death.

Voluntary Euthanasia

It refers to the situation when the person who is suffering explicitly requests or consents to euthanasia. A patient with a terminal illness may express his or her clear and informed desire to end their life to a medical professional.

Involuntary

It refers to the situation when euthanasia is performed without the explicit consent of the person, often due to the individual being unable to communicate their wishes.

Non-Voluntary

In this situation, euthanasia is performed without the explicit consent of the person, and the person’s wishes are unknown.

Active euthanasia refers to the deliberate action of causing a person’s death, such as administering a lethal dose of medication.

It means allowing a person to die by withholding or withdrawing treatment or life-sustaining measures.

Euthanasia and assisted suicide are a defeat for all. We are called never to abandon those who are suffering, never giving up but caring and loving to restore hope. — Pope Francis (@Pontifex) June 5, 2019

Also Read: Essay on Cleanliness

Euthanasia is a subjective term and its perspectives vary from person to person. Different cultures, countries and religions have their own set of values and beliefs. Life is sacred and gifted to us by god or nature. Therefore, intentionally causing death goes against moral and religious beliefs. 

However, some people have raised concerns about the potential for a slippery slope, where the acceptance of euthanasia could lead to the devaluation of human life, involuntary euthanasia, or abuse of the practice. Some even argue that euthanasia conflicts with their traditional medical ethics of preserving life and prioritizing the well-being of the patient.

Today, countries like the Netherlands and Belgium have legalised euthanasia. In India, the USA and the UK, it is a punishable offence with varying sentences and fines. Euthanasia is a complex and controversial topic and creating a law against or for it requires a comprehensive study by experts and the opinions of all sections of society. 

Ans: Euthanasia refers to the act of killing a person without any emotions or mercy. Euthanasia is an ethnically complex and controversial topic, with different perspectives and legal regulations on different topics.

Ans: The term ‘Euthanasia’ was first coined by Sir Francis Bacon, who referred to an easy and painless death, without necessarily implying intentional or assisted actions. In recent years, different countries have come up with different approaches, and legal regulations against euthanasia have been put forward.  In 2016, the government of India drafted a bill, where euthanasia was categorised as a punishable offence. According to Sections 309 and 306 of the Indian Penal Code, any attempt to commit suicide and abetment of suicide is a punishable offence. However, if a person is brain dead, only then he or she can be taken off life support only with the help of family members.

Ans: Belgium and the Netherlands have legalised euthanasia. However, it is banned in India.

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Shiva Tyagi

With an experience of over a year, I've developed a passion for writing blogs on wide range of topics. I am mostly inspired from topics related to social and environmental fields, where you come up with a positive outcome.

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158 Euthanasia Topics & Essay Examples

If you’re writing a euthanasia essay, questions and topics on the subject can be tricky to find. Not with our list!

• 📑 Aspects to Cover in a Euthanasia Essay

🏆 Best Euthanasia Essay Examples & Topics

💡 clever euthanasia titles, 🎓 simple & easy euthanasia essay titles, ✅ most interesting euthanasia topics to write about, ❓ euthanasia essay questions.

Our experts have prepared a variety of ideas for your paper or speech. In the article below, find original euthanasia research questions and essay titles. And good luck with your assignment!

📑 Aspects to Cover in an Euthanasia Essay

Euthanasia is the process of intentional life ending. Its goal is to stop patients’ suffering and pain. In today’s world, euthanasia is a debatable topic, and there are many questions about it.

Euthanasia essays can help students to raise awareness of the process and its aspects. That is why it is crucial to research this issue and write papers on it.

You can discuss various problems in your essay on euthanasia, as there is a broad variety of related issues. You can choose the one you are the most concerned about, search for euthanasia essay questions online or consult your professor.

Here are some examples of euthanasia essay topics and titles we can suggest:

• The benefits and disadvantages of a physician-assisted suicide
• Ethical dilemmas associated with euthanasia
• An individual’s right to die
• Euthanasia as one of the most debatable topics in today’s society
• The ethical dilemma around euthanasia
• The ethics associated with voluntary euthanasia
• Can euthanasia be considered murder?
• Euthanasia debate: Should the government legalize this procedure?
• The legality of physician-assisted suicide in today’s society

Once you have selected one of the euthanasia essay titles, you can start working on your paper. Here are some important aspects to cover:

Start from developing a solid euthanasia essay thesis. You should state the main idea of your paper and your primary argument clearly. A thesis statement can look like this: Euthanasia is beneficial for patients because it prevents them from suffering. Euthanasia can be equal to murder.

