End of Life Issues Essay

Euthanasia means â€Å"good death† but today the term is deemed as a merciful action to rid someone of suffering. In many cases we have seen terminally ill patients euthanized active or passive, yet for the sake of my essay I will discuss active euthanasia. End of life issues is a topic many families are faced with everyday more than one likes to imagine; however, imagine that you were a significant other who has a loved one in the hospital suffering from a terminal illness and their pain is unbearable that your loved one has decided to end his life and the subject of euthanasia comes up. What would you do? The first thought that would come to mind is that this is morally wrong and unacceptable in our society. I will talk about euthanasia and how three ethical theories presented in this course would better help answer your question of euthanasia being morally wrong. The moral theory of Immanuel Kant’s Deontology helps ethically with the views of euthanasia and the stren gths and weakness of egoism and Utilitarianism will also be presented. This is where the deontological approach might help a family understand that it’s morally acceptable to comfort their loved one as he or she accepts active euthanasia as a means to end their life. Deontology argues that an action is right or wrong in itself irrespective of the consequences and it is our duty our good will as Kant puts it to do the right thing. I ask the question what determines that right thing. Might it be religion and the word of god for those that believe in God or might it be for you several universal principles. Kant’s categorical says to Act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, always at the same time as an end and never merely as a means to an end. In other words, all people—including you—deserve respect. It would always be wrong to treat people as objects, or as a way of achieving some goal, or in another way that does not show respect. (Kant 1997, 1998)  that we treat people as ends in themselves and not means to our ends. In other words we must respect the wishes of the patient. The strengths of Deontology as it relates to euthanasia is that the deontology argument is based on rules and an action is good if it follows the rule. The results doesn’t matter the only thing that matters is that we treat others with respect and love for that is something we should want for ourselves. The right to choose euthanasia is a right in its own and to also appeal to some natural laws when you say that a person â€Å"should be able to choose whether they live or die.† These are both rules. Your argument is that euthanasia is consistent with these rules and is therefore ethical. This is a deontological argument. Although, Kant held that if one commits suicide because one believes that the remainder of one’s life will be filled with more discomfort than pleasure, then one fails to treat oneself as an end and so long as one retains the capacities that would make you a person than one should always r espect that life. Critics of deontology stated that the Kantian version seems too sterile and fails to capture some of the complex issues that arise when we confront ethical problems in real life (moser, 2013). The weakness to my argument as it relates to deontology and euthanasia is that taking your own life will not be morally acceptable in today’s society. With that being said, Kant did not believe in the outcome of an action or whether or not it’s ethical. When considering euthanasia, then, Kant will not be interested in the level of suffering of the patient or relatives. He would not agree that we should do the loving thing. He would work out what the right thing to do was. With Kant’s categorical imperative Kant assumes that being a moral person is a requirement and Universalizing the maxim â€Å"I helping a love one to die† would give a universal law that everyone should be helped to die – a self-contradiction. If you took the maxim â€Å"I should help that love one, who is terminally ill, suffering unbearably and desperate to die, to die† you might create a more acceptable universal rule such as â€Å"Anyone who is terminally and incurably ill, suffering greatly and has freely chosen to die, should be helped to die†( rsrevision ). Also, some may say that deontology may require one to act in a way that seems obviously wrong and unethical. The deontologist maintains that some or all actions are right or wrong in themselves because of the type of action they are whether or not they produce the greater good.  