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Dramatic advances in medical technology make it possible to keep an individual alive well after life would otherwise be untenable. These medical advances raise complex and disturbing questions about the appropriateness of allowing or even helping a person to die. This provocative new book provides guidelines for dealing with the sensitive legal and ethical issues surrounding an individual's right to die. Designed to give a global perspective on these contemporary issues,
To Die or Not to Die? integrates the ideas and experiences of ten authorities from different disciplines, cultures, and legal systems, recognizing that no single discipline offers an insight that is broad enough to solve the problems caused by rapidly changing medical technology. The book discusses the issues in a comprehensive manner integrating the attitudes of various cultures, and investigates the approaches and solutions of several different legal systems.
Challenging many commonly held views on the issues surrounding an individual's right to die, this book builds a new foundation for thinking or rethinking these controversial questions. It allows the reader to consider new and diverse perspectives side by side for the first time. Valuable appendices supply references, statutes, judicial decisions, and important forms for more detailed study.
To Die or Not to Die? will prove stimulating reading for professionals in medicine, nursing, theology, law, public health and the disciplines of philosophy, ethics, psychology, and sociology.
List of contents
Preface
Cross-Disciplinary ViewsThe Right to Die: Perspectives of the Patient, the Family, and the Health Care Provider
The Right to Die: Perspectives from the Catholic and Jewish Traditions
Ethical Perepectives on the Right to Die: A Case Study
Cross-Cultural ViewsOn the Question of the Right to Die: An African View
An Islamic Perspective on Terminating Life-Sustaining Measures
Japanese Perspectives on Euthanasia
Cross-Legal ViewsEuthanasia: An English Perspective
Indian Legal Concepts of the Right to Die
Active Euthanasia in the Netherlands
Last Rights: The View from a U.S. Courthouse
Appendices
Selected Bibliography
Index
About the author
The author of "Picatrix" was likely a highly educated and intellectually versatile scholar, deeply rooted in the Arabic-speaking world of the 11th century. He was well-versed in a variety of disciplines, including astrology, alchemy, and philosophy, drawing on Greek, Persian, and Indian sources. As a participant in the Islamic Golden Age's rich scholarly tradition, he likely had access to extensive libraries and intellectual circles. His work suggests a blend of academic knowledge and practical application, indicating both theoretical understanding and hands-on experience in astrological and magical practices.
