Assisted Suicide and the elderly

Assisted Suicide and the elderly
In chapter 16 titled “Sociological Aspects of Later Adulthood” of our text book the question, “Should Assisted Suicide Be Legalized” is presented by the authors Charles Zastrow & Karen Kirst-Ashman (2007). In addressing this ethical dilemma, they present the readers with the two sides of the issue.
On one hand, they note that, people who favor assisted suicide dispute that “extending suffering is unnecessary, without merit and that should not have to be endured”. Furthermore, they also state that people in favor of assisted suicide, argue that “people have the right to a death with dignity, which means a death without excessive emotional and physical pain and without excessive mental, physical, and spiritual degradation” (p. 582).
On the other hand, they also note that “opponents assert that suicide is, at best, unethical and, at worst, a mortal sin for which the deceased cannot receive forgiveness”. In addition, they observe that opponents to assisted suicide view “assisted suicide as assisted murder, that modern health care can provide almost every one a peaceful, pain-free, comfortable, and dignified end to life” (p. 258). Besides presenting the arguments of people in favor and the ones who oppose, Charles Zastrow & Karen Kirst-Ashman also provide the reader with examples and cases for both sides of the dilemma. One may think that after the feeding of information, the authors perhaps would take a side on the issue, however they do no...

Assisted Suicide and the elderly

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