Euthanasia We Have the Right to Die Essay - 872 Words

What is euthanasia? The dictionary defines euthanasia as the act of putting to death or allowing to die painlessly, a person or animal from a painful incurable disease. Euthanasia is also known as mercy killing. The word euthanasia comes from the Greek word eu- meaning good and the Greek word thanatos which means death. There are two types of euthanasia: active euthanasia and passive euthanasia. Active euthanasia is the practice of ending the life of a person painlessly. While passive euthanasia is the practice of a patient refusing treatment or allowing a patient to die. Many believe that it passive euthanasia is morally acceptable, but active euthanasia is not. They believe it is acceptable to stop treatment and allow the person to act,†¦show more content†¦In the second situation, Jones will also get a large inheritance if his six year old cousin dies. One day, Jones plans to drown the child to get the inheritance. But, when Jones enters the bathroom, he sees the child fa ll and hit his head. The child starts to slip face down into the water. Jones does nothing and lets the child drown (pgs.78-80). In both situation, the child dies; the only difference was that Smith murdered the child, while Jones did not try to rescue the child. In the end, the result was acquiring the inheritance and the child’s death. In euthanasia, there is no difference between action and omission. Pro-Euthanasia Argument Euthanasia can be a positive or negative action depending on your point of view. Pro-euthanasia arguments argue that euthanasia can be the end of suffering for terminally ill patients, it gives the choice of dying with dignity, and it can decrease healthcare debt. According to Snyder (2006), â€Å"Whenever possible, people should be free to determine their fates by their own autonomous choices, especially in connection with private matters, such as health, that primarily involve one’s own welfare† (pg. 54). A terminally ill patient with pancreatic cancer should have control over their own body, and be able to have the choice to decide how and when he wants to die. According to the South Australian Voluntary Euthanasia Society (SAVES), â€Å"When a person’s pain cannot be controlled with even the best palliative care, or when a person hasShow MoreRelatedEuthanasia: We Have the Right to Die1096 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"A person has the constitutional right to request the withdrawal or withholding of a medical treatment, even if doing so will result in the person’s death† (Assisted Suicide). So why is there not, and should there not be a right in some states and countries for those who are near death and know they will die to want to end their life. Even during the Ancient Roman times, the idea of Assisted Suicide was accepted â€Å"If caused from pain or sickness, or by weariness of life† (Assisted Suicide). WithRead MoreEssay on Euthanasia: We All Have the Right to Die1306 Words   |  6 Pages Physician-Assisted Suicide, or Euthanasia, is a serious issue, and it affects people throughout all walks of life. From teenagers with angst, to older adults feeling hopeless in their life, to the elderly suffering from terminal illnesses, suicide pervades throughout their thought processes as an alternative to their emotionally and physically pervasive situations. Euthanasia, or physician-assisted suicide, has a history dating back to the seventeenth century. Only recently has it become as controversialRead MoreDo You Think That the Right to Life Entails a Right to Die Under Certain Circumstances? Should the Law Be Changed to Grant a Universal Right to Voluntary Euthanasia?1000 Words   |  4 Pagesthat the right to life entai ls a right to die under certain circumstances?† and â€Å"Should the laws be changed to grant a universal right to voluntary euthanasia?†. In this essay, I am going to give reasons using ethical theories to justify these questions. Euthanasia Euthanasia is the act of a physician or other third party ending a patients life in response to severe pain and suffering. Euthanasia can be classified into three types. They are voluntary euthanasia, non-voluntary euthanasia and involuntaryRead MoreDo You Think That the Right to Life Entails a Right to Die Under Certain Circumstances? Should the Law Be Changed to Grant a Universal Right to Voluntary Euthanasia?1008 Words   |  5 Pagesthat the right to life entails a right to die under certain circumstances?† and â€Å"Should the laws be changed to grant a universal right to voluntary euthanasia?†. In this essay, I am going to give reasons using ethical theories to justify these questions. Euthanasia Euthanasia is the act of a physician or other third party ending a patients life in response to severe pain and suffering. Euthanasia can be classified into three types. They are voluntary euthanasia, non-voluntary euthanasia and involuntaryRead MoreEuthanasia Should Be Legalized For Terminally Ill People1064 Words   |  5 PagesThe word euthanasia has a Greek meaning â€Å"the good death. On the other hand, in the society today, there are deeper and more meanings to euthanasia than before. Voluntary euthanasia concerns itself with the consent of the person to die through the assistance of others. Voluntary euthanasia can be divided into two areas: passive voluntary witch is holding back medical treatment with the patient’s request, active voluntary killing the patient at that patient s request