This type of view is less easy to systematize than the Consequentiality view. The second ethical theory The Eg oist believes that the right action is always that which has the best consequences for the doer of the action, or agent. As with Utilitarianism, there are different versions of this doctrine according to whether the good consequences are seen in terms of maximum pleasure, minimum pain (Hedonistic Egoism) or in terms of other good consequences for the agent, such as his or her self- development or flourishing. At first sight, Hedonistic Egoism seems to prescribe a life spent trampling on anyone who gets in one’s way, and so to be ruled out as contrary to everything that is normally thought of as right. But ever since Plato philosophers have realized that in general human beings cannot maximize pleasure in that way. Most people are not strong enough to do this with impunity, and in any case most people need friendship and cooperation with others for their own happiness. So Hedonistic Egoism cannot be dismissed quite so hastily. However, occasions would arise where Hedonistic Egoism, like Hedonistic Utilitarianism, demands ruthless action. For example, it would prescribe involuntary euthanasia to a doctor or caregiver who would gain a good deal from someone’s death, did not care enough about the victim to miss him personally and could conceal his deed from anyone who did. Such people, if rational, would not even feel guilty, for they would by their creed have done the right thing. A doctrine which prescribes this, even if on rare occasions, is too much at variance with our ordinary ideas of morality to be persuasive. However, Higher Egoism is another matter. For example, Aristotle’s doctrine is that the right policy in life is not to pursue our own pleasure but to develop our own fl ourishing or foster our best selves. And the best self is a non-egoistic self, who cultivates the kind of friendship in which friends are second selves and possesses all the moral virtues, including other-regarding ones such as generosity and justice. This kind of Egoism, instead of telling us always to pursue our own welfare, in a sense breaks down the distinction between self and others; we could not readily criticize it on the ground that it was obviously at variance with our ordinary moral views. On the other hand, it is not much use as a guide to action. We first need to know what kinds of action are virtuous in order to cultivate the virtues Aristotle speaks of. The appeal of the Aristotelian approach today is not as a guide, but as a general  framework in which one may set the moral life, and indeed all aspects of life. Aristotle thinks we cannot but pursue our own good as we see it, and perhaps he is right. But he aims to win us to a noble view of that good, in which our own true welfare is to be the best we can be. He lays stress on the distinctive nature of man and on the best life as one in which rational faculties are well exercised. The idea of a death with dignity, one in which these values are preserved, fits well with his outlook (Dr. Elizabeth Telfer, 2013). John’s Stuart Mill Utilitarianism is my third ethical theory that will be discussed here in our focus of euthanasia and whether or not it’s morally acceptable. One would consider when making a decision about euthanasia for an ill family member that according to Mill The utilitarian doctrine is, that happiness is desirable, and the only thing desirable, as an en d; all other things being only desirable as means to that end. My interpretation is that in other words, we are to treat others and ourselves as a means to an end, and it would be immoral to use people and ourselves as a mere means. Happiness is something that can be experienced so far as we understand when we are alive. Mill also states that â€Å"†¦ there is in reality nothing desired except happiness. Whatever is desired otherwise than as a means to some end beyond itself, and ultimately to happiness, is desired as itself a part of happiness, and is not desired for itself until it has become so.†Utilitarianism seeks to find an answer to why people behave the way that they do, and according to Mill our actions derive from the pursuit of happiness. I would argue that according to utilitarianism that one does not commit suicide in order to seek happiness as an end. In conclusion, no one wants to be put in a situation where a loved one who’s terminally ill and is in unthinkable pain and therefore, has to makes up his or her mind to end their life through active euthanasia. I used deontology because the approach is very popular form of problem solving in ethical situations and egoism but Utilitarianism because it would give me comfort to know that I’m making the right decision morally for the patient and for selfish reasons. The three ethical theories are clear and easy to understand and frequently non ambiguous; however, right or wrong whether or not end of life decisions will be debated if not it’s morally accepted. I hope after analyzing these theories that I’m able to give comfort to someone that has to consider euthanasia for a loved one but I’m quite sure the debate will continue until  as a society we come to accept that your life is your life and yours to do what you wish with it.

