LNAT essay help :)

LNAT essay help :smile:

Hi guys! I'm taking the LNAT this year for law and I wrote my first practice essay to see how I would do in the time. I was wondering if someone could help me by reading the essay and telling me what I can do to improve.
For context, LNAT essays are written in 40 minutes and are not meant to go over 700 words - I used around 620 words

The question I've written on is: Should euthanasia be legalised in the UK?

This is my essay:

Euthanasia should be legalised in the UK, provided that it is voluntary. Voluntary euthanasia is the act of killing a person with their consent, for example by using drugs or injections. Euthanasia is often discussed in cases where a person’s quality of life, often due to illness or disability, is causing them extreme pain or suffering. Euthanasia should be legalised in the UK in these cases as it promotes an individual’s right to free will and can end extreme suffering faced by an individual.

Free will is an important factor in our daily lives. When euthanasia is not legalised for patients, they are denied this right to free will. Even in cases of other medical practice, free will is prioritised, with a ‘competent’ adult being able to deny medical treatment. Why should this not be the same case in euthanasia, when the appropriate consent is given? Why should those suffering be forced to live due to the will of others? In certain circumstances, people with disabilities and illnesses may be experiencing extreme suffering, of which many people will never understand. It does not make sense that an entity outside of this individual case, such as legislation in place, can make a decision for a person’s life. Euthanasia should be legalised as it reflects the rights of an individual to choose what they want to do with their body. A person being forced to live, not by their own choice, but by the legislation in place, cannot lead to an enjoyable existence. In fact, this lack of free will in the choice of their own life could lead to further consequences such as depression and a sense of hopelessness.

The legalisation of euthanasia is important for those whose daily lives are filled with pain and suffering, with death seeming a release from this hardship. Many patients request euthanasia due to a lack of happiness and comfort in their current life, and they would prefer an escape from this. The suffering faced by these individuals often affects the majority of aspects of their lives, resulting in them being unable to escape it. Death by euthanasia can allow them to escape this constant state of suffering that they may be living in.

Some people may believe that the legalisation of euthanasia could lead to it being used irresponsibly, for example with doctors pressuring patients into using it due to a lack of resources or without a patient’s full knowledge and consent. Regulating the usage of euthanasia on such a wide scale across the UK may be difficult to monitor. However, euthanasia will always be treated as a serious and important decision, no matter what the legislation in place. The act of euthanasia is different to a refusal of medical treatment due one key reason: its consequence. The importance of such a responsibility on a patient, medical staff and the family members of those involved in this decision will not be treated lightly. Just because euthanasia is legalised does not mean regulations will be put in place to follow proper procedure on who receives this treatment, as there is for various consensual medical issues throughout the UK. Access to euthanasia can still be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, but with legalisation it can become a much more affordable, accessible option, with patients not having to undergo the treatment in other countries. The main thing that the legalisation of euthanasia achieves is allowing patients the freedom to make informed decisions about their own lives.

In conclusion, euthanasia should be legalised in the UK, provided the case is regarded as a whole and informed consent is provided by a competent adult. The use of euthanasia is an important right for individuals in the UK, allowing freedom of choice and a chance to end extreme suffering.

Thanks so much!!

Reply 1

prangoswa

Just a couple of points - my 2 cents :

"Euthanasia should be legalised in the UK, provided that it is voluntary. Voluntary euthanasia is the act of killing a person with their consent, for example by using drugs or injections." - you are defining the concept and explaining the procedure. Why?

The question is about legalizing euthanasia - so you could delve into the legalize / don't legalize argument, without explaining the basic concepts.

Explaining the basic concepts seems to be counterintuitive, since the question is assuming that you know what it is all about.

Also, use some strong stand-alone statements (that stand out) to stress some points. Like "The right to life includes the right to death".

Would also be good to include some examples that you may remember. Even you cannot remember the specifics, they can be generic examples like "In a recent case in the US ...." and "in a similar case in Australia ..."

Hope this helps.

(edited 11 months ago)

Reply 2

igulati06