New Directions in the Ethics of Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia

Michael Cholbi is an ethicist who has written on such topics as suicide, punishment, Kantian ethics, paternalism, and moral motivation. In addition to his book Suicide: The Philosophical Dimensions, he has published in journals such as Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, Philosophical Studies, Bioethics, Law and Philosophy, The Journal of Moral Philosophy, The Journal of Applied Philosophy, Philosophical Psychology, Ratio, Social Theory and Practice, and Ethical Theory and Moral Practice. Jukka Varelius is a philosopher whose work focuses on questions of moral philosophy and applied ethics. He has written on topics such as physician assisted death, individual autonomy, informed consent, advance directives, the nature of mental and physical health, and ethical expertise in journals like Ethical Theory and Moral Practice, Neuroethics, Bioethics, Philosophy, Psychiatry, & Psychology, Journal of Applied Philosophy, The Journal of Value Inquiry, and Journal of Medicine and Philosophy.Varelius is also a co-editor of Adaptation and Autonomy: Adaptive Preferences in Enhancing and Ending Life (Springer, 2013).

“This book compiles information from the vast literature on euthanasia and elicits four general themes found in current and past arguments for and against physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia. … intended for scholars in disciplines contributing to the literature on physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia, including medical professionals, ethicists, philosophers, theologians, and legal scholars. … a unique contribution to the field in that it provides a structure that scholars can use to review the literature addressing physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia.” (Tyler Zahrli, Doody's Book Reviews, March, 2016)

• Introduction.- Assisted Dying and the Proper Role of Patient Autonomy.- Preventing Assistance to Die: Assessing Indirect Paternalism Regarding Voluntary Active Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide.- Autonomy, Interests, Justice and Active Medical Euthanasia.- Mental Illness, Lack of Autonomy, and Physician-Assisted Death.- Euthanasia for Mental Suffering.- Assisted Dying for Individuals with Dementia: Challenges for Translating Ethical Positions into Law.- Clinical Ethics Consultation and Physician Assisted Suicide.- License to Kill: A New Model for Excusing Medically Assisted Dying?.- Medically Enabled Suicides.- Saving Lives with Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia: Organ Donation afterAssisted Dying.- Implanted Medical Devices and End-of-Life Decisions.- Everyday Attitudes about Euthanasia and the Slippery Slope Argument.