Business finance Essay

(i) Eli Lilly is very excited because sales for his nursery and plant company are expected to double from $600,000 to $1,200,000 next year. Eli notes that net assets (Assets — Liabilities) will remain at 50 percent of sales. His firm will enjoy an 8 percent return on total sales. He will start the year with $120,000 in the bank and is bragging about the Jaguar and luxury townhouse he will buy. Does his optimistic outlook for his cash position appear to be correct? Compute his likely cash balance or deficit for the end of the year. Start with beginning cash and subtract the asset buildup (equal to 50 percent of the sales increase) and add in profit. (ii) In problem 1 if there had been no increase in sales and all other facts were the same, what would Eli’s ending cash balance be? What lesson do the examples in problems 1 and 2 illustrate? (i) The calculation starts with the beginning cash which is subtracted the asset buildup and then added in profit. As to why subtract the asset buildup? This is because the calculation should be working with net assets (assets and liabilities), which is short for â€Å"assets not financed with debt†. Because any asset not financed with debt in reality must be funded either with fresh equity or with retained earnings, the total $300,000 increase in assets needs to be supported by an increase in debt (Jensson, 2006). Beginning cash $120,000 Asset buildup (300,000) (50%* $1,200,000) Profit 96,000 (8%* $1,200,000) Ending cash ($84,000) Deficit Therefore, his optimistic outlook for his cash position is wrong. Cash will be in a deficit. (ii) In problem 1 if there had been no increase in sales and all other facts, the new calculation is shown below. Beginning cash $120,000 Asset buildup (0) Profit 48,000 (8%* $600,000) Ending cash $168,000 Balance Therefore, even though no increase in sales, Eli Lilly would end up with cash balance but not deficit. From the examples in problem 1 and 2, we can learn the lessons that higher sales may not translate into higher cash flow. The more sales obtain, the more financing requirements needed (Dechow et al., 1998). For example, the cash may be used for building up inventories, which may depreciate in value or even become obsolete if the inventories are not sold in a timely manner. Inventories are valued as assets since they tie up capital; hence they are expected to be sold as soon as possible so that realizing investment return. The expenses of building up inventories are not recorded until products are actually sold. Inventories become liabilities when life cycle ends either because of expiry or by becoming discounted/ obsolete (Buzacott & Zhang, 2004). In problem 1 even though the company’s sales are expected to double, the assets remain 50% of the increased sales, which leads to significant cash reduction even for a potential profitable firm. In order to ensure cash balance, Eli Lilly should try to sell the liquid assets such as inventories as soon as possible. On the other hand, because the sales keep the same in problem 2, there is no more capital needed to build up assets. All in all, increasing sales not necessarily lead to more cash balance. References: Buzacott, J. A., & Zhang, R. Q. (2004). Inventory management with asset-based financing. Management Science, 50(9), 1274-1292. Dechow, P. M., Kothari, S. P., & L Watts, R. (1998). The relation between earnings and cash flows. Journal of Accounting and Economics, 25(2), 133-168. Jensson, P. (2006). Profitability Assessment Model. Reykjavà ­k, Iceland.

English - reading the novel life before us and questions Essay

English - reading the novel life before us and questions - Essay Example He then questions whether it is French. He further likens time to the desert with its camels that are not in hurry because they carry eternity on their back. In this instance, Momo relates time to how an aging man can change his appearance day by day until he eventually dies. This is why Momo gives his opinion about time and says that time is just a thief, meaning that time takes away people’s lives as they become older and older. Momo was fascinated by the turn of events because he heard several voices at the same time. Someone was crying and asking the other not to kill him. However, the man kept on crying but the bastard wanted to kill him several times. This instance also fascinated Momo since he had never seen someone die more than once. Momo was fascinated with the idea of reversing time because it reminded him of several issues that happened in the past. Reversing time created the impression that everyone must change his/her way of doing things. This is why when Momo rushed in as one man, he finds everyone walking backwards. Madame Rosa believes that Monsieur Kadir Yousef who is allegedly Momo’s dad suffers from a mental problem. In his condition and because he is too emotional and gets annoyed by simple issues, Madame Rosa believes that Momo is not safe in his hands. Madame Rosa also plays a trick because she loves Momo so much that she could stand to see him suffering in hands of Kadir Yousef. Even though Kadir tries to convince Madame Rosa that he does not have violent fits anymore, Madame Rosa feels that he is not completely cured on that side. Kadir’s story about commitment is not convincing since he did not clearly tell Madame Rosa why he could not stand emotion. Also, according to all he says, it is not possible to understand his intention of insisting to see the kid. Momo remained silent because all along he did not know whether his father was dead or alive. In his silence, he

