Voluntary Euthanasia Essays

Voluntary Euthanasia Essays Voluntary Euthanasia Essay Voluntary Euthanasia Essay St Peter’s Catholic College, Tuggerah Task: Catholic Ethical Teaching Ethan Fortis 1. Name the Issue (I mark) Euthanasia| 2. Outline the ethical issue (5 marks) Euthanasia, also sometimes known as mercy killing, is the act of painlessly allowing death. This is especially used to relieve the pain of an animal or person suffering incurable and/or severely painful disease. There are 4 different types of euthanasia; these include voluntary, non-voluntary, involuntary, and passive active euthanasia. Voluntary euthanasia is conducted with the consent of the patient, non-voluntary occurs when the patient is unable to give or deny consent, and involuntary happens when euthanasia is performed without the patient’s consent. All of the above varieties of euthanasia can be divided into passive active euthanasia. Passive euthanasia refers to the withdrawal of medical treatment with the deliberate intention of hurrying along a terminally ill patient. Active euthanasia occurs when a lethal dose of medication is given to the patient to deliberately take their life. | 3. Provide and briefly explain the main arguments for and against the issue (6marks) There are a number of arguments supporting the use of euthanasia in society. An example of these includes that euthanasia quickly and humanely ends a patient’s life who’s suffering severe and unbearable pain, allowing them to die in dignity. People that are terminally ill don’t deserve to endure the immense pain they go through if they have personally chose to undergo euthanasia. Another argument for euthanasia is the fact that it shortens the grief and suffering the patient’s loved ones go through day after day of the inevitable death dragging on. Loved ones and family of someone who is terminally ill go through a huge amount of psychological issues knowing they aren’t able do to anything about it while a person in their life is slowly and painfully dying. Euthanasia allows these people to rest easy, knowing that their loved one will leave them in a peaceful manor instead of suffering. Also, death is a very private matter and no one else should be allowed to stop you making decisions for yourself, as it is not their life but yours. Euthanasia should be a personal option that should be respected and in cases where the patient is incapable to make the decision for themselves and is suffering greatly, the option should be left to the spouse/close loved one to decide. Although the arguments supporting the act of euthanasia are strong, there are a number of reasons against the issue. An example of this is that allowing euthanasia will lead to less good care for the terminally ill that do not chose it. The Hippocratic Oath is an oath all physicians and other health care professionals swear upon to practise medicine ethically and honestly. Is allowing euthanasia violating this verbal contract? Doctors should do everything they can possibly do to keep patients alive and practising euthanasia is going against this. Allowing euthanasia may lead to doctors and nurses becoming less determined to save the lives of the terminally ill, thus disregarding the Hippocratic Oath completely. Also, some people think that implementing euthanasia may send the message across to society that it’s better to be dead than sick/disabled. This suggests that some lives aren’t worth living and this is wrong. Every life is equal, even if the life is of a person who is terminally ill or disabled, mentally or physically. Allowing euthanasia may weaken society’s respect for the value of life. All humans, whether they are disabled, terminally ill, or just different, should be valued no matter what. Human life is sacred and should be lived to the full potential until the natural end of someone’s life. It’s better to be alive than dead, right? | 4. Clearly outline and articulate Catholic Teaching on your issue (making sure you explain the Catholic Church’s stance on the issue and reasons for its stance). Make sure you use at least one biblical reference and one reference from the Catechism of the Catholic Church. (10 marks) The Catholic Church believes that God gave us both death and life; in return for this we should respect these processes. Conflict arises when there are disagreements of the boundaries. In regards to the act of euthanasia, Pope John Paul II stated in 1995 ‘Euthanasia is a grave violation of the law of God, Since it is the deliberate and morally unacceptable killing of a human person. ’ The Catholic Church has always been strong in its teaching of euthanasia and how they view it as morally wrong. The Church believes that any law allowing euthanasia to be practiced is an intrinsically unjust law. Emphasis has been put on the absolute and unchanging value of the bible commandment ‘You shall not kill’. The Catholic Church does not accept the notion that people have the right to die and should be able to choose whether to accept death or to live, suffering or not. An excerpt from the Catechism of the Catholic Church 2277 reads ‘Whatever its motives and means, direct euthanasia consists in putting an end to the lives of handicapped, sick, or dying persons. It is morally unacceptable. Thus an act or omission which, of itself or by intention, causes death in order to eliminate suffering constitutes a murder gravely contrary to the dignity of the human person and to the respect due to the living God, his Creator. The error of judgment into which one can fall in good faith does not change the nature of this murderous act, which must always be forbidden and excluded’. A number of biblical verses can relate to the views on euthanasia. One of these includes 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ‘Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body’. It is believed that each human life is a manifestation of God in the world, a sign of his presence, a trace of his glory. This in mind, a person whom is insisting on death is breaking their relationship with God. | 5. Clearly explain why your issue is an ethical issue for our society. (6 marks) Euthanasia is a debatable issue that questions the very core of morality. It can’t be dealt with by a simple answer, as ‘what is ethical’ is viewed in a variety of different views and opinions amongst society and law. More knowledge and resources are available today than there was back in biblical times. People are entitled to their own opinions and beliefs in the world today, so the issue can be discussed and voiced more regularly. Many questions are asked such as ‘is it wrong to kill? ’, ‘is killing the same as letting die? And the most important one, ‘do we have the right to die? ’ It all comes down to personal views. An atheist’s views on whether we have the right to die or not will be different to a Roman Catholic’s views and vice versa. As there will be ethically right answer to any of these questions, the act of euthanasia should ultimately come down to the individual preference. If a atheist patient who is terminally ill with cancer would like euthanasia to be practised, what right does a Catholic doctor have to say no? | 6. Present an accurately constructed bibliography of all resources used (2 marks) http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Euthanasia 20/2/13 | ndtv. com/article/india/what-is-passive-euthanasia-89964 20/2/13| http://medical-dictionary. thefreedictionary. com/Active+Euthanasia 20/2/13| rsrevision. om/GCSE/christian_perspectives/life/euthanasia/for. htm 21/2/13| http://euthanasia. procon. org/view. answers. php? questionID=000198 22/2/13| catholicnewsagency. com/resources/life-and-family/euthanasia-and-assisted-suicide/euthanasia-catechism-of-the-catholic-church/ 15/3/13| openbible. info/topics/euthanasia 15/3/13| bbc. co. uk/religion/religions/christianity/christianethics/euthanasia_1. shtml 15/3/13| bbc. co. uk/ethics/euthanasia/against/against_1. shtml#h3 16/3/13| rsrevision. com/Alevel/ethics/euthanasia/index. htm 17/3/13| | | | |

