The best online Debate website - DebateIsland.com! The only Online Debate Website with Casual, Persuade Me, Formalish, and Formal Online Debate formats. We’re the Leading Online Debate website. Debate popular topics, Debate news, or Debate anything! Debate online for free! Should Euthanasia be banned?in Philosophy

Pogue

Should Euthanasia be banned? Persuade me for no or yes

AlfredChan

My stand would be that euthanasia should not be banned.

Based on the definition from dictionary.com (http://www.dictionary.com/browse/euthanasia), euthanasia is:
1) putting to death painlessly
2) as by withholding extreme medical measures
3) of a person/animal 
4) suffering from an incurable/painful condition

Although I do not claim to be an expert on the matter of euthanasia, I am aware that there are several methods currently employed for euthanasia. They include: lethal injections, prescription drugs, terminal sedation (combined with starvation and dehydration) or even gassing (carbon monoxide). 

Euthanasia should not be banned altogether but measures should be put in place to prevent its abuse. Abuse in the sense where the above-mentioned methods may be also employed for intentional suicide (due to curable mental disorders for instance). Also, abuse can also be in the form of homicide (whereby homicide in this case has no relation to "compassionate homicide" as defined by Uruguay, but instead willful murder). 

In addition, euthanasia should not be banned as long as the above 4 parts to the definition of euthanasia are met. 
1) the death should not cause pain, or more pain than what the person/animal is currently in
2) it is acceptable to withhold extreme medical measures because the person/animal is expected to have no capacity to decide for himself/herself/itself
3) the legality of euthanasia should definitely be extended to humans as well (although some might argue that a human-being is also an animal
4) death should be the only remaining option to avoid continued/prolonged suffering from the incurable/painful condition
 

anonymousdebater

Euthanasia is way too broad to begin. It could range from killing people at the diagnosis of a fatal disease to allowing people to refuse artificial life support. This is simply too broad of a topic and there is too much gray area. However, I would prefer to go on the side of banning euthanasia.

Fascism

In certain cases, euthanasia should be allowed. For example if a patient is terminally ill and is suffering.