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The Morality of Euthanasia
The Morality of Euthanasia

Author(s): Adam Greif
Subject(s): Ethics / Practical Philosophy, Health and medicine and law
Published by: Filozofický ústav SAV
Keywords: Legalisation; moral freedom; morality; needlessness of euthanasia; requested euthanasia; sanctity; slippery slope;

Summary/Abstract: In this paper, I defend the view that the requested euthanasia of adults is morally permissible and should be legalised; I use an argument from analogy which compares physician-assisted euthanasia with morally less ambiguous and, in my opinion, an acceptable instance of mercy killing. I also respond to several objections that either try to prove that the instance of mercy killing is not acceptable, or that there is a fundamental difference between these two cases of killing. Furthermore, in the remainder of the paper I defend the moral permissibility and legalisation of euthanasia against several objections that appeared in local disputes on this issue, based on the concepts of the limits of freedom, the slippery slope, and the needlessness of euthanasia.

  • Issue Year: 26/2019
  • Issue No: 4
  • Page Range: 612-634
  • Page Count: 23
  • Language: English