Assessing the Arguments for and Against Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide: Part two

This article emphasizes external factors that may contribute to people’s attitudes toward euthanasia & assisted suicide. Moral elements of intention, mercy, compassion, self-interest, pragmatism, foresight & sacrifice are discussed. The author notes that if quality of life judgments & social utility judgments are constantly held in check by both a public philosophy of examining intentionality & the memory of the Holocaust, society will be well on the way toward providing a humane solution to the problem of suffering at the end of life. (37 refs) (SC)