• Remember to include a definition of euthanasia and related terms, such as physician-assisted suicide. Your audience should understand what you are talking about in the essay.
• Do not forget to include the existing evidence on the issue. For instance, you can research euthanasia in different countries, the debates around its legalization, and all other aspects related to the problem. Support your claims with facts and cite your sources correctly.
• Legal and ethical questions are some of the most significant aspects you should cover in the essay. Discuss the potential benefits and disadvantages of the procedure, as well as its impact on patients’ families and medical professionals.
• If you are writing an opinion paper, do not forget to state your opinion clearly. Include relevant experience, if possible (for example, if you work at a hospital and patients have asked you about the procedure). Have you met people who could have benefited from euthanasia? Include their stories, if applicable.
• Do not forget to cover the legal aspects of euthanasia in your state. Is it legal to perform some form of euthanasia where you live or work? Do you think it is beneficial for the patients?
• Remember to look at the grading rubric to see what other aspects you should cover in your paper. For example, your professor may want you to state a counter-argument and include a refutation paragraph. Make sure that you follow all of your instructor’s requirements.
• If you are not sure that you have covered all the necessary questions related to your issue, check out related articles and analyze the authors’ arguments. Avoid copying other people’s work and only use it as an inspiration.

Please find our free samples below with the best ideas for your work!

