People have the right to bodily autonomy; therefore, they should be able to do whatever they want with their own bodies.
If people are suffering, they should have the right to alleviate their own suffering by any reasonable means, including medically assisted suicide (euthanasia).
The Canadian government recently announced that they will be withholding offering MaiD (medical assistance in dying) to mature minors – people under the age of 18 (children) who have the mental capacity to reasonably make an informed decision about their life.
The flood gates have long opened in Canada to offering people a way out of their suffering (or perceived suffering).
Is supporting euthanasia a reasonable position to hold?
Is supporting euthanasia a reasonable position to hold? To answer this question we have to set aside our emotions and answer some questions.
First, is body autonomy absolute? Or does it have limits?
Second, is suicide a good solution to suffering?
Third, what is human dignity? What is the source of human dignity? Why treat human with dignity?
Fourth, what is compassion?
Photo by Milada Vigerova from Unsplash.com
Bodily Autonomy
I agree that people should be able to do with their bodies whatever they want. Even if I as a Christian believe that our bodies are not our own and are temples for God’s Spirit, not everyone may believe this. For example, if people want to get tattoos, piercings, or try a fringe hairstyle, they can; even it is offense to some.
However, bodily autonomy is not absolute. Suppose people who have body identity integrity disorder and they have an deep seeded desire to become blind, paralyzed, or an amputee, should doctors be legally required to fulfil their patients’ desires? Most medical professionals would not destroy healthy body parts on a healthy human being. Medical practitioners’ job is to be life-giving and life-affirming, not life-denying or life-destructive. There is a sense of how we as humans aught to be, which takes precedent over how we want to be.