Chapter
Death With Dignity and the Sanctity of Life (IN: Last Rights? Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia Debated, edited by M M Uhlmann)
Kass L R~~~~~~
The author argues the following: 1) human dignity & the sanctity of life not only are compatible but, if rightly understood, go hand in hand; 2) death with dignity, rightly understood, is largely about exercising the humanity that life makes possible, often to the very end, & has very little to do with medical procedures or the causes of death; 3) the sanctity & dignity of life are entirely compatible with letting die but not with deliberately killing; 4) the practice of euthanasia will not promote human dignity. A rush to embrace it will only accelerate societal tendencies that undermine not only dignified conduct but even decent human relations.