Euthanasia, ethics and public policy : an argument against legalisation

Resource Information

The work Euthanasia, ethics and public policy : an argument against legalisation represents a distinct intellectual or artistic creation found in European University Institute. This resource is a combination of several types including: Work, Language Material, Books.

Label

Euthanasia, ethics and public policy : an argument against legalisation

Title remainder

an argument against legalisation

Statement of responsibility

John Keown, Georgetown University

Creator

• Keown, John

Subject

• Euthanasia -- Law and legislation
• Euthanasia -- Moral and ethical aspects
• Terminal care -- Law and legislation
• Terminal care -- Moral and ethical aspects

Language

eng

Summary

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.--

Member of

• Cambridge bioethics and law

Assigning source

Provided by publisher

Cataloging source

UkCbUP

Index

index present

Literary form

non fiction

Nature of contents

dictionaries

Series statement

• Cambridge bioethics and law
• Cambridge Social Sciences eBooks