The findings reveal that the pain is unbearable yet the patients tend to become immune from it, or at least surrender to it. The purpose of this article as it relates to the topic of euthanasia is that one popular argument for the legalization of euthanasia is that it is inhumane to let a patient suffer. This study attempts to validate this argument by showing what exactly the patient is suffering from.
Coyle, N., Adelhardt, J., Foley, K.M. "Character of Terminal Illness in the Advanced Cancer Patient: Pain and Other Symptoms During the Last Four Weeks of Life." Journal of Pain and Symptom Management. 1990, Issue 5, p.p. 83 -93.
This study focuses on assessing and evaluating the levels of pain that a terminally ill, advanced cancer patient suffers from, particularly during the last four weeks of their life. This article relates to the topic of euthanasia in that it finds that the pain the patient suffers from is immense and thus gives validation and credibility to the pro-euthanasia argument which believes it is inhumane to allow another human to suffer when the end result will be death anyways.
Rachels, J. The End of Life: Euthanasia and Morality. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1986.
Rachels approaches the sensitive topic of euthanasia as a moral issue and begins her study with the proposal of the question of what it really means to respect human life. Using this question as a guide, she then examines the topic of euthanasia as a question of respecting human life. Throughout...
She then concluded by proposing a new moral code based on a general belief that there is a fundamental and profound difference between the ideas of "living" and of "being alive."
Rachels, J. Active and Passive Euthanasia in Intervention and Reflection: Basic Issues in Medical Ethics. Scarbarough: Wadsworth, 1998.
This study is studies the difference between life and being alive and advocates the use of passive and active euthanasia as a method of compassionate intervention.
Steinbock, Norcross a. Killing and Letting Die. New York, 1994.
This is a collection of twenty-one essays presenting both sides of the euthanasia debate. Each essay addresses a specific issue on the topic but all focusing on either the fields of medial ethics, public policymaking or social philosophy as they relate to euthanasia. Such questions as the decisions facing the medical and political policymakers and how the answer to these questions will effect the elderly and terminally ill are what makes this text stand out from others on the same topic.
Schacter, S. "Quality of Life for Families in the Management of Home Care Patients with Advanced Cancer." Journal of Palliative Care. 1992, Issue 8, p.p. 61-66.
This study evaluates the quality of life of the caregiver of a home care patient suffering from advanced stages of cancer. The results are high satisfaction with the system.
