Euthanasia

Should Euthanasia be legalised?

Dianne Pretty is one of the many unfortunate patients who had no choice but to leave the world in a painful demise. While Dianne was suffering from the terminal phase of motor neuron disease, she wanted her husband to be spared from prosecution should he took part in assisting her voluntary suicide. However, The Telegraph (2002) reported that she died of breathing difficulties three days later following an unsuccessful legal battle with the European Court of Human Rights, who dismissed her claim that the British courts infringed her human rights by denying her assisted suicide with the help of her husband. Had euthanasia been a legal procedure, Diane Pretty would not have to go through the frightening ordeal of asphyxiation - which she wanted to avoid - during her dying moments. Euthanasia, which also goes by terms 'mercy killing' and 'assisted suicide', is officially defined as 'a quiet, painless death', 'the intentional putting to death by artificial means of persons with incurable painful disease' in Stedmans Medical Dictionary and 'the act of killing someone painlessly, especially to relieve suffering from an incurable illness' in Collins English Dictionary respectively. From the implied context, it is logical to deduce that euthanasia is the only ideal alternative to people under excruciating pain, whose certain bodily parts may have ceased to function, such as brain, or with terminal diseases despite the legal inhibition. If euthanasia provides the 'good death', why are humans being denied the right and the freedom of choice to avoid physical pain and minimizing suffering of those who are involved?  Rather than being forbidden by law, euthanasia should be legalized as it is rightful for each individual to decide what’s beneficial for themselves and it also works as a merciful retreat from a potentially damaging, painful and afflicting outcome not only for those who wants it but for their families as well.

Euthanasia offers freedom over an individual's own life by permitting oneself to bring death upon oneself and the choice on how to carry out those actions. Every person should be allowed to decide on matters regarding their own life and death, including the freedom of decision to die. According to British Social Attitudes Report (1996), 82% of the public supports the legislation of euthanasia, with the strongest support amounting to 86% in the case of an individual who is unable to decide for his future due to an incurable illness that renders him dependent on a life support machine. The legal system is breaching the constitution of basic human rights by curbing the use of euthanasia, a statement supported by psychiatrist and Professor Emeritus at the State University of New York Health Science Centre, Thomas Szasz in 'Suicide: Right or Wrong' with the quote "to deny the right to assisted suicide is to deny freedom". In the famous case of Sue Rodriguez who suffered from Lou Gehrig's disease, she challenged the Supreme Court of Canada by claiming the Constitution of her rights of personal liberty and autonomy guaranteed in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms are violated by the ban on assisted suicide, to which the court rejected by stating that the society's obligation to preserve life and protect the vulnerable outweighed her rights. She also raised an interesting question pertaining the ownership of one's body by asking "If I cannot give consent to my own death, whose body is this? Who owns my life?" (CBC News, 2009). The notion of individualism is essential to political understanding since it allows people to act as they wish and to satisfy their interests in a democratic society. John Stuart Mill, one of the architects of democratic doctrine believed that "over himself, over his own body and mind, the individual is sovereign." Individual liberty in choice of death method is also supported by eighteenth-century Scottish philosopher David Hume (An Essay on Suicide, 1789) who expressed that all individuals in a free society should be able to choose the manner of their death. Humanists such as Hume also believe that decisions and wishes on such personal matters should be respected if an individual is in full possession of information and capable of sound judgment in discontinuing a life of no value (British Humanist Association, 2007).

