College
Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences
Date of Last Revision
2024-06-04 07:40:54
Major
Criminology and Criminal Justice
Honors Course
CRJU:498
Number of Credits
3
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science
Date of Expected Graduation
Spring 2024
Abstract
According to the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, physician-assisted death is defined as a physician providing, at the patient’s request, a prescription for a lethal dose of medication that the patient can self-administer by ingestion, with the explicit intention of ending life. This paper will examine the different perspectives on the prevalent issue revolving around the ethics and criminality of physician-assisted death and euthanasia in the medical field – a heavily debated topic since the concept was conceived. It will explore the history and controversy revolving around the practice using ethical, faith-based, and scientific perspectives relating respectively to the ideas of death with dignity, autonomy, vitality, and the sacredness of life as well as taking the criminal aspect of it into consideration. In order to understand the correlation between political, religious, and social beliefs and the support for the legalization of physician-assisted death, this paper will explore and analyze Gallup’s 2018 Values and Beliefs poll regarding physician-assisted death and public opinion. The ultimate goal of this research paper is to allow the reader to become more informed on the topic of physician-assisted death and to shed light on the differing perspectives regarding the controversial subject.
Research Sponsor
Dr. David Licate
First Reader
Dr. Lia Wiley
Second Reader
Stephanie Yuhas
Honors Faculty Advisor
Dr. David Licate
Proprietary and/or Confidential Information
No
Recommended Citation
Price, Ashley, "Morality vs. Mortality: The Ethics of Physician-Assisted Death in the United States" (2024). Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects. 1883.
https://ideaexchange.uakron.edu/honors_research_projects/1883