Right to die

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The right to die is an entitlement to end one's life by suicide, assisted dying or voluntary euthanasia. This is often motivated by the desire to avoid needless suffering in cases involving serious illness. Most countries have prohibited such actions including assistance of suicide. Religious leaders have traditionally opposed to the right, considering it contrary to God's purposes, a threat to vulnerable individuals and a violation of the sanctity of life.

The right to die is considered by some ethicists to be a natural right. Others support the broad principle but do not go as far as to say it is an absolute right.

People generally accept that non-human animals can be "put to sleep" if they suffer extreme injury or sickness. However, we arbitrarily refuse to apply the same standard to the human animal.

Religious views[edit]

There is renewed interest in legalisation of voluntary euthanasia in the UK, with some former Anglican leaders supporting the campaign. [1] [2] The current Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby says it is "mistaken and dangerous". In July 2014, the Church of England announced it is opening an inquiry into the right to die. [3]

In a 2015 joint letter, many religious leaders in the UK expressed their opposition to the right to die on the grounds that it could put people could feel like they are a burden on family and friends or be put under pressure to agree to their own death. However, wanting to not be a burden on family and friends is arguably a legitimate reason for wanting to die.

"[Allowing assisted dying] has the potential to have a significant impact on other vulnerable individuals: those who believe that they have become burdens to family and carers and feel under pressure within themselves to “do the decent thing” and, tragically, those who might be pressured by others to seek a medically assisted death.[...] A law based on this assisted dying bill would put at risk many more vulnerable people than it seeks to help. [4]"

The Catholic Church opposes the right to die but considers medical interventions that prolong life but are excessively burdensome to be optional. [5] The Islamic view is broadly similar:

"When death becomes inevitable, as determined by physicians taking care of terminally ill patients, the patient should be allowed to die without unnecessary procedures.[6]"

Public support[edit]

United States[edit]

"70% of Americans [are] in favor of allowing doctors to hasten a terminally ill patient's death when the matter is described as allowing doctors to "end the patient's life by some painless means." [7]"

References[edit]


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