Assisted Suicide

Assisted Suicide

Susan Roman

PHI 200

Professor Amy Reid

February 20, 2012

Abstract

Susan Wolf, in writing about her own father s death, confronts the problems that arise at the end of life, and challenges her to consider her views on assisted suicide (Wolf, 2008). Assisted suicide is the common term for actions by which an individual helps another person voluntarily brings about his or her own death. "Assistance" may mean providing one with the means (drugs or equipment) to end one's own life, but may extend to other actions. It differs to euthanasia where another person ends the life.

Background

My father was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in July 2008. I can remember feeling like I was going to collapse when I heard that news. I had just given birth to my first child, my son, who is the apple of my father's eye. All I could think of is him playing with my son and I could vividly remember the look on his face when he held him for the first time. Would he be around to watch him grow up? And if so, would he be able to play with him?

My father has always been a hands-on person in life. He always works with his hands and provided very well for his two girls and family. His Parkinson's is under control but he does tremor off and on. He will be forced to retire soon (he's only 52) because the tremors are becoming more and more obvious. I don't know what life will be like then, but I do know that it will be very difficult for my father to ask for help for something like putting on his shirt. In his head, he "needs to be the person taking care of everyone else", not the other way around.

I can't imagine having to live one's life bed ridden or at the mercy of others. Having to have someone bath you, feed you, care for you etc. would be imaginable for me and for my dad it would be inconceivable. I can understand someone wanting to end their life in this kind of circumstance because they don't have "quality of life". The term quality of life is used to evaluate the general well-being of individuals and societies. Being terminally ill ends one's life a lot sooner than the body actually stops working.

My Opinion

It is difficult to say what one would do when put in a situation like Susan Wolf was, especially since there's no black or white answer (in my opinion). I can say that I would want my father to be happy and not suffer.