Day of the Dead

Day of the Dead At first glance, the Mexican custom of the Dà ­a de Muertos- the Day of the Dead- may sound much like the U.S. custom of Halloween. After all, the celebration traditionally starts at midnight the night of Oct. 31, and the festivities are abundant in images related to death. But the customs have different origins, and their attitudes toward death are different. In the typical Halloween festivities, which are of Celtic origin, death is something to be feared. But in the Dà ­a de Muertos, death- or at least the memories of those who have died- is something to be celebrated.  The Dà ­a de Muertos, which continues until Nov. 2, has become one of the biggest holidays in Mexico, and celebrations are becoming more common in areas of the United States with a large Hispanic population. Its origins are distinctly Mexican: During the time of the Aztecs, a monthlong summer celebration was overseen by the goddess Mictecacihuatl, the Lady of the Dead. After the Aztecs were conquered by Spain and Catholicism became the dominant religion, the customs became intertwined with the Christian commemoration of All Saints Day. Specifics of the celebration vary by region, but one of the most common customs is the making of elaborate altars to welcome departed spirits home. Vigils are held, and families often go to cemeteries to fix up the graves of their departed relatives. Festivities also frequently include traditional foods such as pan de muerto (bread of the dead), which can conceal a miniature skeleton. Here is a glossary of Spanish terms used in connection with the Day of the Dead: los angelitos  - literally, little angels; young children whose spirits returnla calaca  - a skeleton figure representing death, similar to the Grim Reaperel calavera  - a reckless fellowla calavera  - skullla calaverada  - crazy, foolish behaviorel difunto  - the departedla hojaldra  - a bread for the Day of the Deadla ofrenda  - an offering left for the souls of the deadzempasà ºchitl  - the traditional name for the yellow marigolds used to mark a pathway to the altar Childrens Books for Day of the Dead

