Euthanasia as seen by Law, Morality and Religion

Abstract or Introduction

The terms meaning the killing of human beings, for their own good or that of others, have
changed out of all recognition since the ancient Greeks coined the term “eu thanatos” meaning “a
good death.” Euthanasia, which is generally defined as the purposeful killing of a person for their
benefit, provokes a number of moral, legal and religious questions. The questions and the
contradictory arguments that arise largely depend on the types of euthanasia: active and passive.
Ambiguous difference between active and passive euthanasia requires analytical consideration. The
conventional doctrine is that there is such an important moral and religious difference between the
two that, although the latter is sometimes permissible, the former is always forbidden. The overall
purpose of this paper is to have an in depth look into the religious norms, legal regulations and
moral principles concerning the issue of euthanasia and in the example of euthanasia find the one
that suits society, the one that does not leave aside the people that are vulnerable to any kind of
changes and the one that eliminates opportunities for abuse of power by officials, religious leaders
and doctors. [...]