Euthanasia is a compassionate method for those who wishes to put an end their pain or the suffering of people around them through a rational, dignified and humane death. Rather than prolonging their life that leads to unnecessary pain, suffering and indignity, wise and considerate individuals who do care for the people around them – whose life still goes on – would opt for a voluntary euthanasia. David Swanton, a Canberra-based ethicist and scientist, exclaimed that "Euthanasia is about individual choice and dignity, and for that reasons it is a rational and humane cause." A Spanish man by the name of Ramon Sanpedro described himself as "a head attached to a corpse" after being paralyzed from a swimming accident during his youth. With the assistance of a doctor, he sought to lawfully end his life with the court's consent. He wrote the following in his appeal: "Why die? Because every journey has its departure time and only the traveller has the privilege and the right to choose the last day to get out. Why to die? Because at times the journey of no return is the best path that reason can show us out of love and respect for life, so that life may have a dignified death" (Euthanasia in Spain, 1990). Euthanasia can be trusted as a way for a person to die in a noble and appropriate manner, according to ancient Roman orator and statesman Cicero who stated "a good death is the ideal way of respecting natural law and public order by departing from the Earth with dignity and tranquility." In fact, a majority of medical professionals expressed their desire to assist their patients in ending their lives in a humane, respectful manner. Among the population at large, opinion polls reported by Glasgow University in 1996 shows insurmountable consent for the legislation of Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS). 54% of medical practitioners are in the favour of changing the law to allow PAS under certain circumstances, with barely 36% of them against such a change. A majority of the professionals (55%) thought that this should be allowed if an individual "had a terminal condition or was in a state of extreme mental or physical suffering".

As a conclusion, it is evidently clear that findings confirm euthanasia is certainly part of basic human rights and freedom. The increasing support for euthanasia within a substantial majority of the UK population is proven with the British Social Attitudes Report (1996) that recorded 75% (1984) in favour of authorizing medical assistance in ending the life of a patient to free them from a painful incurable disease increasing to 79% (1989) and later on 84% (1994). These findings are also mirrored by the NOP poll in 1993, which shown a substantial increase in consent for medical assistance in dying between 69% (1976) and 79%(1993). According to John Stuart Mill, "the only purpose for which power can be rightly exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others." Euthanasia can be noble, can be compassionate and can be merciful to those in the direst of needs. Euthanasia allows freedom, choice and respects human rights as only one that has the life can choose what is best for oneself. Euthanasia can drastically reduce the number of suffering people that extend beyond the patient, including family, relatives and close friends, and it is the most merciful decision by the society by not negating the most basic desire for a human being to not put up with agonizing continuation of meaningless, despair-driven cling to life. The cruelest thing to be done to a person with no hope, no joy and no willingness to go on, is to deny their most important decision to stop.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
References

1. McCormack, P. (1998). Quality of Life and the Right to Die: An Ethical Dilemma. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 28(1), 63-69.

2. Laville, S. (2002, 13 May). Diane Pretty dies in the way she always feared. The Telegraph. Retrieved from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1394038/Diane-Pretty-dies-in-the-way-she-always-feared.html

3. Guerra, M. J. (1990). Euthanasia in Spain: The Public Debate after Ramon Sampedro's Case. A Report from Spain, 13.

4. Jowell, R. and Curtice, J. (Eds.)(1996) The 13th British Social Attitude Report. Retrieved from http://www.euthanasia.cc/stats.htm

5. Jordan, G. (2004, 15 December). Into the Life of a Man Fighting for the Right to Die. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/15/movies/15samp.html

6. Hume, D. (1789). An Essay on Suicide. Yellow Springs, Reprint. Retrieved from http://www.deathreference.com/En-Gh/Euthanasia.html#b#ixzz1v8n7iEZP

7. Swanton, D. (2010, 11 May). Euthanasia is a rational and humane cause. On Line Opinion. Retrieved from http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=10407

8. Powell, J.G.F. (Ed.).(1988). Cato Maior de senectute. Cicero. Cambridge University Press.

9. McLean, S.A.M. and Britton, A. (1996). Glasgow University Physician Assisted Suicide Report. Sometimes A Small Victory. Retrieved from http://www.euthanasia.cc/stats.htm

Capital Punishment

Should Capital Punishment be abolished?

Capital punishment, also known as death penalty or execution, is the judicial mechanism which is legally institutionalized with the intent of depriving an individual the right to live as a method of the highest possible authorized punishment. However, Canada and 16 American states have already abolished death penalty, while Californians were given a chance to vote on April 2012, Election day if whether lifetime imprisonment without parole was an appropriate replacement for it. According to May 2006 Gallup Poll, public opinion expressed more support towards lifetime sentence without parole at 48% compared to death penalty at 47%. If capital punishment was initially established to serve the civil society, what is the reason behind recent trend towards its abolishment? The answer lies in the simple fact that capital punishment is inherently flawed in terms of flexibility and it is both financially and economically taxing.

