Question

Do you think that voluntariness is morally important in euthanasia decisions? How important do you think that it is? For example, do you think that it is so important that whatever a person requests ought to be done? Explain. Does your conclusion regard the morality or also the legality of euthanasia?

Answer 1

I think that voluntariness is extremely important in euthanasia decisions, and is perhaps even the most vital and necessary prerequisite. Euthanasia is the act of ending a life in order to relieve an individual from pain and suffering. The experience of pain and suffering is highly subjective, the reality of which is known only to the individual experiencing it. In that case, it is crucial that they themselves are the ones carrying out the major, if not all, decisions with respect to how they deal with it. My conclusion regards both, the moral and the legal aspect. In terms of morality, voluntariness should be sought as in order to respect the dignity of an individual’s decision making. On the other hand, the legal aspect entails that informed consent must be sought before carrying out any such procedure.