• Euthanasia: Advantages and Disadvantages The most heavily criticized of all such similar actions is involuntary euthanasia which bears the brunt of all severe protests against the issue, with involuntary euthanasia being dubbed as the deprivation of an individual of […]
• Arguments in Favor of Euthanasia Due to the sensitivity of the issue, laws that will protect the rights of both the patient and the physicians who practice euthanasia should be put in place.
• Consequentialism: Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide People against euthanasia view the consequences of legalization as a gateway to other unethical practices being accepted, which is a slippery slope that could lead to adverse consequences to the fundamental principles and values of […]
• Advantages and Disadvantages of Euthanasia in Modern Society In its turn, this points out to the fact that, in the field of health care, the notion of medicinal compassion organically derives out of the notion of scientific progress, and not out of the […]
• An Argument Against Euthanasia 5 Generally, it is contrary to the duty of the subject of euthanasia and that of those who intend to perform the mercy killing to take one’s life based on their own assessment of the […]
• Why Active Euthanasia is Morally Wrong The issue of active euthanasia has come to the attention of the public over the past decades as more people demand for the right to be assisted to die.
• Euthanasia: Legalisation of a Mercy Killing The fact that the minority of countries and only several states in the US accept euthanasia proves that today people are still not ready to accept it as a mercy.
• Legalizing Euthanasia The are supporters of the idea that only God has the right to take human’s life, on the other hand, the sufferings of the person may be unbearable and they may ask for euthanasia to […]
• The Right to Life and Active Euthanasia The god of every individual should be the only one to bring death to a person and no person should have the authority to accept dying no matter the situation he/she is in.
• The Death Definition and the Need for Euthanasia If the concept of the soul is to be believed in, then one’s death is simply a process that detaches the soul from the body.
• Euthanasia as a Polarizing Issue The example of a plethora of countries shows that the inclusion of assisted suicide is not detrimental to the broad society.
• Rachel’s Stance on Euthanasia: Passive and Active Killing Despite the appealing nature of Rachel’s argument, his claims of equity of killing and letting a person die are not ethically right. A major distinction between killing and witnessing death is the level of responsibility […]
• Euthanasia for Terminally Ill People: Pros & Cons Despite the fact that euthanasia causes a lot of controversy, every person should have the right to end suffering. Permission of euthanasia is the realization of a person’s right to dispose of their body.
• Euthanasia: Arguments for and Against If the disease has reduced a person to a vegetative state and deprived them of consciousness, then their life is no longer fully human and therefore is not considered a blessing.
• Analysis of Ethical Dilemma: Euthanasia One of these is the right to live, which includes much more than the ability to simply exist, and suggests an adherence to a minimum of quality and self-determination.
• Euthanasia-Related Ethical and Legal Issues There are no discussions about whether the person has the right to commit suicide or not because most individuals agree that it is the decision of the adult person who can dispose of their life.
• Euthanasia: Legal Prohibitions and Permits In addition, it is necessary to take into account the right of a suffering person to get rid of the suffering of loved ones.
• Euthanasia: Why Is It Such a Big Problem? Thus, according to the utilitarian viewpoint, there is no problem with euthanasia as along as it is better for the patient. Who is it to decide what is better for the patient?
• Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide as a Current Issue in Nursing Nowadays, even in nations where the procedure of euthanasia and assisted suicide has been legal for decades, this topic continues to be controversial due to ethical and policy issues. However, in the light of the […]
• Euthanasia as Self-Termination Velleman believes that a person should not have the right to end their life as it can make other people suffer, but there is an objection to his opinion related to that person’s own pain.
• Euthanasia and Its Main Advantages However, after realizing the condition is untreatable and having the consent of both the sick person and the relatives, undertaking assisted suicide will enable the patient to evade extreme suffering.
• Euthanasia: Nurses’ Attitudes Towards Death The weakest part of the article is that most of the participants did not clearly define the concept of euthanasia, which casts doubt on the reliability of the sampled data.
• Right to Die With Euthanasia Methods The possible answer is to develop the functionality of both ordinary public hospitals and hospices that are located in their departments. In addition, it is critical to specify the desirable methods of euthanasia.
• “Active and Passive Euthanasia” by James Rachels The second issue about euthanasia that Rachels raises is the difference between killing and allowing one to die. For Rachels, it is necessary to emphasize that killing is sometimes even more humane than allowing one […]