Generations of winter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Generations of winter - Essay Example Boris Nikitovich Gradov, who is not only the head of the family but a kind patriarch. Dr. Boris is one of the finest surgeons in all of Moscow. His caliber was unprecedented. As a consequence of his expertise and services to the nation, he and his family owned Silver Forest, which was an amazing dacha located outside Moscow that was very different from the everyday crowd of Kremlin. Till the 1930s, they lived as bourgeois counterparts would have will the regime was taken by the Bolsheviks.1 There was no sense to things in the world of Stalin. Anxiety and apprehensiveness prevailed the country. The Government would randomly strike on the population any time they want to and wish to and thus, the nation had no idea how to react. The intelligentsia, military, and general population had no power. The nation was splurged by terrorism and hopelessness. Terrorism was destroying the nation by any means possible. Terrorists were harming the people of the country themselves. It was precluding the people to succeed in life. Nikita examines the devastating condition of the country in the harshly ironic tone that encompasses the novel. Nikita illustrates the condition of millions of people of that era who were in a silent agreement with each other that an awful thing is happening that is nothing is happening in the nation. There is no progress being made. 2 A person is left scared by reading the novel as nobody has the slightest idea that who dies in the concentration camp or not. It is the arbitrariness of the novel that it does not say much about its ending and where it is taking the readers. It keeps the readers glued to it without saying much or almost nothing. The anxiety of the people, the state brutality which is completely pointless and violent artistry keeps the reader glued to the book. The Kafkaesque’s era was a time of brutality off course. The images of camp life and also tormenting chambers of N.K.V.D are also very traumatic and distressing. When World War II begins, we are relieved that at least now there is a relief that the conflict has become localized and is not global. The frightening view of sufferings of human life is unclearly understandable as Aksyonov described it. 3 The character of Nina is also very prominent in the novel as it tells about the pretentiousness of Soviet Union. As Aksyonov wrote it disdainfully, â€Å"The literature of socialist realism was in full flower; Formalism had already been completely rooted out. Soviet poets, playwrights and novelists had been gathered up in a single union and were vigorously turning out the works the people needed†.4 The novel Generations of Winter is embedded with Russian poetry throughout the book. Nina plays an important role as the Soviet literary scene is described by her in detail. All the poets and quotations are a benevolence of Nina in the play. The novelist admires the efforts by these poets as his writing depicts. One of the most touching scene of the novel occurs in his mother’s journal in the reunion of mother and son and thus the profound connection between the two is revealed. This connection is the Russian poetry. But, it is unlucky that the allusive character of this novel is lost when it is translated. 5 Mr. Vassily Aksyonov has never been an easy writer to translate because he appreciates slang language and likes to pursue many articulation clashes. The translators of Generations of Wi

