Deven
Wendigo
In the UK, there was a man with Locked-In Syndrome named Tony Nicklinson fighting for the right to end his life. The High Court denied his right to die in dignity, so he refused food and contracted pneumonia. He passed away today.
While the end to his life is tragic, it also brings up the question:
Why is anyone else but ourselves deciding when we can die, and how we can die?
This brings up another good case, which I know quite a few are familiar: Sir Terry Pratchett. He has Alzheimer's and is on a quest to dictate his own death.
We refuse to let our pets suffer, but we do this to ourselves with what purpose? If I had inoperable brain cancer, I'd certainly want to leave this world before the seizures, pain, and personality changes happened. The same goes for Alzheimer's.
Why do we dictate how a person can die? If they are perfectly healthy, I can see the argument that they are mentally ill. If they are diagnosed with cancer, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and any slew of deadly disorders that just lead to an agonizing end, who are we to say that they can't end their own life? Doctors are willing to do it, but none are as outspoken as the deceased Kevorkian, so why do we, as a society, insist that it's not their choice?
While the end to his life is tragic, it also brings up the question:
Why is anyone else but ourselves deciding when we can die, and how we can die?
This brings up another good case, which I know quite a few are familiar: Sir Terry Pratchett. He has Alzheimer's and is on a quest to dictate his own death.
We refuse to let our pets suffer, but we do this to ourselves with what purpose? If I had inoperable brain cancer, I'd certainly want to leave this world before the seizures, pain, and personality changes happened. The same goes for Alzheimer's.
Why do we dictate how a person can die? If they are perfectly healthy, I can see the argument that they are mentally ill. If they are diagnosed with cancer, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and any slew of deadly disorders that just lead to an agonizing end, who are we to say that they can't end their own life? Doctors are willing to do it, but none are as outspoken as the deceased Kevorkian, so why do we, as a society, insist that it's not their choice?