• Arguments Against Legalization of Euthanasia Although the PAS/E should be offered voluntarily to a patient, in some cases it is offered in secret by physicians to patients who are perceived to be dying.
• Euthanasia: The Terri Schiavo Case Analysis The long-term judicial resolution of the Terri Schiavo case was related to the bioethical problem of the humanity of euthanasia, which had many opponents and supporters.
• Can Euthanasia Be Considered Ethical Consequently, from this perspective, the act of euthanasia would be regarded as violence to someone else’s life. As a result, euthanasia is likely to be considered unethical from the point of view of any of […]
• “Active and Passive Euthanasia” and “Sexual Morality” According to Scruton, morality is a constraint upon reasons for action and a normal consequence of the possession of a first-person perspective. For Scruton, sexual morality includes the condemnation of lust and perversion that is, […]
• Nursing Role in Euthanasia Decision and Procedures The weakest point is the lack of analysis of other factors’ influence on the process of euthanasia. The researchers discovered that the role of nurses in euthanasia is underestimated.
• Aspects of Nursing and Euthanasia The subject of the research by Monteverde was to ask people who work in the medical sphere and face the necessity for euthanasia, whether they are for or against it, and why.
• Pros and Cons of Euthanasia from an Ethical Perspective Primarily, this is apparent on American soil, in which some states decriminalized euthanasia, although the supreme court maintained that there is no law that legalized the practice nor the ban of the mentioned act.
• Euthanasia in the Context of Christianity The questions addressed in the paper include the notions of fall and resurrection as means of interpreting suffering, the Christian stance on the value of human life and euthanasia, and the discussion of possible solutions […]
• Nursing Practice and Euthanasia’s Ethical Issues Effective healthcare management is the involvement of all stakeholders, such as CMS, and the federal government in the decision-making process to improve the sustainable growth in the effectiveness of Medicaid.
• Counseling on Euthanasia and End-of-Life Decision The immediate dynamic killing is a clinical demonstration coordinated to the hardship of life, while a doctor helped self-destruction is a demonstration of the doctor where he gives the patient a medicament for taking life.
• Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide Articles According to the methods of application, there are two main types of euthanasia: “active”, which consists in performing certain actions to accelerate the death of a hopelessly ill person, and “passive”, the meaning of which […]
• Legal and Ethical Issues of Euthanasia Davis argues that there exists a challenge on how to establish a consensus in the competing views regarding the desire for patients to have the choice to die with dignity while under pain and distress […]
• Debates on Euthanasia – Opposes the Use Therefore, the legal system should work hand in hand with healthcare shareholders in distinguishing the limits between the patients’ rights and the physicians’ accountability based on the possible life-limiting treatment choices.
• Active Euthanasia: Ethical Dilema In case of active euthanasia, it is the patient who requests the medical practitioner to end his or her life and the former abides by the wish.
• Euthanasia: Every For and Against Jane L Givens and Susan L Mitchell “Concerns about End-of-Life Care and Support for Euthanasia” Journal of Pain and Symptom Management Article in Press FOR The authors state socio-demographic characteristics of the people are the […]
• Pro Euthanasia in the United States The discussions of euthanasia implementation in the United States began in the early 19th century after the development of ether, which was applied to pain-relieving.
• Human Euthanasia Should Be Allowed It is stated that there is a shift in a social attitude towards human euthanasia, where people are beginning to realize that people’s lives are their rights.
• The Euthanasia in Humans The moral and ethical aspects of medical practice include not only the features of interaction with patients and other interested parties but also deeper nuances. In particular, one of the controversial and acute topics is euthanasia and its acceptability from different perspectives, including both patients’ and healthcare employees’ positions. In addition, religious issues are involved, […]
• Euthanasia: Philosophical Issues at Stake in Rodriguez I will argue that the prohibition of euthanasia contradicts utilitarianism and the principle of quality of life in particular, and can hardly be supported by paternalism since the ban does not benefit an individual’s life.
• “Euthanasia Reconsidered” by Deagle In more detail, there is a clearly discernible introduction that provides the background to the topic, introduces the thesis statement, and state the opinion of the author of the topic discussed.
• Euthanasia Movement in Modern America Euthanasia movements in modern America perfected the art of rhetoric in their communication and this worked for them in terms of winning the heart of the public.
• Euthanasia: The Issue of Medical Ethics In this respect, the position of a physician under the strain of extreme circumstances should be weighed about the value of compassion.
• The Dilemma of Euthanasia It is at this point, when it becomes a contention of professional ethics and moral considerations on the part of Jack and his wife on the one hand, and personal choice on the part of […]