Comparing and Contrasting between Health Promotion and Health Essay

Comparing and Contrasting between Health Promotion and Health Education - Essay Example On the other hand, health promotion "seeks to improve or protect health through behavioural, biological, socio-economic and environmental changes. It can include health education, personal services, environmental measures, community and organisational development, and economic and regulatory activities" (Catford and Nutbeam, 1984). Thus, the authors view health promotion as being inclusive of health education, with the scope of health promotion being wider. Seymour (1984) defines health promotion as the "positive pursuit of fitness and wellbeing by means of a whole range of activities, including health education, legal and environmental controls and influence on social and economic factors" (37). Accordingly, from the practitioner's point of view, health promotion and health education overlap in many, if not all respects. Seymour further points out that the differences between the two are not of content However, the definition stated above has two utilities, in that it prevents "sterile discussions" about what is education and what is not, and helps clearly demarcate activities requiring expertise of different nature. MacDonald (1996) has elaborated upon the philosophical differences between health education and promotion. ... Thus, health promotion " involves a radical political stance in which discussion of, health matters requires a heightened level of awareness and critical consciousness, e.g. awareness of women's health issues" (220). Program Proposal: Cardiovascular Risk Reduction in Elementary School Children Background The health promotion program proposed here is inspired by the success of the CATCH program (Luepker, Perry, McKinlay, Nader, Parcel, Stone, Webber, Elder, Feldman, and Johnson, 1996). The mission statement, goals and objectives are modified from those used in the CATCH program, and a focussed target of elementary schools within a well-defined local area is assumed. Mission Statement The aim of this program is to introduce a wide range of activities in elementary schools which are geared towards the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease among students in the third through fifth grade. Program Goals Food Service Modifications The first goal of the proposed program is to induce changes in the lunch offerings at cafeteria of elementary schools within the target area, so as to meet USDA requirements (U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2000). The four program objectives of this goal are as follows: 1. Lunches provided at all elementary schools in the target area will meet the USDA requirement of a minimum energy level of 664 kcal 2. Of this, the fat content shall not exceed 30% of the total calorific content 3. The meal shall consist of not less than 10g of protein, 286mg of calcium, 3.5mg of iron, at lease 224 retinol equivalents of vitamin A and at lest 15mg of vitamin C. 4. At the end of a 3 year evaluation period, the measured dietary intake of fat among children of the

Apush Midterm Review Essay Example for Free

Apush Midterm Review Essay A. All classes will have the Causes and Effects of the Mexican War, which has been discussed in class. B. All classes will have 2 choices for their second essay. 1. One possibility for Essay #2 is Causes and Effects of the French and Indian War. This essay should be structured in 4 paragraphs. The first paragraph includes background info leading up to the conflict and your thesis statement. Paragraphs 2 and 3 discuss the causes and effects and paragraph 4 is your conclusion- what happens next (Revolutionary War). It is a good idea to reiterate your thesis statement as well. 2. Another possibility is the Causes and Effects of the Revolutionary War. This essay should be structured in four paragraphs as well. The first paragraph should include background info (such as French and Indian War, end of Salutary Neglect) and your thesis statement. One paragraph should discuss causes and one effects. Your fourth paragraph is your conclusion what happens next. 3. Another possibility is the Strengths and Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation. Paragraph one should discuss what happened briefly before the A of C and your thesis statement. Paragraph two, the strengths (3 that we discussed: brought the country together for the first time, negotiated the end of the Revolutionary War, and the Land Ordinances) and Paragraph 3 the weaknesses (among many- the lack of power to tax, only one branch etc.). Paragraph 4, your conclusion and what happens next (Constitutional Convention). 4. Another possibility is Causes and Effects of the War of 1812. First paragraph is background info and thesis statement. Paragraph 2 is the Causes (impressment, arming Native Americans in the Old Northwest etc.) and Paragraph 3, the Effects (huge surge of nationalism, National anthem written etc.). Paragraph 4 is your conclusion and what happens next. 5. Another possibility is to discuss the reforms that came out of the Second Great Awakening. This essay can be 4 or 5 paragraphs depending upon how you discuss the reforms. Your first paragraph will discuss background info and thesis statement. The next 2 or 3 paragraphs should discuss the 5 major reforms: abolition of slavery, educational reforms, mental health reform, temperance, and woman’s rights. These paragraphs should include reforms made and the people involved (for instance- Dorothea Dix with mental health). Also discuss whether the reforms actually were realized or just set up change for the future. Last paragraph should be your conclusion and what happens next. 6. The last possibility is to discuss the Marshall Court and the Taney Court. The first paragraph should have background information; such as John Jay was first Chief Justice, and your thesis statement. Paragraphs 2 and 3 should discuss the Marshall Court and the Taney Court: how they ruled (strong central government for Marshall, state’s rights for Taney etc.), examples of court cases (Marbury v. Madison, Dred Scott decision- give a minimum of 3 cases for Marshall and 2 for Taney). Paragraph 4 should be your conclusion and what happens next. Your essays need to give specific factual information and be well structured to get full credit. Stay on topic- show your knowledge of the time period right before the question at hand and what happens as a result of the events discussed. You will not be penalized for spelling errors since this is an in -class writing, but essays should make sense and flow.

