Critical notice: Why killing is not always worse-and is sometimes better-than letting die

Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics

Volumn 7, Issue 4, 1998, Pages 371-374

  Kuhse, Helga ^a  

^a NONE

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

ACTIVE EUTHANASIA; ASSISTED SUICIDE; BEHAVIOR; DEATH AND EUTHANASIA; HOMICIDE; HUMAN; MEDICAL ETHICS; MOTIVATION; PAIN; PASSIVE EUTHANASIA; REVIEW;

DEATH AND EUTHANASIA;

ETHICS, MEDICAL; EUTHANASIA, ACTIVE; EUTHANASIA, PASSIVE; HOMICIDE; HUMANS; INTENTION; MOTIVATION; PAIN; SUICIDE, ASSISTED;

EID: 0032158978     PISSN: 09631801     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1017/S0963180198704050     Document Type: Article

References (13)

1. Nesbitt W. Is killing no worse than letting die? Journal of Applied Philosophy 1995;12(1):101-6.
2. Rachels J. Active and passive euthanasia. New England Journal of Medicine 1975;78-80.
3. See note 1, Nesbitt 1995:101.
4. See note 2, Rachels 1975, p. 79.
5. Kuhse H. The Sanctity of Life Doctrine in Medicine-A Critique. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1987:88-90, 142, 148, 158-63. See also Frankena W. McCormick and the traditional distinction. In: McCormick R, Ramsey P, eds. Doing Evil to Achieve Good. Chicago: Loyola University Press, 1978.
6. Kuhse H. The Sanctity of Life Doctrine in Medicine-A Critique. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1987:88-90, 142, 148, 158-63. See also Frankena W. McCormick and the traditional distinction. In: McCormick R, Ramsey P, eds. Doing Evil to Achieve Good. Chicago: Loyola University Press, 1978.
7. Walton D. On Defining Death. Montreal: McGill-Queens University Press, 1979:118-20; see note 5, Kuhse 1987:79-81.
8. Here it is, of course, important to not confuse the distinction between killing and letting die, or between "making happen" and "letting happen," with the distinction between actions and omissions. In distinction from a tree or a rock, an agent may act to "let happen"-for example, by telling the nurse not to attach the patient to a respirator, or by turning the respirator off. See note 10, Kuhse 1967:chapters 2, 3.
9. See note 1, Nesbitt 1995:101, n.2.
10. Opinion polls in these countries have consistently shown strong public support for active voluntary euthanasia. For the opinions of some groups of healthcare professionals, see, for example, Heilig S. The SFMS Euthanasia Survey: results and analyses. San Francisco Medicine 1988;May:24-6, 34; Ward BJ. Attitudes among NHS doctors to requests for euthanasia. British Medical Journal 1995;308:1332-4; Baume P, O'Malley E. Euthanasia: attitudes and practices of medical practitioners. Medical Journal of Australia 1994;161:137-44; Kuhse H, Singer P. Voluntary euthanasia and the nurse: an Australian survey. International Journal of Nursing Studies 1993;30(4):311-22.
11. Opinion polls in these countries have consistently shown strong public support for active voluntary euthanasia. For the opinions of some groups of healthcare professionals, see, for example, Heilig S. The SFMS Euthanasia Survey: results and analyses. San Francisco Medicine 1988;May:24-6, 34; Ward BJ. Attitudes among NHS doctors to requests for euthanasia. British Medical Journal 1995;308:1332-4; Baume P, O'Malley E. Euthanasia: attitudes and practices of medical practitioners. Medical Journal of Australia 1994;161:137-44; Kuhse H, Singer P. Voluntary euthanasia and the nurse: an Australian survey. International Journal of Nursing Studies 1993;30(4):311-22.
12. Opinion polls in these countries have consistently shown strong public support for active voluntary euthanasia. For the opinions of some groups of healthcare professionals, see, for example, Heilig S. The SFMS Euthanasia Survey: results and analyses. San Francisco Medicine 1988;May:24-6, 34; Ward BJ. Attitudes among NHS doctors to requests for euthanasia. British Medical Journal 1995;308:1332-4; Baume P, O'Malley E. Euthanasia: attitudes and practices of medical practitioners. Medical Journal of Australia 1994;161:137-44; Kuhse H, Singer P. Voluntary euthanasia and the nurse: an Australian survey. International Journal of Nursing Studies 1993;30(4):311-22.
13. Opinion polls in these countries have consistently shown strong public support for active voluntary euthanasia. For the opinions of some groups of healthcare professionals, see, for example, Heilig S. The SFMS Euthanasia Survey: results and analyses. San Francisco Medicine 1988;May:24-6, 34; Ward BJ. Attitudes among NHS doctors to requests for euthanasia. British Medical Journal 1995;308:1332-4; Baume P, O'Malley E. Euthanasia: attitudes and practices of medical practitioners. Medical Journal of Australia 1994;161:137-44; Kuhse H, Singer P. Voluntary euthanasia and the nurse: an Australian survey. International Journal of Nursing Studies 1993;30(4):311-22.