• The Problem of Euthanasia in Animal Shelters Animal shelters are forced to euthanize animals for a number of reasons which includes: Lack of funds to treat sick animals, overcrowding as a result of the increased number of animals brought in by owners […]
• David Velleman’s Views on Euthanasia Velleman is correct in his conviction that in this case, the patient’s decision will be the outcome of a federal right to die; the situation with euthanasia is common to that of abortion with the […]
• Euthanasia: Ethical Debates When a patient is in the final stage of life, sometimes, the disease or the conditions of the patient, cause a lot of physical and psychological suffering.
• Euthanasia Moral and Ethical Agitation If grandma were a dog, most all would agree that the only humane option would be to ‘put her to sleep.’ U.S.citizens are guaranteed certain rights but not the right to wouldie with dignity.’ This […]
• Life-Span Development: Terri Schiavo’s Euthanasia Case Euthanasia is the process of stopping the medical maintenance of a patient’s life when the patient/herself does not want to suffer anymore and the doctors are sure that no improvements in the patient’s condition are […]
• Euthanasia and Other Life Termination Options However, there is a strong case for helping terminally ill patients spend the remainder of their lives with care provided by the medical fraternity and with support from the state and insurance companies. And in […]
• The Problem of Euthanasia Nevertheless, we must recognize that the interruption of life, alone or with the help of doctors, is contrary to one of the basic tenets of Christianity: the more people suffer on earth, the easier it […]
• Euthanasia: Allow Them to Be Free From Body Euthanasia, the practice of deliberately bring about an easy, painless, and moderate death to a person who is in the last days of his life and can no more bear the pain of living, has […]
• Palliative Medicine Replacement for Euthanasia Euthanasia is not about helping ill and dying people to end their pain and bring comfort. Euthanasia undermines the core values of life and decreases the motivation to provide care for the dying.
• Euthanasia in Christian Spirituality and Ethics By examining Christian’s views on the fallenness of the world, the hope of resurrection, and the value of a person’s life, one can see that euthanasia is not a morally acceptable option for a Christian […]
• Euthanasia: A Legalized Right to Die Nothing could be further from the intent of those who favor a limited reconsideration of public policy in the areas of assisted suicide and voluntary active euthanasia.
• Euthanasia and Suicide Issues in Christian Ethics Based on the two perceptions of euthanasia, theological and professional, it is valid to say that assisted suicide is probably not the best way out.
• Euthanasia: Morals, Ethics, and the Value of Life James Rachels however disagrees with the position taken by doctors when it comes to active Euthanasia and argues that, given a case where the patient is in intolerable pain and is certain to die in […]
• Euthanasia. Arguments of Opponents The request of the patient to relieve them from Karma and sufferings that is clarification and healing, nobody gives the right to break life of a physical body.
• Attitudes Related to Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide Among Terminally Ill Patients Consequently, the outlined safeguard becomes the first line of defense in making sure that only the right individuals with chronic and incurable medical conditions benefit from assisted death.
• Active Euthanasia Legalization Controversy While many people present the notions of medical ethics, the right to life, and the availability of palliative care to oppose active euthanasia, there are those who support it since it is evidence-based in nature […]
• Dying With Dignity: Euthanasia Debate On the other hand, the supporters of the law claim that assisted death is not a suicide, and it allows more end-of-life options for terminally ill patients. The majority of people are concerned with control […]
• Euthanasia Legalization as an Unethical Practice The decision to legalize euthanasia is an idea that societies should ignore since it places many global citizens at risk, fails to provide adequate safeguards, diminishes social values, and undermines the teachings of Islam.
• The Ethics of Euthanasia In the analysis of the claims in favor and against euthanasia, the cause and effect relationships between the factors affecting the choice of euthanasia should be established.
• Today’s Moral Issues: Euthanasia To ensure that the right to life is respect, the law was amended to include assisted or aided suicide as a criminal offense.
• Controversial Issues of Euthanasia Decision We now had to make this difficult decision to end his life and relieve him of all the pain that he was undergoing.
• Confronting Physician-Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia It was because of that pain that led my mother and I to bring her to a Chinese holistic healer who treated her with some sort of secret Chinese medical injection.
• Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia Rights in Canada The article asserts that in the year 1993, Rodriquez petitioned in vain to the Supreme Court of Canada to allow her to undertake euthanasia. In the article, the author asserts that, in the year 1993, […]
• Euthanasia: “Being a Burden” by Martin Gunderson As it was implied in the Introduction, in his article, Gunderson argues in favor of the idea that it is utterly inappropriate to even consider the legalization of voluntary euthanasia, due to a number of […]
