Euthanasia: The Collision of Theory and Practice

Extract

As a nurse and policy analyst, my interest in the subject of active euthanasia lies in the practical consequences of formal policy (for example, ethical guidelines), as well as the consequences of having no formal policy, for therapeutic practice.

The basic assumption underpinning this paper is that policy decisions in the area of euthanasia cannot be simply ‘read off’ from any theoretical body of knowledge, but rather such decisions are always grounded in particular situations and social relationships. In this, I concur with Reedy, Minogue, and Sterk, who argue that:

The task of theoretical ethics is to arrive at knowledge. The task of clinical ethics is to arrive at a decision. The two activities are quite distinct and yet functionally related. The “right thing to do” in a clinical situation is much more a negotiated process than a deduction from the same theory.