The death sentence is an unjust legal procedure, both irreversible once ruled and incapable of accounting for considerations when handed down to a possibly undeserving or underprivileged criminal. The system does make provision for all the unique circumstances and different factors that have driven the crime before handing down the ultimatum of execution onto the offenders. Oftentimes, a blind eye is turned towards criminals on death row over crimes that should not have warranted a death penalty for law is held as the absolute. In the documentary of “The Condemned: Bali Nine”, we were shown how nine young Australians arrested on the charges of drug smuggling turned over a new leaf and lead productive lives despite being confined to a prison. From their efforts in seeking education, hosting language classes and art galleries, we are able to sense their sincerity in repenting for a naïve mistake and also see that they are trying to earn a well-deserved second chance in life. Regardless, the law does not make provision for a second opportunity they all deserve, which in turn is a direct transgression of human rights. Prejudice also plays a role in deciding between life and death of a convict in court, according to Santa Clara Law Review (2005) that revealed offenders to be over 3 times more likely to be sentenced to death if they killed whites instead of blacks or Latinos. The worse that can happen is when an executed offender that is found innocent after his sentence is carried out. Since death is not reversible, the deaths of the wrongly accused remains as a permanent scar on the records of the legislation and serves as an awful reminder to the society that even deadly mistakes can be made in court. It is reported that the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Civil and Constitutional Rights (1993) proved the innocence of over 130 people on death row with evidence. Hence, we can infer that the court passes judgment more recklessly than people would like to believe. The basis of capital punishment has thus became a gamble of one’s life, with the cards being the flawed system, lack of competency in the assigned attorney, any form of prejudice against the accused, a meticulous investigation or the lack of thereof, and collection and the timing of the evidence.

From the utilitarian standpoint, capital punishment is a major financial burden with its hefty costs incurred during the administration and proceedings in the court. As taken from Los Angeles Times (2005), "the California death penalty system costs taxpayers $114 million per year beyond the costs of keeping convicts locked up for life. Taxpayers have paid more than $250 million for each of the state's execution." Despite the age-old argument of life not having a price tag, a monetary value can be indeed assigned to individual life in the modern capitalistic society. The absolute and irrefutable evidence supporting this fact is the very existence of the multi-billion dollar industry thriving even during recession providing a service that is so vague in its terms: the life insurance. Nonetheless, this is a debate for another day. Capital punishment is in many aspects similar to a suicide if you exclude the cause of death. In sociological point of view, a suicide is a form of avoidance of responsibilities towards the society, as all humans are responsible in some way to their peers and people around them, not to mention his country. Suicide from Death Row as written by Lester and Tartaro (2002) revealed that the suicide rates among inmates with an impending capital punishment is 113 per 100,000 from the year 1976 to 1999, ten times more than  the rate of suicides in the whole prison population within United States. By choosing to take one's own life, freedom from all burdens is achieved with complete disregard towards the consequences or the effects it may bring. Death Penalty Info (2011) also provided the information of having 137 prisoners waiving their appeals and asking for an execution instead. In a financial perspective, suicide could be regarded as a loss of productivity and potential financial loss, as people are capable of generating wealth during their lifetime. If these two aspects are fused together to examine capital punishment on a slightly different angle, death sentence is lost labour and avoidance of social responsibility for the committed crime. Combined together, there is hardly anything more ineffective and inefficient, not to mention uneconomical, as the capital punishment.