informing the assistant on howRead MoreEuthanasia Is Not An Acceptable Form Of Euthanasia1556 Words   |  7 Pagesof patients by physicians, whether called â€Å"active euthanas ia† or simply â€Å"euthanasia,† is a topic of long-standing controversy† (Mappes, Zembaty, and DeGrazia 59). â€Å"Although active euthanasia is presently illegal in all fifty states and the District of Columbia, proposals for its legalization have been recurrently advanced. Most commonly, these proposals call for the legalization of active euthanasia. There are some who consider active euthanasia in any form intrinsically immoral and, for this reasonRead MoreEuthanasi An Incurable Form Of Cancer Essay1488 Words   |  6 Pagesthe history of the United States, we have seen certain rights once withheld from specific groups of people given to them through law. Women’s rights, civil rights, mentally-ill rights, and gay rights have been spotlighted in the political agenda. When legislation was passed providing rights to these groups of people, each topic was extremely controversial. However, looking back today on all of these decisions makes it clear that th e United States had come to the right conclusion benefiting our societyRead MoreShould Euthanasia Be Legal?1635 Words   |  7 Pagesand of right ought to be, entitled to make for themselves those decisions that most affect them. While it is true that we have no control over our births, at least we ought to have control over our deaths. We claim to be free people but someone else’s morals and standards could possibly govern the way we die. Medicine today makes it possible for patients who are living with unbearable pain to choose to die peacefully and with dignity. Physician-assisted suicide or active, voluntary euthanasia for anRead MoreThe Death Of Euthanasia And Euthanasia1502 Words   |  7 PagesEvery year as we grow older, the thought of our death constantly looms over us. We think of how we might die or when we will die. As we see the people we love around us begin to diminish, there is one situation that we all come across, the situation in which a beloved is stuck in a hospital bed, doomed to die, and we are faced with the decision of whether or not to allow the doctor to end their life immediately or to let them die naturally. Whether we die by our own hands or the hands of anotherRead MoreShould Euthanasia Be Legal?1656 Words   |  7 PagesIf we knew exactly when we were going to die – and knew for a fact it would be painless – it is a fair bet that that fear would simply melt away. According to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, euthanasia is the act or practice of killing someone who is very sick or injured in order to prevent any more suffering (merriam-webster.com); also known as â€Å"mercy killing.† There are three classifications of euthanasia: voluntary euthanasia is performed with the patient s consent; non-voluntary euthanasia is

Society Is Made To Believe That There Are Natural...

Society is made to believe that there are natural distinctions between men and women in other words men and women should act in a certain way according to the material presented in popular magazines. Men are described as being strong and dominant and women are described as being weak and emotional, (Hargreaves, J., 2012). Additionally magazines tell the public that men and women must have different interests, men should be interested in getting drunk and driving cars whereas women should be interested in shopping and wearing makeup, (Jacobson, N.S. and Gottman, J.M., 1998). Despite that it is also clear that these fixed views are not an accurate representation of what males and females are actually like. There is a possibility that†¦show more content†¦Alternatively, individuals are confined to agreeing with the public’s standards and acceptable behaviours. Individuals are unable to speak openly about their sexuality because due to the media the public does not repres ent certain sexualities as the norm, (DeFrancisco, V.P. and Palczewski, C.H., 2007). Both men and women’s lifestyle magazines have shown the public what the perfect male and female is, with men’s magazines representing ‘laddish’ behaviour and women’s magazines promoting feminine behaviour only to be able to please men, therefore excluding other sexualities as they are not seen as the norm and are therefore not important, (BARTOÃ…  KOVà , I., 2009). Foucault would argue that these representations of the truth are due to scientific discourse and organisations and are always being advertised in popular magazines and in the â€Å"education system and the flux of economic and political ideologies†, (Fowler, R., 2013). Therefore the debate about where popular magazines tell the truth about magazines involves the discussion of whether magazines present the truth or whether their representation of the truth is constructed, (Weaver, C.K., Motion, J. and Roper, J., 2006). However, feminists would argue that magazines which promote women’s sexuality and represent men as being the dominant sex would become problematic in the long run, (Else-Mitchell, R. andShow MoreRelatedThe Bourgeoisie Essay1503 Words   |  7 Pages     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Karl Marx describes â€Å"Society as a whole [as being] more and more [split] up into two great hostile camps, into two great classes directly facing each other-bourgeoisie and proletariat† (Marx 124).   