An Analysis of Supreme Court Rulings and Public Opinion on Euthanasia.

摘要

Euthanasia has been around for centuries, but it became one of the most controversial subjects in the last two decades. Euthanasia is defined as mercy killings. There are different types of euthanasia such as: active, passive, voluntary, involuntary euthanasia, assisted suicide, and physician-assisted suicide. There are only two kinds of euthanasia that are legal: (1) passive euthanasia allows a patient to die by natural causes, and (2) physician-assisted suicide is legal in three states---Oregon, Washington, and Montana.;There are some factors that have caused euthanasia to become a subject of major debate in recent times. One of the first major factors is fundamental rights. Americans have fundamental rights---the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The second major factor is secularization, which leads to the decline of religious authority. The third major factor is the landmark cases that have brought euthanasia to the center of debate. The fourth major reason is Dr. Jack Kevorkian. He was an activist for physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia. Dr. Kevorkian put this subject nationwide and made Americans stand up and take notice.;Public opinion has changed since the 1970's, and the trend seems to keep on growing. Even though public opinion has grown over the years, euthanasia will not be easy to get legalized, mainly because of its possible abuse. Physician-assisted suicide will continue to be argued in legislation, as long as, Americans feel that having the right to die is "dying with dignity."