Utilitarianism And Euthanasia Essay Example For Students

Utilitarianism And Euthanasia Essay Today there are five to ten thousand comatose patients in long term care facilities (Wheeler A1). There are countless elderly people in care facilities that have repeatedly expressed a desire to die. There are countless terminally ill patients that have also begged for death. Should these people be allowed to die, or should they be forced to keep on living? This question has plagued ethicists and physicians throughout the years. In the Netherlands, courts have begun to permit the administration of lethal injections to terminally ill patients (Jacoby 101). To many people, this is a barbaric practice. To others, it is the only humane thing to do. When a person is dying of a terminal illness with no hope of recovery, that person should be allowed to die if they wish. Deliberately keeping them alive to endure the pain and suffering of their illness is the barbaric practice. If they wish death, death should be given to them. Activists for the Right to Life dont stop to consider the right to die. I believe that the Right to Die is as sacred a right as the Right to Life. People who believe in the Right to Die are not alone. The Hemlock Society, which advocates the right to die for terminally ill patients claims to have 28,000 members in forty chapters nationwide (Derr 3). We will write a custom essay on Utilitarianism And Euthanasia specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now One of the controversies over the right to die is: who should choose? If the patient is comatose or is unable to make rational judgements, should the doctor or a family member be permitted to make the final decision? If family members were allowed to make the decision Right to Life advocates claim, a family member could get away with the murder of a relative just because that person cant make up their own mind. Right to Death advocates have a simple answer to this problem. Every person should have a Living Will which simply states that that person wishes death if they are fatally injured or become terminally ill. A Living Will would permit people to make their own decisions about life and death with no possibility of being misunderstood. Today, Holland has legal euthanasia where an estimate for the figures for deaths from active euthanasia would be in the range of six to eighteen thousand deaths (Moody 712). This number may seem horrible to some, but to others, it simply means another six to eighteen thousand people who are no longer suffering. I do not know why the Advocates for the Right to Life insist on keeping people who are suffering alive, but I do know that they have no right to dictate to a person whether or not they have the right to die. I can understand the concern of these people that euthanasia might be used for unethical killings, such as the Nazis did in World War II, but if euthanasia were strictly regulated to include only those who had specifically asked for euthanasia, or those who had asked for it in living wills, then what happened in Germany could be prevented. When someone is suffering extreme pain from an injury or a terrible disease, do we deny them drugs to make them more comfortable? Of course not. I see no reason to deny the same suffering and dying people the comfort of death. WORKS CITED* Derr, Patrick. Euthanasia and the Future of Medicine. Hastings Center Report December 1988: 2-3* Jacoby, Tamar. I Helped Her on Her Way' Newsweek November 7, 1988: 101* Moody, Harry R. Legal and Ethical Issues in Elder Care: The Right to Die Gerontologist October 1988: 711-712* Wheeler, David L. Euthanasia: an Increasingly Pressing Issue for Ethicists and Physicians Chronicle of Higher Education November 9, 1988: A1, A6

Totalitarian Dictators essays

Totalitarian Dictators essays The first things that come to mind when the names Stalin, Mussolini and Hitler are mentioned are the cruel, tyrannical, inhumane acts they committed against their own people, and people of other nationalities. But, what one fails to see is the public works they sponsored, the ways they modernized their countries, and other beneficial causes they supported. Without these dictators the countries of Russia, Italy and Germany would have all been affected in very distinct ways; and although their rules were mainly counterproductive, the actions they took to improve the lives of their people would in some cases bring them out of a depression, and in other cases modernize them, in times when their countries called for it most. Joseph Stalins devotion to the non-dependency of the much-rivaled capitalist westerners pushed him and the rest of communist Russia to strive for modernization and self-sufficiency. His accomplishments consist of industrializing the U.S.S.R. in a time when their position as a world power was questioned. Stalins Five-Year plan was devised to prepare the U.S.S.R. in defending itself from inevitable war with the capitalist countries of the west. Although many lives were sacrificed in this process his goal was ultimately achieved. If not for his timing the U.S.S.R. would clearly not have stood a chance against its hated rival Nazi Germany in World War II. Stalin, however cruel he was, enforced a crucial part of Russian modernization, that if overlooked would have led them to a humiliating defeat in the Second World War. Benito Mussolini was very effective at raising the spirits of Italians, boosting their poor economy, and strengthening their week military, as well as supporting public projects, and education. Mussolini was able to accomplish all of these remarkable tasks because his fore-most goal was to make Italy a great power of Europe. He was able to support public projects like the revitalization of ...