In brief, capital punishment has so many downsides. It is archaic, old, and not thoroughly devised. It does not make room for a second opportunity for the fairness of justice, nor incorporates a procedural mechanism to correct and amend itself. As the research data shows, it is clearly ineffective for its purpose of crime prevention and reduction, not to mention it is uneconomical as the process is lengthy and requires very specific, qualified personnel to be involved. Above all, it is also a transgression of human rights. Based on all the points and findings, it is evident that we have learned enough from capital punishment so far to deem this practice outdated and impractical. If aforementioned factors are taken into consideration, isn't it already due time for this system to be put out of place? With capital punishment abolished, we can only expect for the corrective systems to improve in its efficiency, crime rates decreasing, less financial pressure to the poorly funded courts and resulting in the savings being invested for a better cause within the society.


References


To be added soon.

Stress

How can stress affect people in the modern society?

Scientifically, stress is the body’s response to any physical, mental or emotional alterations that requires an adjustment. Neurobiologist Robert Sapolsky stated that during the event of a “fight or flight” situation, stress causes the release of certain hormones that trigger the body responses to efficiently prioritize on survival instincts by temporarily shutting off other less-important systems such as digestion and reproduction. However, what was once the savior in life-threatening settings for humans has begun to turn its back since the dawn of more modernized civilizations. The contemporary lifestyle is currently surrounded by petty concerns - difficult to escape by its nature - that have a significant participation in escalating the average stress levels among humans. Although problems involving studies, work, finances or relationship are not literally life-threatening, the inner stress switch all humans have are subconsciously turned on when dealing with them. Department of Health Psychology and Applied Psychophysiology from the Cleveland Clinic Foundation reported that 43% of all adults suffer adverse health effects from stress. On a related note, the bigger question we need to ponder upon is, how does the stress factor affects the modern society? According to numerous researches, it has been proven that stress affects people by deteriorating their bodily health and cognitive abilities.

Stress can afflict the modern society physiologically by weakening their health as it leads to the temporal shutdown of an immune system and a surge of increase in weight gain. The immune system, a body’s first line of defence against hostile antigens, is known to be receptive towards stress hormone levels and acts accordingly to it. Mcleod S. (2010) revealed that prolonged suppression of the immune system by the stress hormone corticosteroid will result in humans being more susceptible to infections. The National Geographic documentary, Stress: Portrait of a Killer mentioned that stomach ulcers were not merely caused by bacterial infection but also caused by a stress-driven impairment of the immune system. On the other hand, principal investigator Carol A. Shively, a professor of pathology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine (2011) also noted that “stress influences fat deposits in the abdominal cavity while exacerbating the build-up of plaque in blood vessels”. These visceral fat deposits increase the risks in heart diseases - worldwide leading cause of death - by congesting the blood vessels with plague. One example of this would be hypertension, a coronary heart disease whose victims suffer from increased strain on their circulatory system due to clogged blood vessels. Chronic congestion may even lead to a fatal heart attack when blood vessels leading to the heart are fully blocked.

The impairment of cognitive abilities is also related to stress because it oppresses memory capabilities and learning developments in humans. According to Mental Help (2008), the constant presence of stress hormones such as cortisol in the brain may modify the network and performance in some aspects of the nervous system. Hippocampus is the part of a brain which contains functioning neurons that determine the competency of memory and learning. While stress hormones are generally favourable in brain activities, an overdose will bring 
about reduced receptors in the hippocampus which prevents the formation of new memory and hinders the retrieval of an existing memory. According to Elzinga, B. and Roelofs, K. (2005), patients suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder were found to have a 10% reduction in the hippocampus. Apart from that, it has also been inferred that Alzheimer’s and dementia are caused by long-term exposure to stress. Discovery Health (2012) researches suggest the stress hormones also promotes the growth of proteins that cause Alzheimer's, resulting in further memory loss. Hence, people who are exposed to continuous stress may experience confusion, have a hard time concentrating, go through lengths in learning new information, and have problems with making decisions. Excessive stress overload experienced at workplaces could be potentially harmful for the society in the long run, as it brings about a decreased productivity among workers. Based on the studies of Department of Health Psychology and Applied Psychophysiology from the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration declared stress "a hazard of the workplace because it costs the American industry more than $300 billion annually."

