Euthanasia, Ethics and Public Policy: An Argument against Legalisation

Author : "John Keown, DCL (Georgetown University, Washington DC)"

Paperback

Published : Thursday 18 October 2018

ISBN : 9781107618336

Price : €38.55

Description

The book explains to the reader (general or specialist) the powerful 'slippery slope' arguments against legalising 'assisted dying'. Drawing on the experience of legalisation in the Netherlands, Belgium and Oregon, it shows that 'assisted dying' cannot be effectively controlled by law.

This book argues against the legalisation of voluntary euthanasia and/or physician-assisted suicide on the ground that, even if they were ethically defensible in certain 'hard cases', neither could be effectively controlled by law. It maintains that the experience of legalisation in the Netherlands, Belgium and Oregon lends support to the two 'slippery slope' arguments against legalisation, the 'empirical' and the 'logical'. The empirical argument challenges the feasibility of drafting and enforcing adequate safeguards against abuse and mistake; the logical argument shows that acceptance of the case for euthanasia in the case of suffering patients who request it logically involves acceptance of euthanasia for suffering patients who are unable to request it, such as infants and those with advanced dementia.

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