Euthanasia, Ethics and Public Policy: An Argument against Legalisation (Cambridge Bioethics and Law)
Cambridge University Press
Edition: 2, 10/18/2018
EAN 9781107618336, ISBN10: 1107618339
Paperback, 558 pages, 22.8 x 15.2 x 2.8 cm
Language: English
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.
Part I. Definitions
1. Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide
2. Intended v. foreseen life-shortening
Part II. The Ethical Debate
Human Life, Autonomy, Legal Hypocrisy, and the 'Slippery Slope'
3. The value of human life
4. The value of autonomy
5. Legal hypocrisy?
6. The slippery slope arguments
Part III. The Dutch Experience
7. The guidelines
8. The first survey
the incidence of 'euthanasia'
9. Breach of the guidelines
10. The slide towards NVAE
11. The second survey
12. The Dutch in denial?
13. The Euthanasia Act and the Code of Practice
14. Effective control since 2002?
15. Continuing concerns
16. A right to physician-assisted suicide by stopping eating and drinking?
17. Assisted suicide for the elderly with 'completed lives'
Part IV. Belgium
18. The Belgian Legislation
19. The lack of effective control
Part V. Australia
20. The Northern Territory
ROTTI
Part VI. The United States
21. The United States
Oregon and six other jurisdictions
22. The US Supreme Court
Glucksberg and Vacco
Part VII. Canada
23. The Supreme Court of Canada
the Carter case
24. Canada's euthanasia legislation
25. Conclusion.