Ευθανασία -- Δίκαιο και νομοθεσία Euthanasia -- Law and legislation
Ημερομηνία Έκδοσης:
2010
Εκδότης:
Πάντειο Πανεπιστήμιο Κοινωνικών και Πολιτικών Επιστημών
Abstract:
The term “euthanasia” is international and derives from the Greek words for “well” (“eu”) and “death” (“thanatos”). It is interpreted as the calm and dignified death of person. It has though also the connotation of an honorable, good death. It refers to providing assistance that aims in the inducing or precipitation of death, and derives from compassion and sympathy. For this reason, it is also called "mercy killing" (death from compassion). A comfortable and dignified death constitutes the wish of every human being and is a universal desire. Today, the term euthanasia carries the meaning of painless death, the aim to limit the suffering of patients in the final stage of their life or in a painful irreversible health condition. In fact this later denotation appears to dominate the discussion on euthanasia, to the extend that any discussion on euthanasia nowadays refers exclusively to this.The term euthanasia was introduced by the English philosopher Roger Bacon, who wrote that “the work of medicine is the restoration of health and the relief of pain, not only when this relief can lead to treatment, but also when it can ensure an easy (peaceful) and serene death”. This notion brought in the limelight a lot of conflict that has escalated in the past few years. Initially, this sentiment was confrontational to Christian discipline, according to which only God can distribute life and death, and because pain holds a crucial value in the salvation of the soul, no one should be allowed to facilitate its ease or cessation.Nevertheless, in recent years, there have been efforts for the legalization of euthanasia on the grounds of sympathy for the suffering patient, degradation of life, free will, or even the sacrifice for the common good. But the question still remains whether a third person, expert or not, relative or not, has the right to take charge of the life of his or her fellowman and to give an end to it, even if that be a painless and serene one. More moral problems occur when a terminal disease patient personally requests to be granted euthanasia: is the physician allowed (in the ethical and not legal sense) to act accordingly, thereby consenting to the patient's plead for euthanasia? The question remains, both morally and legally, open. The subject of euthanasia is relevant to modern bio-ethics, legal, medical, nursing, as well as to society in general as various fundamental questions arise.These and other questions, analyses and reports on the legal frame that surrounds the issue of euthanasia in international and constitutional level, as well as its religious and moral extensions, is what this report attempts to analyze, in order to lead to the portrayal of how the current judiciary practice and the public opinion respond to the issue.
Περιγραφή:
Διπλωματική εργασία - Πάντειο Πανεπιστήμιο. Γενικό Τμήμα Δικαίου, ΠΜΣ "Δίκαιο και Ευρωπαϊκή Ενοποίηση", κατεύθυνση Ποινικό Δίκαιο και Θεωρία Δικαίου, 2010
