Why is it that so many in the atheist community cannot bring themselves to get past their anger whenever they engage in discussions? The language of many of their contributions in public debate is laced with invective and dripping with sarcasm and bile. There are exceptions of course, but they tend to fall more into the category of being the 'exception that proves the rule' when compared to the hostility of many of today's atheist posters. Comment offered by the theists in the public square is often depicted as being 'malicious' or 'venomous' and intended to enslave the 'feeble minded and weak' by those who post. Nothing could be further from the truth. Venom is something that is oriented to death. Christians are oriented in a 180 degree different direction. We speak not to the culture of death that grips our world but rather for the culture of life and light which ends with the gift of eternal life. For example, the Catholic Church in its hum...
If someone is "helped" to die without specifically requesting it, that is, indeed, the definition of euthanasia.
ReplyDeleteHowever, when one asks to be helped to die, that is not euthanasia -- that is assisted suicide!
Specific words have specific meanings. Do not confuse them, please.
Actually the Oxford dictionary definition of euthanasia would include both involuntary death (without the person requesting it) and assisted suicide.
ReplyDeleteeuthanasia n. bringing about of a gentle death in the case of incurable and painful disease. [Greek - thanatos (death)]
"euthanasia
ReplyDeletec.1600, from Gk. euthanasia "an easy or happy death," from eu- "good" + thanatos "death." Sense of "legally sanctioned mercy killing" is first recorded in English 1869."
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=euthanasia
Etymologically, euthanasia has absolutely nothing to do with suicide, Wayne, assisted or otherwise.
http://www.onelook.com/?w=euthanasia&ls=a
I woud tend to agree Lady Janus that suicide is never referred to as euthanasia. Wikipedia seems to be saying that any death that is assisted (whether the victim consents or not) is considered euthanasia, but they don't seem to include suicide by the individual themselves as euthanasia from what I can tell.
ReplyDelete*sigh* I swear...one of these days, I'm gonna start charging money for language lessons...and I'll get rich real fast!
ReplyDeleteSuicide (from sui = self) is the killing of one's own self by one's own determination. Assisted suicide is still the killing of one's own self by one's own determination, but with the assistance of a willing second party. The decision to do so still resides within one's own self. It cannot, therefore, be classified as "euthanasia," which is the killing of something or someone without their own determination and consent.
Suicide is not euthanasia. The difference is not in how many people are present to accomplish the task, but in who makes the final decision!
Lady Janus,
ReplyDeleteWikipedia says quote
Euthanasia (from the Greek ευθανασία meaning "good death": ευ-, eu- (well or good) + θάνατος, thanatos (death)) refers to the practice of ending a life in a manner which relieves pain and suffering. According to the House of Lords Select Committee on Medical Ethics, the precise definition of euthanasia is "a deliberate intervention undertaken with the express intention of ending a life, to relieve intractable suffering."[1]
The judicial sense of the term "homicide" includes any intervention undertaken with the express intention of ending a life, even to relieve intractable suffering.[2][3] Thus judicially, a "mercy killing" or euthanasia is generally considered to be a criminal homicide[4] and is normally used as a synonym of homicide committed at a request made by the patient[3]
Unquote
It says nothing at all about the patient giving his/her consent for it to be considered euthanasia.
Don't try to charge money for language lessons. It may be a losing proposition.
Lady Janus,
ReplyDelete"The controversy surrounding euthanasia centers around a two-pronged argument by opponents which characterises euthanasia as either voluntary "suicides," or as involuntary murders."-- Wikipedia
"It says nothing at all about the patient giving his/her consent for it to be considered euthanasia."
ReplyDeleteOkay, listen up. Etymologist speaking:
Suicide = self determined.
Euthanasia = NOT self-determined.
Wikipedia is useful in a lot of ways, but etymologist do not write the entries.