As a conclusion, it is evidently clear that findings show a clear relation between stress and humans's psychological and physiological states. With more technology coming into play in our lives, more information and small matters to handle as we move towards the future, it is highly likely that stress will definitely be a part of our daily struggles. Then, what should one do to prepare themselves to face this ever-growing challenge? When not managed properly and adequately, research findings show it may have grave consequences and life-changing impacts, especially if you develop a chronic disease that has its main roots in stress factors. According to Bill Phillips, stress should be a powerful driving force, not an obstacle. As a part of a solution for this giant dilemma, a proper management of our emotional reaction towards stress factors and continual practice of stress reduction is the key to a healthier, enjoyable life.

References

Nauert PhD, R. (2009). Social Stress and Heart Disease. Psych Central. Retrieved on April 29, 2012, retrieved from
http://psychcentral.com/news/2009/08/06/social-stress-and-heart-disease/7578.html

Shively, C. A., Register, T. C., and Clarkson, T. B. (2009)  Social Stress, Visceral Obesity, and Coronary Artery Atherosclerosis in Female Primates. Obesity. Retrieved from  http://www.nature.com/oby/journal/v17/n8/abs/oby200974a.html

McLeod, S. A. (2010). Simply Psychology; Stress and the Immune System. Retrieved from http://www.simplypsychology.org/stress-immune.html

Kiffer, J. F. (2010) Department of Health Psychology and Applied Psychophysiology, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation. Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/effects-of-stress-on-your-body

Kuhlmann, S., Piel, M., Wolf, O.T. (2005). Impaired Memory Retrieval after Psychosocial Stress in Healthy Young Men. Journal of Neuroscience.

Mills PhD, H., Reiss PhD, N., Dombeck PhD, M. (2008). Mental and Emotional Impact of Stress. Mental Help. Retrieved from http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=15649&cn=117

How Stuff Works. (2012). Effect of Stress on the Brain. Discovery Health. Retrieved from http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/stress-management/effect-of-stress-on-the-brain.htm


Angier, N. (2009). Brain is a Co-Conspirator in a Vicious Stress Loop. New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/18/science/18angier.html

Success

          "What does success means to you?" At one point of an individual's life, a time will come requiring the need to reaffirm their own definition of success. As per Henry David Thoreau's quote "Men are born to succeed, not to fail", it is an innate desire hardwired deep within humans to achieve a certain level of self and public recognition throughout their lifetime. Although the standard definition of success is the completion of anything intended, the answers garnered will come in varying degrees due to differences in individual approach on personal notion of success. Success can mean raking in a huge amount of profit to a businessman while it could mean raising a child with moral values for a parent. Though the circumstances have nothing in common, the context of success remains technically unaltered. The definition of success for each individual is largely dependent on the 'needs' and 'wants' in a given circumstance. The definition of 'needs' and 'wants' heavily influences an individual's concept of success because they perceive the value of material, contributive and spiritual success differently.

           Individuals who regard material success to be of the highest value will consider accumulation and substantial possession of money to be the absolute goal in life. ‘All About Philosophy (2002-2012)’ suggested that materialism can also refer to a doctrine that teaches material success and progress to be the highest value in life, a prevalent ideology in western society today. Working for money takes precedence over other goals to these people since they are obsessed with acquiring possessions that represent their financial superiority. Statistics from the Finnish Quality of Work Life Survey in 2003 shows that 33% of working mothers and 28% of working fathers from the current generation of parents feel that they have been forgoing familial relationships to achieve financial success. Contemporary media and society also worship the idea of wealth, thus heightening the value of material success as the most desirable and respectable to most people.

