Dying with dignity, but what is dignity?

Area of Science:

• Moral Philosophy
• Legal Philosophy
• Bioethics

Background:

• The concept of dignity is central to euthanasia debates but is often ambiguous and contested.
• Existing philosophical frameworks present divergent interpretations of dignity.
• The relationship between dignity and individual autonomy requires clarification within these debates.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically examine the concept of dignity within the euthanasia debate.
• To analyze the historical and philosophical underpinnings of dignity.
• To establish a normative basis for euthanasia grounded in autonomy.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis of the term "dignity".
• Historical review of philosophical traditions (e.g., Cicero, Kant, Waldron).
• Argumentation focusing on the relationship between dignity and autonomy.

Main Results:

• "Dignity" is not a univocal concept but is marked by ongoing disputes and multiple interpretations.
• Autonomy is identified as a plausible foundation for dignity.
• Paternalistic restrictions on individual decisions in the name of dignity are conceptually problematic.

Conclusions:

• A conception of dignity grounded in autonomy provides a normative basis for euthanasia.
• Euthanasia can be understood as an expression of an autonomous decision regarding one's own death.
• This framework challenges paternalistic interventions that limit self-determination in end-of-life choices.