Freshmen Fifteen :: essays research papers fc

Freshmen Fifteen: An Inescapable College Epidemic? Six months ago, she stood in front of her mirror, examining her body closely. Her stomach was flat and smooth, her waistline was to die for, and her friends and even complete strangers wished they had her shape in her size five jeans. She never had to work out, never played any sports, and she did not know what a squat was. She was happy and confident as her scale read 120 pounds. She smiled at the reflection of herself. She proudly wore her Seton Hall tank top and loved the feel of it. Six months later, she examines herself again. Her stomach has a little bulge and her hips spread slightly. Her skin hangs over her jeans, enticing her friends and family to laugh and pinch at it. The button on those size five jeans always comes undone when she sits down, consequently causing an open fly to embarrass her whenever she leaves class. She had to buy six new pairs of jeans, all of which were size sevens and nines. The Seton Hall tank top that she proudly wore before now has a tear on one of the straps and a hole in the back stitching. Her scale reads an unthinkable 130 pounds; she walks around shell shocked, for the rest of the day. The girl who you have just read about is not fictitious; she is the very real victim of the dreaded â€Å"Freshmen Fifteen† epidemic. Why do so many freshmen gain this excessive amount of weight? The odds of staying the same weight are strongly against us. The first and most obvious reason for weight gain is food. College cafeterias are smorgasbords of hot, greasy, fatty, empty calorie foods. At Seton Hall University, all freshmen are required to purchase a meal plan that comes with various amounts of Pirate dollars that can only be used on food. These Pirate Dollars are equal to one dollar and students are given an overage each semester. In order to avoid losing money, many students use these dollars to buy snacks in between all three meals. At the end of the year, the money is not refundable, so students must splurge once again in order to avoid throwing away their money. Whether students’ classes are far apart or back to back, they are likely to stuff themselves because they need to prepare to sit through about 3 or more hours of lecture, or their next class isn’t for another two or three hours and they plan to eat and â€Å"take a quick catnap.

