Invited Commentary
Commentary on “Assisted Death and the Public Good”
Abstract
The debate over whether physician-assisted suicide is ethically justifiable often focuses on the conflict between the principles of beneficence and autonomy. It is invigorating that Dugdale and Callahan remind us of an alternative, often neglected perspective by invoking the concept of the public good.1 The authors present a communitarian approach to the problem of assisted suicide, and this seems appropriate to describe a phenomenon that touches on the society as a whole, its values, and its self-image.This content is limited to qualifying members.
Existing members, please login first
If you have an existing account please login now to access this article or view purchase options.
Purchase only this article ($25)
Create a free account, then purchase this article to download or access it online for 24 hours.
Purchase an SMJ online subscription ($75)
Create a free account, then purchase a subscription to get complete access to all articles for a full year.
Purchase a membership plan (fees vary)
Premium members can access all articles plus recieve many more benefits. View all membership plans and benefit packages.
References
1. Dugdale LS, Callahan D. Assisted death and the public good. South Med J 2017;110:559-561.
2. Callahan D. Individual good and common good: a communitarian approach to bioethics. Perspect Biol Med 2003;46:496-507.
3. Ladwig K-H, Kunrath S, Lukaschek K, et al. The railway suicide death of a famous German football player: impact on the subsequent frequency of railway suicide acts in Germany. J Affect Disord 2012;136:194-198.
