Watched the Terry Pratchet- Dimblemby lecture last night where he spoke quite eloquently on the subject. My Life my death as a simplification of his view on this moral issue.
Personally I agree that at times we are prolonging death rather than life, there is a quality threshold that once exceeded means I would not want to live and I accept that it is someone freedom to choose - as it is with so many other issues- about their own life/death. There are some complex issues regarding mental capacity deciding if it is OK but overall I am in favour of allowing/permitting this.
Wondered what the STW consensus - could happen- was on this.
Chat Forum
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Assisted Suicide - for or against
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Posted 2 years ago #
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for.
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I'd have to come down on the "For" side here, but there have to be proper safeguards in place. How those safeguards are set is a task which needs serious work.
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Always been for it. It is humane to put an animal down when their life isn't worth living and it should be humane to do it to a human.
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For.
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For
but what about a young adult who is a jehova's witness wanting to die rather than take a life saving blood transfusion, or even a child? would you say its OK for them to die?
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OK for them to die?
No. But parents maybe.
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For.
But for purely selfish reasons - I mean if someone unrelated or who I don't know needs to die, it means absolutely nothing to me.Posted 2 years ago # -
For
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For.
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Very very good, thought provoking peice that by Terry, and superbly read by Tony Robinson.
For. Definatly. Having seen people close to me die in hospices, we wouldnt put dogs through what we put people through.
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For.
Our lives, our deaths indeed. Yes, there are issues surrounding it that have to be addressed, but there are with everything.
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Me & my wife will help each other die if required
& neither of us really cares if that means we end up in prison
If it becomes necessary & were old, we'll both go togetherPosted 2 years ago # -
For, no question.
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for (with safeguards)
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for.
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I too watched the lecture.
Very well expressed.
Worth a watch again.My father has Alzheimers
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In principle for.
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for
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I don't think it's that simple. Had a conversation with a family member once who said they don't want heroic efforts made to save them or prolong their life i certain circumstances, which in effect abdicates that responsibility to others to make, do I let them die, or do I let them live? it's a terrible decision to force onto others. Where does this leave the Hippocratic Oath of doctors? How do you safeguard against errors, what if you change your mind at the last minute, but can't communicate it?
Death comes to us all eventually, I'm in no hurry to hasten it's arrival for me or others.
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as ever, the mash sums up my opinion beautifully:
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For - with safeguards.
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For.
I have seen a lot of death both in my own family and in my professional role. A decent dignified death surrounded by our loved ones is the best we can do at the end of our lives and must be the aim for us all.
My grandfather committed suicide. He had been unwell with chronic illness for some time. His wife had died previously and his life was miserable but he had no life threatening condition. One night he took an overdose of painkillers. He did not die at that time and was taken into hospital. As with all hospital admissions for overdosage he was seen by a consultant psychiatrist before discharge who sad. "he is sane and has a sane and rational desire to die" After he returned home he had his prescription for strong painkillers stopped which made him even more miserable. after 3 months the strong painkillers were restarted and he then took another overdose. He took a fortnight to die. He had bedsores and a chest infection. At one point he said to my mother " all I wanted to do was go to sleep and not wake up"
In a humane society he would have been allowed to end his life in a painfree and dignified way at a time of his choosing. Instead the trauma of his death was made worse for all concerned. Fortunately the doctors involved were humane and did not take any steps to prolong his death further.
I have seen many folk who are waiting to die in undignified circumstances. I would not wish it upon anyone. I think we all should have the right to die at a time of our choosing.
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For
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TJ thats a touching story and sums up why I am "for"
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for
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for off mrs mcgroo too.
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don't know
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For - with safeguards.
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For ( with safeguards )
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for. Great lecture by Terry/Tony.
That Daily Mash article is spot on.Posted 2 years ago # -
for
and i think bill hicks knew how to go about it
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For.
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I watched my dad slowly die last year it took 9 hours before he finally passed. We all said you wouldn't let an animal go through what he did. I'm definitely for it.
Posted 2 years ago #
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