Euthanasia has been the focus of numerous debates overtime. In the ancient times the Greeks wee known to have carried on a robust debate on euthanasia. The Pythagoreans opposed euthanasia, while the Stoics were in its favor only if the disease of the patient was incurable. It is known that Plato approved of the practice of euthanasia only for terminal illness (Plato, Republic. however over time these Greek principles faded away under the strong influence of Christianity doctrines and also due to the Hippocratic Oath: "I will neither give a deadly drug to anybody if asked for it, nor will I make a suggestion to that effect."
To promote the notion of painless death for patients with terminal diseases in 1935 the Euthanasia Society of England was formed. As a result of this the Americans also followed suit and formed the Euthanasia Society of America just a few years later. Ever since then euthanasia has been the focal of numerous debates. Over the few years debate about euthanasia has been encouraged by two individuals: Derek Humphrey and Dr. Jack Kevorkian. Derek Humphrey is the head of the Hemlock Society and uses this platform to voice for euthanasia. He even wrote an influential book called Final Exit: the Practicalities of Self-Deliverance and Assisted Suicide for the Dying on the topic so that he could convince the nation of the benefits of euthanasia.
Dr. Jack Kevorkian, has been the most controversial personality, he helped people commit suicide. He also wrote a book on the topic in which he has tried to explain his view on euthanasia. In this book called Prescription Medicide: the Goodness of Planned Death he has explained about the machine he has developed to assist people to commit suicide, called "the Mercitron."...............
