British author Terry Pratchett is a significant supporter of this:
Sir Terry Pratchett says he is ready to be a test case for assisted suicide "tribunals" which could give people legal permission to end their lives. The author, who has Alzheimer's, says he wants a tribunal set up to help those with incurable diseases end their lives with help from doctors. A poll for BBC One's Panorama suggests most people support assisted suicide for someone who is terminally ill. Sir Terry set out his ideas in Monday's annual Richard Dimbleby lecture. 'God's waiting room' In the keynote lecture, Shaking Hands With Death, the best-selling author said the "time is really coming" for assisted death to be legalised.
The author, who has Alzheimer's, says he wants a tribunal set up to help those with incurable diseases end their lives with help from doctors.
A poll for BBC One's Panorama suggests most people support assisted suicide for someone who is terminally ill.
Sir Terry set out his ideas in Monday's annual Richard Dimbleby lecture.
'God's waiting room'
In the keynote lecture, Shaking Hands With Death, the best-selling author said the "time is really coming" for assisted death to be legalised.
The idea that some people have a right to declare sacrosanct the life of other people appears increasingly silly to me...
What I find ridiculous in the euthanasia debate is the huge concern that people have for elderly people who may find their lives being snuffed out against their wishes, and yet we treat our old people appallingly in life. Dignity and respect appears to be off the menu to enable them to have a decent quality of life and then the anti-euthanasia camp use exactly the arguments of dignity and respect for campaigning against giving people choice over how their lives end. Ad astra per aspera
huge concern that people have for elderly people who may find their lives being snuffed out against their wishes, and yet we treat our old people appallingly in life. Dignity and respect appears to be off the menu
hardly an original thought, but isn't this entirely reminiscent of attitudes about abortion?
save the foetus!!!! possibly for a horrible life, but saved.
seems like fear of death is the main driver. ~"When an inner situation is not made conscious, it appears outside as fate." Karl Jung~
I should probably check back with her on her attitudes today. My wife has long advocated legal euthanasia at will. An OD from sodium penathol is a whole lot more peaceful than about any other means imaginable. The true terror is a botched suicide that leaves one aware but helpless. A form of assisted suicide is legal in the state of Oregon and I suspect it will spread. But legalization will be opposed by the Catholic Church and most fundamentalists and, I have been told by the son of a suicide, that for observant Jews, suicide is one of the worst things they can do. I regard this shared belief that "God will decide" and that "life is good", regardless of the circumstances, as the biggest single culturally normative insanity of which I am aware. As the Dutch said while fighting the Spanish: "It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."