As Marx made his distinction between upper class, bourgeoisie, and lower class, proletariats, it is important to keep in mind the societal structure at the time.   To understand how classes were created and the disparity between the rich and poor, or, bourgeoisie and proletariat, it is necessaryRead MorePolitical and Economic Liberalism1666 Words   |  7 Pagesindividuals are the foundation of rules and civilization. Furthermore, society and its organizations are created and subsist to advance the goals and achievements of individuals, devoid of additional support to elite members of society. Economic liberalism supports the individual rights of personal property and independence of agreement, without which, the implementation of other freedoms is not possible. Economic liberals believe in laissez-faire in which private proposals and production are preeminentRead MoreEssay on Relationship Between Law and Morality1268 Words   |  6 Pagesachieve in the society. When discussing the relationship between law and morality I will consider the distinction between the theory of natural law and legal positivism and how these two theories influence each other and whether there is a legal or moral duty for the society to obey the law. Legal philosophers have tried to provide a brief explanation for the meaning of law; however their definitions have been vague and ambiguous. 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It gave African-Americans access to better schools, and also gave them a greater sense of dignity as theyRead MoreThomas Hobbes And John Locke911 Words   |  4 PagesTwo of the most prominent figures in social contract theory, Thomas Hobbes and John Locke established many of the founding ideals that contemporary Liberalism is based on. While the shared many similar positions, there are some key distinctions to be made between the arguments Hobbes and Locke make in Leviathan a nd Second Treatise of Civil Government, respectively. In this paper I will argue the differences between how each of them viewed the right of the subjects to revolt from the sovereign. ThomasRead MoreThe Distinction Between Natural Law And Legal Positivism Essay1747 Words   |  7 Pagesshall critically deliberate, scrutinize and define the distinction between natural law and legal positivism. 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The authors’ beliefs about humanity can best be read in their assessment of what constitutes the natural state of human existence, such as Hobbes’ state of nature

The Aztecs Engineering An Empire Essay Example For Students

The Aztecs Engineering An Empire Essay The Aztecs were an American Indian people who ruled a mighty empire in Mexico from the 1400s to the 1500s. The Aztecs had one of the most advanced civilizations in the Americas and built cities as large as any in Europe at that time. They also practiced a remarkable religion that affected every part of their lives and featured human sacrifice. The Aztecs built towering temples, created huge sculptures, and held impressive ceremonies all for the purpose of worshipping their gods. The Spaniards destroyed their magnificent empire in the year 1521, but the Aztecs left a lasting mark on Mexican life and culture . The majority of the Aztecs lived in what is now called the Valley of Mexico. Located at an elevation of over 7,000 feet, the large valley has housed many great cities. From the massive pyramids of Tenochtitlan, to the inhabitants of the vast hub of modern Mexico City, the great valley has been the heartland of many empires . The mighty Aztecs were the last indigenous group of people to enter the Valley of Mexico. Like many other pre-Columbian cultures, the Aztecs developed their own political system, religion, social structure, agricultural techniques, lifestyle and worldview . The Aztecs were truly unique. The early Aztecs were semi-nomadic hunters and farmers. According to legend, in about 1000 AD the Aztecs left their mythic, island homeland of Aztlan in the desert frontiers of northern Mexico to begin their 100-year migration south to the Valley of Mexico. Led by their powerful patron god, Huiziloposhtli, they continued their migration southward, stopping along the way to plant crops, to build temples for their gods, and to offer human sacrifices in their honor . From groups they encountered as they traveled, the Aztecs adopted new customs and traditions. TheAztecs were becoming a very religious people. When the Aztecs reached the Valley of Mexico in about 1193, this fertile inland basin was already heavily populated and little land was left for them to colonize. The Aztecs appeared rude and uncivilized to the members of the older city-states that clustered around the basin . For about another 100 years they continued to look for a permanent home. As they continued their search they served as mercenary soldiers and servants for their powerful neighbors. They continued to absorb the traditions, manners, and customs of the more advanced and established communities that surrounded them. As the Aztecs grew in number, they established superior military and civil organizations. According to the famous legend, the Aztecs finally settled at a spot where an eagle sat upon a cactus eating a snake. This was a sign foretold by their patron god. The sign, found by the priests, finally appeared on a small island in Lake Texcoco. By 1325, on the island, the Aztecs built a temple to Huitziposhtli and began to construct the city of Tenochtitlan, the Place of Prickly Pear Cactus Fruit. Over