• Euthanasia: Fighting for the Right Cause Sommerville is a renowned Samuel Gale Professor of Law at the McGill University in Montreal, the Professor in the Faculty of Medicine, and the Founding Director of the Center for Medicine, Ethics, and Law. The […]
• Euthanasia as a Way of Painless Termination of Life The introduction of the Hippocratic School led to the abolishment of the practice. According to the approach, taking human life is unethical and violation of the core right to life.
• Euthanasia and Other Life-Destroying Procedures From this perspective, it is unethical to decide in favor of an end-of-life procedure on the condition that there are at least minimal chances for a patient’s survival.
• Ethics of Euthanasia and Pain-Relieving This leads to the historical argument that voluntary euthanasia is often the beginning of a slippery slope that gives rise to unintentional euthanasia and the murder of people who are unwanted in society.
• Euthanasia Legalization: Public Policy Debates The requirements of physicians to perform euthanasia and consideration of the second opinion eliminate the violation of legal and ethical stipulations, and thus, control the performance of euthanasia in health care environment. Opponents of euthanasia […]
• Euthanasia: Moral Rationalist View Human beings rely on the available evidence to generate beliefs about life and goals that should be attained, and thus the use of reason leads to success in these objectives.
• Euthanasia: Is It Worth the Fuss? In order to grasp the gist of the deliberations in this essay, it is important to first apprehend what the term euthanasia means and bring this meaning in the context of this essay.
• Active and Passive Euthanasia Analysis and Its Concept The issue of morality is one of the things that have to be mentioned when discussing the concept of euthanasia. In this instance, both the patient and the doctor know that there is no cure […]
• Euthanasia in Today’s Society Euthanasia is the deliberate termination of life with the intention of relieving a patient from pain and suffering. If the prognosis of a patient is gloomy, medical care providers may find it more compassionate to […]
• When Ethics and Euthanasia Conflict? The main aim is to reduce the lifetime of a patient who is terminally ill. There is a deep mistrust of the motivations that fuel euthanasia.
• Religions Views on Euthanasia This essay highlights religious thoughts with regard to the whole issue of euthanasia, bringing into focus the extent to which our society has been influenced by courtesy of the Dr.
• Euthanasia as the Key Controversy of the XXI Century The fact that in the present-day society, human life is put at the top of the entire list of values is a major achievement of the civilization and the fact that the current society is […]
• Euthanasia: Is It the Best Solution? In twentieth century, various agencies erupted to address the practice of euthanasia such as Voluntary Euthanasia Legislation Society in 1935, which was advocating for its legalization in London and the National Society for the Legalization […]
• Euthanasia: Right to Live or Right to Die Euthanasia or mercy killing as it is informally referred is the act of ending a person life if it is deemed to be the only way to help a person get out of their suffering.
• A New Fight to Legalize Euthanasia Before settling down on the conclusion of the need to adopt the practice of euthanasia in our state, it is important to visit some basic aspects that are very key in the issue of euthanasia.
• The Morality of Euthanasia In the meantime the medication and the doctors are not trivial anymore in stopping the pain and the victim despite all the sufferings, he or she is in a vegetative state and there is nothing […]
• The Ethics of Active Euthanasia In support of the euthanasia action, the argument is that there are circumstances when the rule of natural life can be violated.
• Is Euthanasia a Morally Wrong Choice for Terminal Patients? It is imperative to note that for both the opponents and proponents of euthanasia, the quality of life is usually the focal point, even though there is no agreement on the criteria of defining quality […]
• Singer’s Views on Voluntary Euthanasia, Non-voluntary Euthanasia, and Involuntary Euthanasia Hence, if a person consciously consents to die, there are no chances for recovery, and killing is the only way to deprive a patient from pain and suffering, euthanasia can be regarded as voluntary.
• Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide The final act that results in the death of the person is however usually performed by the person intending to die after the provision of information, advice and even the ways through which he or […]
• Euthanasia Authorization Debate Euthanasia, which is equivalent to the termination of life, can be equated to a total breach of the principle of the sacredness of life, as well as the breach of the legal right of human […]
• Moral and Ethical Concerns of Euthanasia in Healthcare In the matter of euthanasia, professionals ought to decide between the overall good of the dying patient and that of other stakeholders.
• Good and Harm to Humanity of the Use a Euthanasia An Overview of Euthanasia The meaning of euthanasia has changed over the years from how it was originally construed to what it means to the contemporary world.
• Euthanasia and Meaning of Life The meaning of life is the most general aspect of judging about the requirements that must be set out by laws and people’s morals in regarding to the voluntary or involuntary taking of that life.
