Ronald Dworkin on abortion and assisted suicide

Area of Science:

• Bioethics
• Moral Philosophy

Background:

• Ronald Dworkin's theories on the intrinsic value of life and its implications for abortion are examined.
• Dworkin's arguments regarding the moral distinctions in assisted suicide, specifically killing vs. letting die and intending vs. foreseeing death, are analyzed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically evaluate Dworkin's philosophical positions on the value of life, abortion, and assisted suicide.
• To explore the moral relevance of distinctions in end-of-life decision-making.
• To propose an alternative argument for physician-assisted suicide.

Main Methods:

• Philosophical analysis and critique of Dworkin's theories.
• Examination of moral distinctions in bioethical contexts.
• Development of a novel argument for physician-assisted suicide.

Main Results:

• Questions are raised regarding Dworkin's theory of intrinsic life value and its application to abortion.
• The moral relevance of the killing/letting die distinction in assisted suicide is affirmed in certain contexts.
• The intention/foresight distinction's moral relevance in assisted suicide is shown to be variable.

Conclusions:

• Dworkin's framework for understanding abortion and life's value requires further scrutiny.
• Nuance is necessary when applying distinctions like killing vs. letting die and intention vs. foresight to assisted suicide.
• An alternative ethical framework supporting physician-assisted suicide is presented.