the next 200 years, the city slowly became one of the largest and most powerful cities of the world, and was the giant heart of the Aztecs Empire . The Aztecs society was structured in a hierarchy with nobles at the top. Social status was determined primarily at birth. All members of the nobility could trace their lineage to the first Aztecs ruler Acamapichtli . The only way one could rise up to another class in the system was to perform an outstanding military achievement. Aztec society had four main classes: nobles, commoners, serfs, and slaves. The nobles usually held high military offices and government positions. However, nobles were also teachers, priests, and bureaucratic officials. The nobles controlled most of the wealth in Aztec society. Obviously, their lifestyles were different and more luxurious than those of the commoners and slaves . Most nobles also had their own private land or received extra government land for use during their term in public office. Commoners made up the majority of the Aztec population, and many of them made a living by farming their government owned plots. The commoners were the backbone of Aztec society, forming the large labor and military forces that maintained and controlled most of the empire. The serfs worked the land held by the nobles and remained on the land when a new noble acquired it . Slaves were considered property, but their children were born free. Most of the slaves were prisoners of war, criminals or people who could not pay their debts. The Aztecs also bought slaves from other groups. Social structure was an important thing in the lives of every Aztec . Religion was extremely important in Aztec life. The people devoted much of their time to religious practice and even waged war largely to obtain prisoners to sacrifice to their various gods. Much of the Aztec religion was based on traditions already established in ancient Meso-America. Older gods from ancient cultures were the basis for the gods they worshipped, but new gods were always being added to the list. The Aztecs performed ceremonies in the gods honor that included gifts of incense, flowers, birds, and animals. These offerings were usually given to happy gods, mainly Quetzalcoatl . Unfortunately, human sacrifice was also included in the list of offerings, whose hearts and blood were considered the supreme gift. Huiziloposhtli, the god of the sun and war, was the god that demanded the most sacrifices. Human and animal sacrifices were a major part of Aztec religion. For warriors, the ultimate honor was to be slain in battle or to volunteer for sacrifice in a major ritual . Prisoners were often used for less important rituals. In the important ritual of human sacrifice, the priests would take the victim to the heights of the pyramids where they would stretch the victim over a convex stone . One of the Aztec priests would then slice open the victims chest with a sharp knife and evict his heart as a tribute to the gods. The Aztecs believed that the gods needed human hearts and blood to remain strong, one of the reasons sacrifices were so important. After the heart had been removed from the victim, the priests would boil the body and members of the village would consume it as an act of ritualistic cannibalism. They may have thought that the dead persons strength and bravery passed to anyone who ate the flesh . Men were usually the victims of such sacrifices but women and children were also sacrificed. Women were sacrificed at a fall festival honoring the mother goddess of growing ripe corn . They were decapitated and their bodies were consumed. Children were sacrificed to mainly two gods: the god of rain, Tlaloc, and the god of fire, Xiuhtecuhutli. Children sacrificed to Tlaloc were usually strangled or drowned, and children sacrificed to Xiuhtecuhutli were usually tossed into fire, roasted on hot coals, or boiled to death. While each victim died in a different way all victims had their hearts removed . The Aztecs held many other religious ceremonies in which nobles and commoners alike participated. jimmy cross and george orwell comparison Essay Friends, neighbors and relatives would feast and celebrate all night during the ceremony. Among noble and wealthy families, the celebration was on a larger scale, rich with food and gifts. Celebrations of the poor were more modest. Throughout childhood, girls and boys were taught their responsibilities by their mothers and fathers. From an early age, mothers taught daughters how to spin thread on a spindle, how to weave cloth on a loom, how to grind corn on a stone and help prepare the familys meal. All women in Aztec society were expected to be accomplished weavers and cooks. From an early age, fathers taught their sons to carry water and firewood, to collect and bring home whatever people dropped at the local market, and how to fish with a net from a canoe. All children were expected to conform to the rules of Aztec society and to work and contribute to the needs of the household. The disobedient child was SEVERELY punished. A disobedient child was punished by being held over the smoke of a fire in which red chili peppers were burning. This was extremely painful to the eyes and burns could become severe. Parents and grandparents were always giving advice on proper conduct. Warfare was very important to Aztec society because it was considered a religious duty. Aztecs fought not only to enlarge their powerful empire, but to gain prisoners to