Nursing Change initiative paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Nursing Change initiative paper - Essay Example This paper will discuss the change effort to be made in one institution, Comanche Regional Hospital. Most people that have a change issue in their company are aware that a change needs to happen. They begin to get complaints or sales fall off. In the case of Comanche Regional Hospital the bottom line is running in the red and the turnover rate of new motivated managers is very high because of the age and beliefs of the older senior team running the facility. Even when there is a need for change as great as this one, however, complacency is most often the problem (Kotter, 1996). Urgency, at this stage must be created. In this case, there is a huge barrier and that is the mature management team that has been there for some time and talks a lot about change but never sees it happen. The next step in this case is the board. Creating a sense of urgency demands risky action. Going to a board meeting with a group of recent department directors who turned over quickly and customers that have in the past used the hospital is the move in this case that will create urgency the fastest. At the same time take a well created report to a management meeting showing how the bottom line is dropping off, how many jobs will be lost in what departments (it is much more urgent for a department director who must go to his staff and tell them they are laid off) and show over the last two years the number of department directors that have been hired and who have left the organization. Relate that to the cost of recruiting, hiring, and orienting this group. Continue by showing where the hospital could be as far as raises and incentives and management bonus if the bottom line is improved and that money is not spent recruiting the same positions all the time. Most recently there has been a very poor JCAHO review which came close to causing a closure of the facility. This has created a sense of urgency in itself and because of that and that we will create it is time to strike. Create a Coalition In every organization there are formal and informal leaders. Those people must be identified at this time as they will need to be on the guiding coalition. There are two champions that have influence and could be chosen at this time. One is Dr. Ben who has general influence in the hospital as well as in the community. He is well liked and retired from practice but working closely with other physicians. The other is Dr. Dale who is the head of the hospitalist program and this year will be Chief of Staff. Nurse D will be added to the list as she is a manager of the medical departments and has a good ability to work well with management as well as the nurses and staff. She is highly respected. Nurse A is the department director for the critical care units and due to the fact that she is fairly new to the hospital and has led successful change in her past, she is a great addition to this coalition. JP is a board member who has good communication skills among all of the different faction s and has respect on both side of the boundaries. He will provide the coalition with more power and be able to carry what is needed back to the board. Each of the other seats will be filled by staff people who have been progressive in stepping out of the box to improve things in their

Terrorism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Terrorism - Research Paper Example Terrorism has existed throughout history and across different political systems. Just as there are many ways terrorism is carried out, many definitions of the term exist. However, all kinds of terror attacks revolve around use of violent methods of execution, targeting governments and civilians, with the sole purpose of inculcating fear to force social and political changes. Terrorism began way back in the century of Judea, and it has changed in organization, financing and tactics throughout the years. For example, with the emergence of technology, terrorist groups in the twenty first century have greatly utilized this technology to make their demands. Terrorist groups evolve and adapt according to constantly changing law enforcement tactics and intelligence agencies. This is evident when we look at present day activities of these groups and the fact that some even hide behind the veil of religious groups and organizations. All states and nations need to take necessary measures to pr otect the rights of every individual within their authority from terrorist attacks. Flexible counterterrorist policies and strategies need to be taken in order to be able to respond to the threat of terrorism, which is divided and wide in scope. Keywords: Terrorism, Terrorists, Terror Attacks, Organization, Financing, Tactics, Technology, Law Enforcement Tactics, Intelligence Agencies, States, Nations, Measures, Counterterrorist Policies Different forms of terrorism have been practiced all through history and across different political systems. ... In seventh century India, thugee cult members ceremonially throttled their victims in a practice of offering sacrifice to the Hindu goddess known as Kali (Kushner, 2003). The term terrorism appeared during the French revolution. The term was used by Edmund Burke, a British Political Philosopher, to define the situation in revolutionary Paris. White asserts that â€Å"He referred to the violence as the Reign of Terror, and he used the word terrorism to describe the actions of the new government† (2009, p.123). During the wars that took place in Napoleons reign, the meaning of terrorism begun to undergo slight transformations. The Spanish during the Peninsula War called partisans patriots, while the French called them terrorists. Thus â€Å"the meaning of terrorism shifted away from governmental repression and seemed to apply to those who resisted governments† (White, 2009, p.123). The transformation in the definition of what terrorism is continued into the nineteenth cen tury. The nature of European violence in the 1800s changed the meaning of terrorism in the minds of western people. Transition in the history of western terrorism was spearheaded by Heinzen and Most. Western terrorism had been formed by a circle of radical revolutionaries who administered mass executions on behalf of the French government. As Spanish partisans terrorized French troops with unconventional methods after the 1807 French invasion of Spain, there was a subtle shift in the meaning of terrorism when socialists, anarchists and communists were identified as terrorists. Despite the fact the anarchists in the nineteenth century were identified as terrorist, they were no terrorists. This is because they did not

