Autonomy-based arguments against physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia: a critique [Book Review]
Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy 16 (2):225-230 (2013)
Abstract |
Respect for autonomy is typically considered a key reason for allowing physician assisted suicide and euthanasia. However, several recent papers have claimed this to be grounded in a misconception of the normative relevance of autonomy. It has been argued that autonomy is properly conceived of as a value, and that this makes assisted suicide as well as euthanasia wrong, since they destroy the autonomy of the patient. This paper evaluates this line of reasoning by investigating the conception of valuable autonomy. Starting off from the current debate in end-of-life care, two different interpretations of how autonomy is valuable is discussed. According to one interpretation, autonomy is a personal prudential value, which may provide a reason why euthanasia and assisted suicide might be against a patient’s best interests. According to a second interpretation, inspired by Kantian ethics, being autonomous is unconditionally valuable, which may imply a duty to preserve autonomy. We argue that both lines of reasoning have limitations when it comes to situations relevant for end-of life care. It is concluded that neither way of reasoning can be used to show that assisted suicide or euthanasia always is impermissible
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Keywords | Autonomy Bioethics Assisted suicide Euthanasia Palliative care Palliative sedation Paternalism Ethical theory |
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ISBN(s) | |
DOI | 10.1007/s11019-011-9365-5 |
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References found in this work BETA
Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals.Immanuel Kant - 1785 - In Elizabeth Schmidt Radcliffe, Richard McCarty, Fritz Allhoff & Anand Vaidya (eds.), Late Modern Philosophy: Essential Readings with Commentary. Blackwell.
Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals.Immanuel Kant - 1996 - In Practical Philosophy. Cambridge University Press. pp. 37-108.
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Citations of this work BETA
Relational Autonomy in End-of-Life Care Ethics: A Contextualized Approach to Real-Life Complexities.Carlos Gómez-Vírseda, Yves de Maeseneer & Chris Gastmans - 2020 - BMC Medical Ethics 21 (1):1-14.
Autonomy, Voluntariness and Assisted Dying.Ben Colburn - 2020 - Journal of Medical Ethics 46 (5):316-319.
How Do Physicians Perceive Quality of Life? Ethical Questioning in Neonatology.Marie-Ange Einaudi, Catherine Gire, Pascal Auquier & Pierre Le Coz - 2015 - BMC Medical Ethics 16 (1):50.
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