Microsoft Encarta describes Euthanasia, also known as mercy killing, as the practice of ending a life so as to release an individual from an incurable disease or intolerable suffering.
There are three different types of Euthanasia; Voluntary, Passive (or negative) and Active (or positive)
Voluntary euthanasia involves a request by the dying patient or that person's legal representative.
Passive or negative euthanasia involves not doing something to prevent death--that is, allowing someone to die;
Active or positive euthanasia involves taking deliberate action to cause a death.…