An Examination of “Intimate Revenge” in Seamus Heaney’s “Punishment”

An Examination of â€Å"Intimate Revenge† in Seamus Heaney’s â€Å"Punishment† The poem â€Å"Punishment† by Seamus Heaney was written in 1975 as a part of the anthology North. It is a part of Heaney’s bog series, in which he describes the Irish bogland, and the different artifacts and remains that have been found within the Northern European bogs. In these poems, the bog imagery is metaphoric of Heaney’s Irish homeland, specifically Northern Ireland. Written during the bloodiest year of the Irish Troubles, â€Å"Punishment† delves deeper into this metaphor to examine relations during the time period. In â€Å"Punishment,† the poetic persona observes the body of a bog woman, the Windeby Girl. She has a noose around her neck, and as he looks at her corpse he imagines the context in which she was hanged. Throughout this first section of the poem, Heaney creates a very empathetic tone through the persona’s description of the woman and the circumstances surrounding her death. Toward the end of the poem, the persona admits t hat some part of him does not regret her execution, and almost condones it. In â€Å"Punishment,† Heaney uses contrasting images of the bog woman and metaphor of the Irish Troubles to create tension and explore the internal conflict between empathy and revenge. Heaney begins to develop an empathetic tone from the very first beginning of â€Å"Punishment.† The first three lines read: â€Å"I can feel the tug / of the halter at the nape / of her neck.† Immediately, the word tug pulls the reader into the persona’s experience. Heaney’s wonderful use of enjambment in this first stanza also leads to the creation of rousing interest. These features work together to draw the reader into the story of the bog woman simply from the initial image of her. Heaney continues to establish empathy through the persona’s continued imagery. The persona uses very vivid visual analogies to draw attention to the young age and unfortunate situation of the bog girl. In lines 7-8, the wind â€Å"shakes the frail rigging / of her ribs.† The word frail highlights her weakness and vulnerability. The persona can see her ribs. She is completely exposed. In this, Heaney establishes physical infirmity. Until the fourth stanza, the reader has no perception of age. In line 14, the persona calls her a â€Å"barked sapling.† A sapling is a young, weak tree. Barking is a practice in which a row of bark is stripped from a tree, inevitably killing it. Combined, these two simple terms create an incredibly evocative image of nature slaughtered by man. They suggest to the reader that this girl’s death is an act against nature and is inherently wrong. The persona continues to describe her in this manner, until line 20. Perhaps one of the most puzzling lines in â€Å"Punishment,† it refers to the noose around her neck. The persona compares it to â€Å"a ring / to store / the memories of love† (20-22). A noose generally brings about a negative connotation. However in this context, it is presented with a somewhat ironic and nostalgic tone. At its most basic purpose, the metaphor is alluding to the revelation in the next line. Yet, at a deeper level, the line could represent the persona’s understanding and justification of the bog girl’s crime. This appreciation is further exemplified by the persona’s personal connection to the girl. Heaney’s use of apostrophe creates an especially strong sense of empathy in â€Å"Punishment.† The persona directly addresses the exhibited woman as a â€Å"little adulteress† (23). Once again, the persona draws attention literally to her youth and paltry size through the use of little. However, this is also a term of endearment, as one would call his or her own child, further codifying the connection the persona feels with the bog woman. In this line, the reader is informed for the first time of the reason for the girl’s death. She committed a crime and she suffered the punishment. In the subsequent lines, the images transition from frailty in death to beauty in life. The persona describes her â€Å"tar-black face† as once being â€Å"beautiful† (27). This stark contrast highlights the tension of her life and death and demonstrates the empathy the persona feels for the girl. The final definitive sympathy the reader observes is in line 28, as the persona addresses the girl as â€Å"my poor scapegoat.