• Euthanasia: Your Right to Die? Although both positions can be supported with a lot of arguments, people should change their absolutely negative vision of euthanasia because the right to die with the help of physicians can be considered as one […]
• Euthanasia and Human’s Right to Die Trying to support human life with the help of modern equipment is a good idea, however, not in case there are no chances for a person to live without that equipment.
• Euthanasia Moral Permissibility Secondly, the application of voluntary euthanasia should not be regarded as the only way of reducing the pain that a patient can experience.
• Euthanasia (Mercy Killing) In some circumstances, the family and friends of the patient might request the hospital to terminate the life of the patient without necessarily informing the patient.
• Euthanasian Issues in Modern Society Is it possible to find the relief in the life which is full of pain and agony for those people who suffer from serious diseases and have only a little chance to get rid of […]
• Euthanasia From a Disciple of Jesus Christ in Today’s World Another form of euthanasia is that of Assisted Suicide where the person intending to end his/her life is provided with the necessary guidance, means as well as information as to how to go about the […]
• Euthanasia and Modern Society Towards this end Battin asserts that “the relief of pain of a patient is the least disputed and of the highest priority to the physician” in direct reference to sole and major reason of carrying […]
• Euthanasia: Moral Issues and Clinical Challenges Therefore, any law that rejects euthanasia is a bad one because it denies the patients the right and the liberty to die peacefully.
• Ethical Issues Surrounding the Choice of Euthanasia in the United States
• The Advantages and Disadvantages of the Legalization of Euthanasia
• Confronting Physician-Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia
• The Difference Between Active and Passive Euthanasia
• Euthanasia: Current Policy, Problems, and Solution
• The Permit and Legalization of Euthanasia for the Terminally Ill Patients
• Moral and Religious Differences Between Euthanasia and Suicide
• The Criticisms and Opposition of Euthanasia in Australia
• Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia It Is Not Murder, It Is Mercy
• The Factors That Influence the Legalization of Active and Passive Euthanasia in the United States
• Roman Catholic Church’s Teachings on Abortion and Euthanasia
• The Different Reasons Why People Are Against Euthanasia
• Religious and Ethical Arguments in Favour of Euthanasia
• The Moral and Ethical Views on the Goal of Euthanasia
• Euthanasia and the Role of Politics and Religion
• The Philosophical, Legal, and Medical Issues on Euthanasia
• General Information About Euthanasia and the Legality of Suicide in Australia
• The Nazi Euthanasia Programme Based on Racial Purity Theories
• Dr. Jack Kevorkian’s Role in Physician-Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia
• Utilitarian and Libertarian Views on Euthanasia
• The Moral and Religious Differences, if Any, Between Euthanasia and Suicide
• Biblical World View About the Euthanasia, Suicide, and Capital Punishment
• The Truth About Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide
• Tracing Back the Origins of the Practice of Euthanasia During the Greeks and Roman Times
• The Causes and Effects of Euthanasia and the Moral Right To Die
• The Arguments Against Euthanasia From a Standpoint of a Catholic Christian in the United States of America?
• Why Should Active Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide Be Legalized?
• What Are the Good and Bad Sides of Euthanasia?
• Do People Have To Commit Suicide by Euthanasia (Suicide by a Doctor)?
• What Is the Difference Between Passive and Active Euthanasia?
• What Are the Social Issues and Ethical Values of Euthanasia?
• What Is the Current Legal Situation Regarding Euthanasia?
• How Does Prohibition of Euthanasia Limit Our Rights?
• What Is the American Medical Association’s Attitude to Euthanasia?
• Can Hegelian Dialectics Justify Euthanasia?
• What Are the Viewpoints and Studies of the Legalization of Euthanasia in the United States?
• Why Does Parenting Make Euthanasia More Acceptable?
• What Are the Negative Arguments Against Euthanasia?
• Voluntary Euthanasia: What’s Right and Wrong?
• Why Can Christians not Accept Euthanasia?
• Can Euthanasia Help the Terminally Ill?
• What Are the Top Ten Reasons for Legalizing Euthanasia?
• Should Non Voluntary Euthanasia Be Legal?
• What Is the Difference Between Doctor-Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia?
• Why Should Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide Be Legalized?
• What’s Wrong With Involuntary Euthanasia?
• Why Are There So Different Views on Abortion and Euthanasia?
• How Would Christians Respond to the Issue of Abortion and Euthanasia?
• What Are the Objections To Legalizing Euthanasia in Hong Kong?
• How Does Euthanasia Devalue Human Life?
• What Are the Views and Arguments About Euthanasia?
• How May the Christian Faith Inform the Debate Over Euthanasia?
• What Does Euthanasia Mean to Society Today?
• What Are the Religious and Ethical Considerations to the Issue of Euthanasia?
• Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide – Who Wants It?
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IvyPanda . "158 Euthanasia Topics & Essay Examples." February 28, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/euthanasia-essay-examples/.

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