Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Europe is More Sophisticated Than America


Swiss to allow assisted dying for elderly who are not ill...

8 comments:

Ciccio said...

In true Guardian style, the comments section mainly shouts approval. I looked into this "Dignitss" org once, to go with dignity, as they bill their service is about $5,000.

Nicoenarg said...

It gives people the choice to end their lives if they want. What's so wrong with this?

I don't want the government to tell me what to buy, where to go, when to go to bed and wake up, what to study and what to think and I sure as hell don't want the government to tell me what I can or can't do with my life.

What I do with MY life is MY right that no one should be able to take away from me and that includes MY RIGHT to end my life if I so choose, as long as I am not physically hurting someone else.

Now with that said, I got no freakin respect or pity for pussies who choose suicide as an option but that's besides the point.

Pastorius said...

Why get a Doctor involved?

IMO, this should be handled DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL.

A person who wants to die, and does not have a reasonable chance of improving, because they are sick or old, should go to the doctor, complain about pain, be prescribed meds for the pain, and go home and overdose on their own.

That way, no one else is involved in what is a personal decision anyway.

Pastorius said...

By the way, here's another thing to think about: How is assisted suicide a MEDICAL PROCEDURE.

We've gotten so used to Doctors performing abortion, etc. that we have lost site of what the role of Doctors really is.

Nicoenarg said...

If a doctor wants to assist old people in dying, meh, its up to them.

What old people SHOULD do or shouldn't do is not my business. Its their lives, they can do whatever they want.

But yes, making doctor involvement a requirement is again, in my opinion, government overreach. If a person wants to kill themselves, they should be able to do it without the government laying out plans and laws on how it should be done.

My philosophy is that as long save physical harm to others, rights should NEVER be infringed upon. And life and what you do with it is your right.

That is also why I'm against abortion as that is someone else murdering you, when you have had no say in it.

But if you are born and you grow up and kill yourself, fine, go ahead. You are an idiot but it is your right to take your life.

So anyway, that is how I differentiate between doctors who perform abortions and those who assist people in committing suicide. The former are murderers, plain and simple, the latter have just simply forgotten their oath and are doing it for the money...but they're not murderers as people go to them to die.

Pastorius said...

I like the way you're thinking. I agree in principle. But I think it matters what we call things, functions, services, and I think it matters how we define those things, functions and services.

Traditionally, Physicians is guided by the Hippocratic Oath, which is:


I swear by Apollo, the healer, Asclepius, Hygieia, and Panacea, and I take to witness all the gods, all the goddesses, to keep according to my ability and my judgment, the following Oath and agreement:

To consider dear to me, as my parents, him who taught me this art; to live in common with him and, if necessary, to share my goods with him; To look upon his children as my own brothers, to teach them this art; and that by my teaching, I will impart a knowledge of this art to my own sons, and to my teacher's sons, and to disciples bound by an indenture and oath according to the medical laws, and no others.

I will prescribe regimens for the good of my patients according to my ability and my judgment and never do harm to anyone.

I will give no deadly medicine to any one if asked, nor suggest any such counsel; and similarly I will not give a woman a pessary to cause an abortion.

But I will preserve the purity of my life and my arts.

I will not cut for stone, even for patients in whom the disease is manifest; I will leave this operation to be performed by practitioners, specialists in this art.

In every house where I come I will enter only for the good of my patients, keeping myself far from all intentional ill-doing and all seduction and especially from the pleasures of love with women or men, be they free or slaves.

All that may come to my knowledge in the exercise of my profession or in daily commerce with men, which ought not to be spread abroad, I will keep secret and will never reveal.

If I keep this oath faithfully, may I enjoy my life and practice my art, respected by all humanity and in all times; but if I swerve from it or violate it, may the reverse be my life.

Pastorius said...

If our society decides to allow for assisted suicide, then the person administering it should not, IMO, be a Physician.

They should be a Palliative Executioner.

Pastorius said...

Just like we should not call Abortion other than what it is, we ought not call Suicide other than what it is.