† The possessive adjective my demonstrates the empathy the persona experiences, and the line as a whole shows a great display of sympathy. The implication of the word scapegoat is that she was punished so that others would not be. She is an example, even though the persona recognizes the unfairness of her situation. In the next stanzas, the persona begins to reveal his personal cowardice and sin. The most poignantly ashamed lines come directly after vehemently expressed empathy. The persona directly addresses the bog girl for the final time: â€Å"I almost love you / but would have cast, I know, / the stones of silence† (29-31). The images that have been developing empathy and endearment from the first line suddenly dissolve as the persona’s sympathy is proven insufficient. Despite his convictions, he does not feel strongly enough to speak out against his peers and save her. If he does, he cannot bring himself to do so for the simplest reason. Some part of him understands why she is killed, and agrees with the punishment. In the poem, the persona compares the punishment of the bog girl to the punishment of Catholic girls during the Irish Troubles. During this time, cruel punishments for seemingly minor offenses were not uncommon. The Troubles were a conflict between Irish Catholics and British Protestants. In this poem, Heaney specifically references the penalty for fraternization between these two groups. If a Catholic girl was discovered associating with a British soldier, she was â€Å"cauled in tar,† and shamed publicly (39). This is comparative to a hanging for adultery as public degradation. She is made an example, just as the bog girl is made an example. The metaphor extends not only to the literal â€Å"punishment,† but also to the emotional conflict the persona experiences. He is the â€Å"artful voyeur† of a murdered girl (32). This demonstrates a sense of guilt as he witnesses the atrocity in front of him, yet he only watches. Equally, he has â€Å"stood dumb† as he has watched his own people being punished by his own people (37). He â€Å"would connive in civilized outrage,† yet do nothing to stop the act. It is through these contradictions that the persona’s internal conflict is revealed. The persona can â€Å"understand the exact / and tribal, intimate revenge,† yet also feel boundless empathy for those punished (43-44). It is through this conflict that Heaney looks at relations during the Irish Troubles. As a prominent figure in the Catholic minority, Seamus Heaney was often called upon to make political statements in his poetry. â€Å"Punishment† exemplifies betrayal, not between the two sides, but within one. It is not degrading the Protestants, nor is it a rallying cry for the Catholics. Instead, Heaney examines revenge, empathy, and betrayal at their core. Throughout the majority of the poem, the images of the bog woman create a great feeling of empathy. Yet, it is also understood that the persona would have done nothing to save her. She executed an â€Å"intimate† betrayal, and thus deserved an â€Å"intimate revenge† (44). The allusion to Catholics during the Troubles presents an especially personal connection for Heaney. In the intense emotion of innermost betrayal, moral convictions may be set aside for the satisfaction of revenge. â€Å"Punishment† examines the ethical dilemma faced both by Catholics during the Troubles and by any person in a situ ation of war, either personal or intercontinental. The resolution Heaney reaches is uncomfortable. The persona stands in silence and accepts the violence, despite empathy for the victim. The readers discomfort comes in the understanding of why he does so. It is the question of love over hate, of peace over war, one each person must answer individually. Though Heaney rarely added fuel to the political fire of the Irish Troubles, perhaps through this poem he is asking whether this struggle is worth the pain it created.

