Assisted Suicide

[titaniccapybara]

Is there a moral difference between the action of "assisting a suicide" by

1. directly administering a fatal action on a person with their consent
2. indirectly enabling them to perform a fatal action themselves by obtaining required equipment or substances and placing them within reach, or placing the person in a position such that they can perform a

Comments

[celestialweasel]

As you may well know... the phrase sometimes used, not tongue in cheek, 'officiously to keep alive' actually comes from a satirical poem

THE LATEST DECALOGUE
Arthur Hugh Clough (1819-1861)
Thou shalt have one God only; who
Would be at the expense of two?
No graven images may be
Worshipped, except the currency;
Swear not at all; for, for thy curse,
Thine enemy is none the worse;
At church on Sunday to attend
Will serve to keep the world thy friend:
Honor thy parents; that is, all
From whom advancement may befall.
Thou shalt not kill; but needst not strive
Officiously to keep alive:
Do not adultery commit,
Advantage rarely comes of it;
Thou shalt not steal; an empty feat,
When it's so lucrative to cheat;
Bear not false witness; let the lie
Have time on its own wings to fly;
Thou shalt not covet; but tradition
Approves all forms of competition.

Re: Good questions...

[titaniccapybara]

Interesting way of distinguishing - but the current media focus is on making 3 legal without decriminalising 2! My point is that I can't see how you can do this, and your distinction would make it seem even less sane.