Teisės mirti (eutanazijos) legitimumo problema ; Legitimacy Problem of Right to Die (Euthanasia)
Therefore, in such catholic countries as Lithuania, the euthanasia problem is rather relevant. The liberal world often argues about different forms of death: abortion, capital punishment and euthanasia. Definitely, that's not just finance or policy; it's a human's life. However the case when the human's life collapses and just the heart and brain are functioning is possible. It is very important to find out both what the society's approach and arguments towards euthanasia are and euthanasia legitimacy. Therefore, it is the key issue of this paper. The object of this paper is the euthanasia legitimacy problem. The aims are evaluation of society's approach towards euthanasia and identification of the key euthanasia legitimacy problems. The goals are following: 1. to review and evaluate Lithuanian and global approach towards euthanasia and life, legal regulation; 2. to analyze approaches of different society groups, arguments for and against euthanasia legitimacy; 3. to identify euthanasia legitimacy problems. The Christian culture as well as other cultures acknowledges the exclusive right to the human life. Considering that, the human life is the main value in the international documents, legal European Union documents as well as in the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania. In addition to that fact, there is no united opinion about euthanasia legitimacy question in the whole Europe. Facts relative to idea that each human is private person with own moral and religious provisions, whether to maintain life or not in the case of critical condition should be considered personally. There are various arguments regarding importance of the following things such as exclusive priority for the human life and human privacy (right to choose). Considering that euthanasia is forbidden in some countries and some of them allow doing that (Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Luxemburg and State of Oregon). Euthanasia is forbidden in Lithuania, but it is possible to meet features of passive voluntary euthanasia in legal acts, where a patient has the right to refuse the treatment. The society is ready to legitimize euthanasia in Lithuania. Acceptance is related to approach to the life. The humans who consider the life as the highest spiritual worth disagree with euthanasia legitimacy and opponents consider the life as biological condition which is created by human (the beginning is pregnancy and end of life is death). The society is minded to accept voluntary euthanasia. The society has to decide on that in the way of referendum. Part of the society would be ready to agree with euthanasia in the hopeless cases. Determination depends on agreement or disagreement with euthanasia. Majority confirms that life is the highest value, but on the other hand that part agrees with euthanasia. Therefore, the society goes round in circles between choice of traditional and postmodern values. Agreement with euthanasia shows that values system transforms rejecting traditional values, ethical provisions and that leads to the system of postmodern values. This fact determines undervaluation of traditional values and norms, different approaches to religious and moral provisions, backsliding from the Church and increasing individuality. Euthanasia legitimacy problems arise due to different society groups approaches. There are many opinions among representatives of different professions, men and women and etc.