Business Entrepreneurship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business Entrepreneurship - Essay Example Internet marketing in this phase after generating a feasible amount of donation request can again prove to be useful in many ways. For example, the website can also help to gain the support of professionals in this case without any extra cost. Precisely, the blogs creation can be useful to recognize the supportive donators and organize them ultimately. Another objective of the team was to establish a new gym in the local community. To attain this objective the team shall have to manage an adequate space within the building. The main supplies that the team should be focused on in this case are the equipments, one trainer at least, a changing and a resting room for the participants. In addition, the part of membership donations should also be considered. The advantages of website designing is quite remarkable in the case of New Wave Youth Club, therefore it demands a continuous development to sustain the position. To develop the website into a ‘Killer Website’ the team need to be focused on the attributes of speed, customer service and involvement of new up-graded technology as well. For instance, the team can organize awareness programs, or entertaining games which shall be effective to attract potential donators and other suppliers.

Describing three examples of activities in health care organizations Assignment

Describing three examples of activities in health care organizations - Assignment Example The immunization activities entail giving children BCG, DPT, polio, and measles immunization (Stahl, 2004). There is also epidemic preparedness and response to epidemics which is crucial to the health care organization employees because they have to start isolation of the people with the epidemic. When there is an epidemic outbreak for example the Ebola outbreak, people-centered management should be applied to give employees chances to suggest on the way forward on whether to isolate the infected people or whether to let them live with the other people. When giving an employee a chance to give a solution, it opens up their minds and makes them think. Supervisors and managers should award employees that show bravery during a difficult time of responding to an outbreak, for example an employee who saves a patient’s life. The reward will be a motivation to the individual and to the other employees who will work hard and be fully dedicated to their work. Fully participation of the employees can also earn their organization world awards. Communication between the supervisors and the employees is important for the growth of a health care organization. Where there is communication, people understand each other’s needs. When an employee’s opinion is taken into consideration, such an employee is motivated to keep on being committed to their work because they feel appreciated and respected. Moreover, meetings help employees to pass their complains and the supervisors and managers’ compliment and critic on the employees work (Carroll, 2001). The managers and supervisors encourage the employees on teamwork. In epidemic preparedness, the employees in different departments should be able to know where their teammates are, to make the daily routine surveillance for the epidemic easier. Furthermore, this aids the teammates to avoid losing a colleague to the outbreak without the knowledge of

Battle Royal. Ralph Ellison Essay Example for Free

Battle Royal. Ralph Ellison Essay I felt like he had never experienced racism to the extent that he did that day. I believe that he walked into the â€Å"smoker† believing the white people were actually interested in what he had to say. He was even prideful thinking that he was better than the other boys he was forced into the elevator with â€Å"I felt superior to them in my way, and I didn’t like the manner in which we were all crowded together into the servants’ elevator† (pg. 287). The author writes about them being packed into this elevator designated for â€Å"servants. I pictured animals set for slaughter, which was not far from what the battle was, packed into a cart terrified and bewildered. Perhaps the young man believed that times had changed from when his grandfather was alive. Like the average teenager he may have believed that no one can understand the culture and the time quite like they can. He may have thought that his grandfather’s perspective was that of a bitter old man and that white people really did care about him and the rest of his people. The grandfather’s deathbed words affect the protagonist character throughout the story like the haunting of a ghost. His words tell the young man to act how the white people would like and say what they would have him say. At first I thought he was telling his grandson to stay the same and accept oppression as a way of life. In actuality I think he was telling him that he would get further acting correctly then he would by lashing out or acting irrationally. I think the grandpa knew that in order to gain respect you must act like they expected instead of becoming a radical for change. I think that essentially he was trying to tell his family to â€Å"kill them with kindness. Many symbols were present in this story. The naked blonde woman who was forced to dance in front of the men is the first. I believe that, much like the men, the blonde was a victim. The author even says that when they picked her up and tossed her around she had â€Å"terror and disgust in her eyes. † (pg. 288) To the black men she symbolized something that they were not allowed to have. I thought that although she was w hite she was still a victim to the powerful men of the town. She was forced into the ring the same way that the black men were. It seemed as if the author wanted to illustrate the complete disregard these white â€Å"powerful† men had for any one else. The American flag tattoo on the woman’s belly was ironic. I think that the flag, to many people, symbolizes freedom and rights. People around the world associate the American flag with freedoms unlike those in any other country. I think that on the stomach of the blonde woman it was a slap in the face. The black men saw the flag on her body and knew that they could not have her, nor could they have the freedoms that they were entitled to as citizens of this country. The flag shook and waved with the movements of her body, taunting the men. Waving at them, as if beckoning them to come to her, yet they were unable to because of their skin color. Much like the liberties of the United States that waved themselves in the face of the black people but they could not have because of their skin color. The author mentioned red, white and blue multiple times in the story. I thought that the references to the colors symbolic to this country were interesting. I think he used them much the same as he used the flag on the woman’s stomach. They were symbols exclusive to the United States, which is supposed to be a place of freedom; however the black people were only allowed to take part half way. The author spoke of the men’s red faces from their drinking, and the lipstick of the young woman was also red. The men were white along with the dancers skin which was a stark contrast to the young men she was surrounded by. I think that it is ironic that white is often associated with good, or innocence while black is symbolic of darkness or wickedness. In this story the roles were reversed. The white people were wicked and the black people were victims. Smoke in large quantities creates a blue haze like what might have been present in the ballroom. I think that it is interesting the use of blue because it can be associated with suffocation. I think that is what the white men were doing to the black men. They were suffocating them with their presence and their oppression. The coins that they were forced to scramble for off of the electric mat were terribly sad. They were for cars, which surely none of the men could afford. I thought it was sad they were scrambling for little amounts of money or none at all. Finally the last thing I think that was symbolic was the scholarship. While it was a great gift from the community, I think that it was also another stab at black people and their place in society. By giving the young man a scholarship to the state’s leading black college the town was saying that he was allowed the opportunity to further his education but had to remain in his place amongst the other black people. I thought that the fight the men were fighting was not just against the white people. Sadly the white people turned the black people on one another. The white’s did everything they could to tear the black people down including letting them tear each other apart. I think that the older perspective allows for us to see how he had developed as a man. He has education and a broader perspective on the world. The 17 year olds perspective was very narrow because he had not yet seen the crimes white people were capable of. The older man was not surprised or phased by the way that white people behaved with regards to blacks. I also think that as he grew older he found a part of himself that lacked.

