Classifications+of+Euthanasia

**WHAT IS EUTHANASIA?!?!**

media type="youtube" key="Ya_uJHdOtdc" height="295" width="480" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ya_uJHdOtdc This is "Ali-G" and his misguided "attempt" to understand what "euthanasia" is. Before we begin, let us make this clear to you: although euthanasia is //pronounced// like "youth in Asia", "euthanasia" has NO CONNECTION to the "young people in Asia." Also, this video plays down the gravity of the situation. Please do NOT think that euthanasia is a light-hearted subject. It concerns life and death and therefore is a serious topic. Thus without further ado, we present (*drum roll*) EUTHANASIA!


 * Euthanasia** is generally classified into **volun****tary** and **involuntary** euthanasia.


 * Involuntary euthanasia**: Obviously, this is when the victim’s opinion has not been consulted on the matter of being “put to sleep,” perhaps because the victim is unable to (in a coma, etc). In that case, then generally a third-party (ie family, friends, etc) decides for them based on what the victim would have thought. Some people consider Hitler’s “Final Solution” as involuntary euthanasia, because the victims obviously did not agree to what Hitler considered “mercy killing.” Many condemners of euthanasia cite this as a reason why euthanasia should be prohibited: governments could potentially abuse this “privilege” to eliminate the "handicapped".

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 * Voluntary euthanasia**: As this is easily decipherable in the word, voluntary euthanasia is when the patient demands to be killed in order to end physical suffering from "a terminal or or incurable disease or injury." Generally, "voluntary euthanasia" can be classified into active and passive euthanasia (though some cases of active or passive euthanasia may be considered "involuntary.")

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 * Active euthanasia**: The "taking [of]specific steps (such as injecting a legal drug or smothering to end someone's life for the purpose of relieving the person's suffering." (Yount, 126)


 * Physician-assisted suicide/death**: When the patient commits suicide with substances that a physician supplies. However, it is the patient, NOT the doctor who "takes the final action" that will lead to his/her death. If the doctor administers the substance, then the law considers it HOMICIDE. The above "Mercitron" is a machine created to facilitate "physician-assisted suicide/death." The patient would push the buttons on the device that would release chemicals into their blood.

Next: Early History of Euthanasia
 * Passive euthanasia**: "Letting die", or stopping "life-sustaining equipment" with the intention to end a patient's life. For example, removing a respirator or feeding tube and letting the patient "naturally die" would be considered "passive euthanasia."