Buffalo film review

Do you want to fragrantly waste a mind-numbing hour and a half of your monotonous life? If you just threw you hand up in the air and shouted yes', then Vincent Gallon's film Buffalo '66 is for you. You will be subjected to a remarkably mundane plot, which will leave you hopelessly confused and a little afraid. It's only rendering feature is, perhaps, the artistic style in which it is created. The film Is set In the overly Industrialized town of Buffalo where our mall character, Billy Brown. Who Is played might say, badly by Gallo himself, was born with regret ND raised with disinterest.We are fist introduced to Billy as he is being released from prison. We become reluctant voyeurs of his life. His first problem that he had to face after being released is searching for a bathroom. Yes! You real that right. For the first maybe 20 minutes of the film, he is running around in his bright red boots, and ill fitted clothes, looking quite Like a child holding his genitals searching for a pla ce to relive himself. I really don't understand the meaning of this either. But what an entrance to a movie. Throughout his hunt for a restroom, we are introduced to Lay.Gallo has decided to put her in a virgin blue dress, a doll like face and alienated from the rest of her dance class. In fact she looks very much like a prostitute. Gallo chooses to sexuality her, focusing the camera around her breasts. Maybe this is why Billy kidnaps her. Yes! I said kidnaps. Told you this was a weird movie. Well Billy makes Lay drive him to his parents house, because he can not ‘drive a stick, but along the way he makes her pull over so he can relieve himself behind a tree. Any normal person would have Just driven off and got the hell out of there. ButLay is not normal, she is alienated from society because of her lack of lets call it social skills. She decides to stay, and continue being kidnapped. Apparently his playground talk of ‘If you do this for me, I will be your best friend, y ou will be the best friend I have ever had'. However if we gallantly ignore this entire aimless and dreary plot all we have left is Gallon's amazing use of techniques such as his use of colors, music and camera angles. Throughout Buffalo '66, Gallo focuses on the abundant use of pale colors and lurid scenes, which portray a lonely sense of emotion and feeling.Gallo an accomplished musician composed a very suitable score to accompany the film. Having himself creating most of the songs Gallo was able to carefully control a great deal of the mood and feeling of each scene. His song ‘Lonely Boy playing at the start of the movie in the opening credits, starting when the Billy Picture is shown Is a good example of child in the picture. Another technique is Gallon's use of overlaying images or videos over the top of the already playing film. He does this to show flashbacks to inform us of Billy's past. Through these flashbacks we discover that Billy's childhood was very harsh.We see his loss of innocence through his Fathers anger on his dog Bingo, and his Mothers lack of care when Billy has an allergic reaction to chocolate. We also see his innocence in the events that sent him to prison. With Billy's Mothers obsession with the town's local football team the ‘Buffalo Bills', we see her lack of care in Billy as a child again. When Lay asks Billy's mum to see a photo of Billy as a child, She then replies to husband â€Å"Where's the Billy Picture? † He had one picture as a kid, ONE!! But as you walk into the house you see a bunch of pictures of Buffalo players.This is a major key to Billy's alienation. He didn't have a normal home and was treated like he wasn't wanted. You will quickly grow tiered of Bill's need to constantly repeat everything he says. You will find yourself getting frustrated and wishing you could somehow reach into the film and bring him to his senses, perhaps by rearranging his facial features. In the bowling ally scene we notice we see Billy and Lay in the photo booth, â€Å"Spanning time† together, Just â€Å"Spanning time†. At this point I found my self shouting at the screen telling him to Just â€Å"shut up†.One important event in the film is the scene between Billy and Lay in the hotel room. We witness them laying on a bed together and Billy looks very, well, uncomfortable, while Lay looks like she has been in this type of situation many times before. We have a bird's eye view of this whole scene so we see every movement that is made. Slowly, very slowly Lay's hand moves towards Billy's, leaving them awkwardly holding hands, well touching hands. After what seems like an incessant amount of time, Billy rolls over, out of his very what must be uncomfortable position and him and Lay kiss. KISS!You heard me right. I thought it was Lay's imagination to be honest. If you think it couldn't get more awkward he curls up in the fetal position in Lay's arms. WEIRD! But this does portray Billy 's childlike behavior again and his need for affection that his parents lacked to provide for him. I think I was thankful at this point in the movie though, because finally, finally, they ended up together. They are not alone anymore, because they have each other. Bit click ©, but never mind that. If forced to offer a quick summery of the film, I would answer in a forceful honesty, hat it is Just plain boring.So bleak and uneventful is the plot, that I would rather go bird watching. It's only rendering features is Gallon's cinematic techniques. There, in my view, are the movies great strength and manage to Just salvage it from complete ruin. So masterful is Gallon's use of cinema that I should recommend this film to English school teachers and others that appreciate the subtle and obscure artistic works. To the rest of us, I would issue a warning to avoid the film, like stay at least give it 5 stars out of 10.