Assisted Suicide

Assisted Suicide

1. Power

   • Who has the power over life and death?
     • Is the state really just? (in terms of deciding whether we are ALLOWED to end our own lives)
       • Should there be such a harsh legal constraint on this issue?
         • What are the alternatives
         • Does this mean it is ever acceptable to break the law?
           • How severe are the consequences?
   • Is the law protecting us from ourselves and our decisons
     • Does this mean the government is "playing god"?
   • The Human Rights Act
     • Article 8, The right to respect of private and family life
       • Does this mean we have the right to die?
       • Who decides what this human right means?

2. The subject

   • Why people consider assisted suicide
     • Severe Illness
       • This doesnt just effect the individual it also effects families and friends
       • severe illnesses effect both the young and old, are the young capable of making the decision?
     • Loss of control
     • Loss of freedoms
     • Loss of indiduality
     • Fear
     • Depression
       • Depression effects up to 1 in 4 people in the UK
   • are we capable of making such a huge decision?
   • Is assisted suicide just for the terminally ill and where will it end?
   • Religion plays a significant part in society, and we respectful of other religions in todays society both personally and legally, so should we respect religions where they believe in the right to die?

3. Suffering

   • As its illegal to assist in someones suicide , can it be sugested that the law states we must suffer?
   • Some britons escape to switzerland where assisted suicide is legal, however this is extremely expensive
     • this has led to arguments that ending ones suffering only for the privelledged
   • Should we have to suffer?
     • Should we be entitled to a choice
     • When animals suffer, we put them out of their misery and justify this as humane --> are animals superior?