Machine generated contents note: Table of Cases xi
Table of legislation xv
Introduction: Medicine Men, Outlaws and Voluntary Euthanasia 1
1. To Kill or not to Kill; is that the Euthanasia Question? 9
Introduction-Why Euthanasia? 9
Dead or alive? 16
Euthanasia as Homicide 25
Euthanasia as Death with Dignity 29
2. Euthanasia and Clinically assisted Death: from Caring to Killing? 35
Introduction 35
The Indefinite Continuation of Palliative Treatment 38
Withholding or Withdrawing Treatment 44
The Principle of Double Effect 54
Physician Assisted Suicide 60
Mercy Killing 64
Conclusions 66
3. Consent to Treatment but Not to Death 69
Introduction-Why Consent? 69
Without Consent 70
Killing and Consent 73
Valid Consent, Freely Given? 74
Old Enough to Consent 80
Deciding for Others 82
Conclusions-A Consent Too Far? 93
4. Autonomy, Self-determination and Self-destruction 95
Introduction-Autonomous Choices 95
Choosing to Die-Suicide and Autonomy 100
Suicidal Intentions 107
Autonomous Clinical Discretion 110
Deciding to Live or Die-Whose Decision? 112
5. Living Wills and the Will to Die 115
Introduction 115
I Know My Will 118
This is My Will 121
I Will Decide 128
Will My Will be Done? 134
Where There's a Will 137
Conclusions 143
6. Is Euthanasia a Dignified Death? 145
Introduction-Why Dignity? 145
Needing Dignity 146
Finding Dignity 149
Achieving Dignity in Dying 151
Dignifying Death 157
7. Conclusions: Dignified Life, Dignified Death and Dignified Law 165
Select Bibliography 175
Index 183.