Change Management Framework in Healthcare Research Paper

Change Management Framework in Healthcare - Research Paper Example The health care managers and professionals obligations and duties is to maintain and acquire the expertise skills needed for them to undertake their managerial and professional tasks. Changes are always around us, and the opportune moment of making the changes participating fully is the way to support. There are various ways to make the transformational changes in the managements of the hospitals and the changes results to the benefits of the healthcare environment. Managing changes is more of handling the complexities involved in the success of that process. It is the planning, evaluating, and operations implementations, the strategies and tactics and making sure the changes taken are more relevant and worthwhile. Change management is a dynamic, complex and a challenging process; it is always a combination of the efforts of the oriented people and the technological solutions as well (Davies, Finlay and Bullman, 2000). To make the changes is a demanding and fatiguing process that involves cooperation of the people at stake. In order to bring in a change or adapt to another situation will require the manager to challenge the standards and the precedents a well as requiring perseverance against some of the norms and habits of the established behaviors. To bring about change requires the manager to have a time commitment. He or she must understand some of the values that matters and his focus to the values that need to change instead of new ones. The manager can check on what is suitable in the healthcare management how it will affect the patients, staff, employees and the society in general. The healthcare manger on evaluating the necessary changes that will be suitable in the health care organization is changing the lives and the environment of the institutions and making it better. Being clear to what is necessarily important and developing proactive actions and responses accordingly is what makes the success of the institution. The key strategies in the

Child labor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Child labor - Essay Example Many children along with their parents suffered life-threatening injuries – punctured eyeballs, scarred legs and missing limbs – from the sharp blades and machines in the field. (Buckley para. 1, 2 http://www.commondreams.org/views/031600-102.htm) Several child laborers experience harsh living conditions. They are locked, sometimes chained, in crowded rooms for long hours like prisoners. Many develop illnesses and diseases like silicosis and tuberculosis. Some are kidnapped and later sold to flesh traders as slaves. Employers at times abuse the children by beating them, branding them with hot irons like livestock, torture them, or deprive them of food. In worst cases, they get killed while at work. (Kalmes para. 6 http://www.ilstu.edu/~jnassar/child.html) Probably the major cause of child labor in some, if not all, of the countries is poverty and underdevelopment. Child labor makes it a necessity for economic advancement. Another problem is the differences in culture. For example, some Hindi societies have a natural division of labor called castes, and because children are better at tasks that need little to no experience, they are deprived of schooling and are made to work instead. Furthermore, putting a stop to child labor does not assure a better life for the child. These children, and their families, work to live. This circumstance might push them to enter dangerous jobs. (Kalmes para. 3 http://www.ilstu.edu/~jnassar/child.html). One of the causes of child labor may be in relation to the global market. Third World countries prefer to use child labor to fit their economies. Because of globalization and the growing economic condition worldwide, the demand for exports in the developing countries increased. To provide an adequate supply for that demand, however, these countries have opted to find cheap labor to cut production costs, and this