Commentary on “Four Arguments for Physician-Assisted Suicide and the Objections of Gorsuch”

Abstract

In response to Professor Kamm’s paper, I argue that, when properly used with the intention to relieve pain, there is NO situation where the use of morphine will cause the death of the patient with certainty. The use of morphine is guided by professional codes and the law. One cannot simply claim that morphine is given with an intention to relieve pain, but then gives a lethal dose. Regarding “letting die”, I argue that the nature and implications of an overt intention “not to force treatment” have important differences from those of an overt intention “to help the patient die”. One important difference is going down the slippery slope with the latter intention. I conclude that neither the permissibility of “using morphine to relieve pain” nor the permissibility of “not forcing treatment” lead to permissibility of physician-assisted suicide (PAS). In these issues, the overt intention matters. The justification for PAS has to depend on other arguments.