Citation

Lo PC. Annu. Soc. Christ. Ethics 1999; 19: 313-333.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1999, Society of Christian Ethics; Council on the Study of Religion)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

11913447

Abstract

This paper advances three claims. First, according to contemporary Western advocates of physician-assisted suicide and voluntary euthanasia, "death with dignity" is understood negatively as bringing about death to avoid or prevent indignity, that is, to avoid a degrading existence. Second, there is a similar morally affirmative view on death with dignity in ancient China, in classical Confucianism in particular. Third, there is a consonance as well as dissonance between these two ethics of death with dignity, such as that the Confucian perspective would regard the argument for physician-assisted suicide and voluntary euthanasia as less than compelling because of the latter's impoverished vision of human life.

Language: en