The medical profession assumes that there is a morally relevant difference between killing someone and letting someone die. In this essay, I will present different philosophical perspectives on the matter before giving my own opinion. There are a number of different terms applied to the concepts of killing someone and letting someone die. These generally include: active and passive euthanasia and voluntary and involuntary euthanasia. Active euthanasia, sometimes called "positive" euthanasia, involves a deliberate act, such as a lethal injection, that results in the death of a person. On the other hand, passive or “negative” euthanasia is classically defined as the omission of an act. For example, when a doctor decides not to administer life-prolonging medications or chooses to turn off a life support machine, this is considered passive euthanasia. These two types of euthanasia are not, however, strictly opposed in a binary manner. Even though active euthanasia leaves little room for ambiguity, the refusal of treatment that ultimately leads to death is clearly prohibited.....