Physicians should never consider killing their patients. It corrupts their thinking away from the line of ‘what do I do next?’ Pretty soon they’re thinking ‘why don’t we do the suicide so I can get home for dinner.’ The point of the Hippocratic oath is to stay away from that sort of thinking.
I am in general ambivalent if not sympathetic to physician assisted suicide, but, having said that, from what I've seen of it in Canada especially and even in the case of this young woman, it becomes a substitute for society living up to its obligations to individuals. In Canada especially I've seen articles about people being told if they don't like being poor, they can just end it. SMH. And that is where idealism meets the brick wall of reality. The point about putting physicians is such a morally compromising situation is valid as well.
Wonderful essay as always, and I look forward to part 2. (Oh, and thank you for the warm fuzzies. Given that I know who else you like to read, I'm tickled to be among them.)
Physicians should never consider killing their patients. It corrupts their thinking away from the line of ‘what do I do next?’ Pretty soon they’re thinking ‘why don’t we do the suicide so I can get home for dinner.’ The point of the Hippocratic oath is to stay away from that sort of thinking.
Agreed - but we're seeing more and more of the practitioners moving away from it, no?
Sure do seem to be.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfsmmk93H3I
When You're Smiling (The Whole World Smiles With You) - Louis …
I am in general ambivalent if not sympathetic to physician assisted suicide, but, having said that, from what I've seen of it in Canada especially and even in the case of this young woman, it becomes a substitute for society living up to its obligations to individuals. In Canada especially I've seen articles about people being told if they don't like being poor, they can just end it. SMH. And that is where idealism meets the brick wall of reality. The point about putting physicians is such a morally compromising situation is valid as well.
Wonderful essay as always, and I look forward to part 2. (Oh, and thank you for the warm fuzzies. Given that I know who else you like to read, I'm tickled to be among them.)