Rethinking Voluntary Euthanasia

Abstract

Our goal in this article is to explicate the way, and the extent to which, euthanasia can be voluntary from both the perspective of the patient and the perspective of the health care providers involved in the patient's care. More significantly, we aim to challenge the way in which those engaged in ongoing philosophical debates regarding the morality of euthanasia draw distinctions between voluntary, involuntary, and nonvoluntary euthanasia on the grounds that drawing the distinctions in the traditional manner (1) fails to reflect what is important from the patient's perspective and (2) fails to reflect the significance of health care providers' interests, including their autonomy and integrity.

Wish to Die: Suicide and Its Link to Euthanasia

“…The termination of life is not and should not be permissible simply because a patient requests to die (Stoyles & Costreie, 2013). In these cases, an understanding of the motivators involved in this decision is need.…”

“…With that in mind, it becomes necessary to carefully ponder upon the patient’s wish to die and its consistency as well as the likelihood of its mutability both in the context of assisted death practices and suicide. The termination of life is not and should not be permissible simply because a patient requests to die (Stoyles & Costreie, 2013). In these cases, an understanding of the motivators involved in this decision is need.…”