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Related Experiment Videos

Moving from voluntary euthanasia to non-voluntary euthanasia: equality and compassion.

Kumar Amaraskekara1, Mirko Bagaric

  • 1Deakin University, School of Law, Burwood Highway, Burwood, Victoria, Australia 3125.

Ratio Juris
|April 11, 2006
PubMed
Summary

Legalizing voluntary euthanasia may lead to non-voluntary euthanasia for incompetent patients. A lack of a "best interests" test makes this path ethically problematic, arguing against legalizing voluntary euthanasia.

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Area of Science:

  • Medical Ethics
  • Law and Medicine
  • Bioethics

Background:

  • The recent Dutch law legalizing active voluntary euthanasia has reignited the global euthanasia debate.
  • Compassion is a central argument for voluntary active euthanasia, extending to incompetent patients.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the moral implications of legalizing active voluntary euthanasia by examining its logical consequences.
  • To assess the ethical permissibility of extending euthanasia to incompetent patients.

Main Methods:

  • Philosophical argumentation analyzing the implications of legalizing euthanasia.
  • Review of legal and ethical authorities regarding patient best interests.

Main Results:

  • Legalizing active voluntary euthanasia could logically lead to pressure for active non-voluntary euthanasia for incompetent patients.
Keywords:
Airedale NHS Trust v. BlandAnalytical ApproachDeath and EuthanasiaInternational Covenant on Civil and Political RightsLegal Approach

Related Experiment Videos

  • Arguments of compassion and equality may drive the push for non-voluntary euthanasia.
  • A coherent and workable "best interests" test for determining the wishes of incompetent patients does not exist.

    • Conclusions:

    • The lack of a reliable "best interests" test presents a significant ethical barrier.
    • Permitting active voluntary euthanasia may initiate a "slippery slope" towards undesirable non-voluntary euthanasia.
    • This ethical analysis provides a strong reason to refrain from legalizing active voluntary euthanasia.