            Contributing in creating a better world for the future generation is a success in life for individuals who identify themselves as a contributor. These people are usually driven by their desire to make a difference in the world that benefits others, be it a worldly or daily struggle. A prime example of a contributor would be the late president of United States of America, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, who dedicated his short-lived life into uniting Americans to fight against racial discrimination, war, poverty, disease and tyranny. His support for racial integration and civil rights remain as one of his major contributions to American human rights. His devotion in shifting the paradigm of human rights in America won over the hearts of his people and propelled him into being one of the most successful presidents of United States of America. He remains as one of the inspirational figure for contributors around the world as a benchmark of success in making a difference


          Success, for those who regard spirituality as the most important fraction of one’s life,  is when they transcended themselves and reached enlightenment. Spiritualists are people who try to resist the desire for any gratifications offered in the material world and attempt to detach from emotions associated with negativity. According to one of Dalai Lama's quotes, success has to be judged by what you had to give up in order to get it. Although the quote implies the relationship between success and sacrifice as a technical exchange, it is based on karmic beliefs of what goes around comes around. He conveyed spiritual teachings through logical reasoning by appealing to the logos of people. As the symbol of peace, his efforts in promoting peace have also drew considerable attention and acclaim throughout the world.


          In conclusion, success is subject to perception of each individual based on their own personal values.
Because success is not quantifiable and measurable using one single standard, the manifestation of success largely depends on each individual engaging in the matter. Despite the differences in terms and actual appearance of success, the method employed and effort required to achieve this remains quite similar amongst its different kinds. According to Mark Twain, dictionary is the only place where success comes before work. Taking his words into account, it should not be forgotten that regardless of the kind of the success an individual is attempting to attain, this should be acquired through hard work and effort.

References

1. Midson-Short, D. (2009, January 26).Six Types of Success. Health Wealth. Retrieved from http://www.health-wealth.co.nz/home/free-articles/six-types-of-success.html

2. All About Philosophy. (2002-2012). Materialism - Definition and Doctrines. All About Philosophy. Retrieved from http://www.allaboutphilosophy.org/materialism.htm

3. Eurofound. (2005, October 10). Combining Family and Full-Time Work. Eurofound. Retrieved from http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/reports/TN0510TR02/TN0510TR02_5.htm

4. O'Brien, M. (2005, February 24). John F. Kennedy: A Biography (1st ed.). New York, USA: Thomas Dunne Books.

My Attitude Towards Writing.

I am very thankful to have a positive and enthusiastic attitude towards writing in English since it serves as my main channel of expression. As far as I can remember, English has always been my forte in school. My interest in reading just about anything at all has also improved my writing skills in terms of using diverse expressions, sentence structures and vocabulary. From reading classics such as Sherlock Holmes to surreal fiction by Haruki Murakami or even a brochure about imported Japanese black pork, I find enjoyment in picking up on random knowledge and specific words to be used in a wide array of writing styles. Looking at writing from that point of view made it a fun and enjoyable activity of conjuring up fitting words to be constructed into eloquent sentences. Beautiful pieces of writing motivates and inspires me all the time to become better in expressing myself through the use of words. I lean more towards writings that express feelings and also works of fictions, though I also invest time and effort in logical, constructive writing to diversify my skills in writing. I think that the combination of words and melody to be the most quintessential form of expression out of all.  Therefore, I find writing stories from lyrics of Japanese songs particularly interesting since they usually depict a whole story.

Although I try to always maintain a healthy approach towards writing, there are times when I get frustrated for not being able to remember a certain word or for sounding repetitive during writing. It gives me a feeling of being incompetent for improving at a much slower pace than I would prefer. Whenever I start feeling so, I remind myself that it is a good thing to have a lot of room for improvement because the process of learning is the most exciting thing about knowledge. Ever since I came to that conclusion, it became my motto to always treat knowledge accumulation as a game and not an achievement. Of course, I am also liable to writer's block from time to time despite my efforts in trying to improve my writing consistency by keeping a blog. I would suggest people who are suffering from writer's block to try their hands at different types of writing instead of sticking with their niche writing style. They may be pleasantly surprised  to find that they enjoy writing in a different way and be able to gauge their potential to the fullest. I would also advise that words are to be used with the utmost caution and care for they hold more power than most people think they do. As an analogy, the thin line separating persuasion and manipulation are the words used. Therefore, people should always think twice and put themselves in the shoes of the receiver before saying or writing anything to prevent miscommunication and misunderstanding.