Federalizing Aiports Essay -- Airport Security Government control Essa

Federalizing Aiports On September 11th, 2001, the United States was dealt a devastating blow when our own airplanes were used as weapons of a terrorist attack. Within just days of the attack our nations leaders began debating over how we could solve our airport security problems. As citizens of the United States were avoiding airports, because they did not seem safe, the House and the Senate of the United States Congress argued whether or not airport security staff should become federal employees. The United States House representatives, and President George W. Bush, disagree with the fact that airport security should be federalized. After evaluating the Senates proposal the House found many reasons as to why federalizing airport security is not logical. The proposal to federalize appeared to present many flaws. The fact that the proposition "concentrates on passengers and ignores the thousands of caterers, cleaners, refuelers and others with access to airports and jets who lack mandatory background checks or ID cards" (Why Federalizing Airport Security is a Bad Thing). With insufficient knowledge of the employees background or identification, another travesty, much like September 11th could occur whether security is federalized or not. The Senates solution to make one set of standards for the employees concerns the House. With the so-called "one size fits all" plan, there would be deficient security at many airports, because the sizes of our airports greatly vary. If standard s were set to secure all major airports, such as Chicago OHare and John F. Kennedy airport in New York, then many small airports would be overwhelmed by the amount of security they are required to have. As the House stated "a one size fits all soluti... ...h government intervention, the interests of the House will also be met by not forcing all airports to federalize their employees. Works Cited Book sources Hahn, Robert. Risks, costs, and lives saved: getting better results from regulation. New York: Oxford University Press; Washington, D.C.: AEI Press, 1996. Internet sources The Case Against Federalizing Airport Security. 20 October 2001. Richard W. Rahn. 13 November 2002. <http://www.cat.org/cgi-bin/scripts/printtech.cgi/dailys/10-20-01.html>. Senator Clinton Calls on Congress To Adopt Senate Bill Federalizing Airport Security. 6 November 2001. Last viewed: 13 November 2002. <http://clinton.senate.gov/news/2001/11/2001B07603.html>. Why Federalizing Airport Security Is A Bad Idea. 24 October 2001. Daily Policy Digest. 13 November 2002. <http://www.ncpa.org/iss/ter/2001/pd102401a.html>.