sacrifice to the gods as well. The highest goal for a young man was to become a successful warrior. All able men were trained to be warriors, but only members of the nobility made up the prestigious Eagle and Jaguar Warriors. Men who took many captives in battle were rewarded. They gained land, high social rank and important government offices. Aztec methods of combat were designed to capture the enemy rather than kill him. The chief weapon was a wooden club with sharp pieces of obsidian. This weapon was effective for disabling an opponent without killing him. The Aztecs also used bows and arrows and spears. For protection, warriors carried wooden shields and wore padded cotton armor. Montezuma was the ruler of the Aztec Empire when Hernan Cortes of Spain landed on Mexico. Emperor Montezuma was born about 1480 and is perhaps the cause of his great empires collapse in 1521. Unlike previous Aztec rulers, who were great warriors and thinkers, Montezuma II was weak and incompetent. When the Spaniards arrived in 1519, Montezuma was unsure if these strange newcomers were men or powerful gods. Because of this, instead of fighting the Spaniards he tried to get rid of them by trickery, magic, and offering gifts. When this failed, Montezuma allowed Cortes to enter Tenochtitlan without a battle and received him in his court. This turned out to be a grave error. Montezuma was taken prisoner without resistance, but the brutal conduct of the invaders angered the inhabitants of Tenochtitlan. The Aztecs were revolted at this treatment by the Spaniards. They managed to drive out the foreigners out of the city for a while, but when the Spanish did take over the city once again the inhabitants revolted. Cortes called on Montezuma to stop the revolt, but the Aztec ruler was stoned while addressing his subjects. After the stoning, there was a large battle. The furious Aztecs ousted the Spaniards from their city once and for all; or so they thought. Three days later Montezuma died of massive head injuries. The Aztecs thought their enemies had departed for good and would never return. The city returned to its normal daily and ceremonial routine. Unfortunately, things were not very normal for long. A plague of smallpox spread rapidly through the city. The inhabitants of the Americas had no immunity to this new disease brought on by the Spanish. The disease killed thousand of people, including the new Aztec ruler. On April 18, 1521, much to the Aztecs surprise, the Spanish marched back to Tenochtitlan with large forces of Indian allies and 900 soldiers. The soldiers constructed large boats to hold men and canons. On May 31, 1521, Cortes began his final siege of the great city. The boats sailed off the mainland and arrived at the island where horsemen and cavalry could be brought into the city. With this final task accomplished, the soldiers poured into the city. The siege of the capital lasted 75 days, causing great suffering to the people of Tenochtitlan. The final battle for Tenochtitlan was fought in the great marketplace. Nobles, warriors, and women alike made their last dying effort to capture the city. Unfortunately, this was too little, too late. Of the 300,000 Aztec defenders, only about 60,000 survived. The city was in a shambles. The great streets were lined with the bodies of the dead. Entire areas of the city were demolished, leaving only piles of rock behind. Within two years the city was totally leveled, homes were destroyed, temples burned, almost nothing was left standing. The Aztec capital had fallen. Very soon after this tragedy Spanish adventurers, priests, and soldiers rushed to the new land to look for fame and fortune, and to convert souls. A few came to make their homes, others came to convert the Indians to Catholicism. Most, however, came to just gather up the wealth of this new land. The great reign of the Aztecs had come to a close. Aztec artifacts were almost completely wiped out with entrance of the Spaniards. Many things the Aztecs created are gone and little Aztec architecture remains. The Spaniards considered it their duty as Christians to wipe out the temples and all other traces of Aztec Religion. Unfortunately, this means we do not know as much about the Aztecs as we could. However, archaeologists have found the site of the Great Temple in downtown Mexico City where Tenochtitlan was once located. Archaeologists have uncovered all four sides of the building and recovered about 6,000 objects, including jewelry, pottery, statues, wall carving, and remains of human and animal sacrifices. They have also restored some other Aztec buildings. After the Spanish arrival, Aztec culture came to an abrupt end. Art, literature, customs, religious figures, and almost every trace of the Aztecs were destroyed. However, some Aztec heritage still survives in the midst of modern day Mexico. They are the largest aboriginal group in Mexico and retain their ancient Aztec language. Their religion is also a combination of Roman Catholicism and Aztec tribal religion. Thousands of people in Mexico have Aztec ancestors, and many of them speak a modern form of the language of ancient Tenochtitlan, Nahuatl. Many Mexican place names come from Nahuatl. Foods that come from the Aztec include chili, chocolate, and tacos. They have become popular in many countries. Descendants of the Aztec live many places including the United States. The Aztec civilization may be gone, but it will never be forgotten. Words/ Pages : 3,490 / 24