Autonomy, Depression, and Dignified Death: A Discourse of the Moral Permissibility of Physician-Assisted Death for the Severely Depressed
Year: 2019
Type: dissertation
Abstract: In this paper, I discuss the moral permissibility of physician-assisted death for psychiatric patients with severe depression. While the majority of our depressed community do respond positively to treatment, like certain physical illnesses, there are certain cases in which treatment options run out for the clinically depressed. Society has loosened its paternalistic grip in our medical decisions by recognizing the importance of autonomy and its contribution to our overall well-being. For this reason, I argue that the principle of autonomy defends the view that patients with untreatable, severe depression should have access to physician-assisted death. I will discuss why untreatable cases of severe depression are analogous to terminal illness cases by demonstrating that there are more similarities than differences between the two. There are certainly many arguments that oppose my stance; however, I will demonstrate how a closer examination of physician-assisted death may legitimate my view. In order to do this, I will address objections to physician-assisted death in general, then I will address the more narrowly tailored objection of physician-assisted death for the severely depressed. I will show, through refutations, why these objections ultimately fail. Finally, I will discuss how the intrinsic value of autonomy supports the provision of physician-assisted death services to our severely depressed community.
Author: Elizabeth L. McKinney
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W3204025394