Debating Euthanasia

Emily Jackson is a Professor of Law at the London School of Economics. John Keown holds the Rose F Kennedy Chair in Christian Ethics in the Kennedy Institute of Ethics at Georgetown University. Formerly, he taught the law and ethics of medicine in the Faculty of Law at Cambridge, where he was a Fellow of Queens' College and of Churchill College

• Series Editor's Preface Acknowledgements – John Keown and Emily JacksonIn Favour of the Legalisation of Assisted Dying by Emily Jackson I. Introduction II. Why We Should Try III. The Status Quo is Indefensible A. Double Effect B. Terminal Sedation C. 'Do Not Attempt Resuscitation' Orders D. Treatment Withdrawal E. Exporting the 'Problem' of Assisted Suicide F. The Euthanasia/Assisted Suicide 'Underground' and the Benefits of RegulationIV. Why Might Anyone Think We Shouldn't Try? A. The Sanctity and Value of Life B. Effect on Doctor–Patient Relationship C. Regulatory DifficultiesV. What Might an Assisted Dying Law Look Like? A. Other Countries' Experience B. Process C. Method: Assisted Suicide or Euthanasia, or Both? D. SubstanceVI. What are the Consequences of not Trying?Against Decriminalising Euthanasia; For Improving Care by John KeownI. IntroductionII. DefinitionsIII. Ten Arguments For Decriminalisation A. Autonomy B. Compassion C. Legal Hypocrisy D. A Right to Suicide E. Public Opinion F. Legal Failure G. The Netherlands H. Oregon I. Religion J. EconomicsIV. Professor Jackson's Arguments A. Jackson 1 B. Jackson 2 V. The Joffe Bill A. The Bill B. Key Committee Recommendations Not Adopted C. Extension and Abuse VI. Conclusions

Both Jackson and Keown are recognized experts in the field, and their positions are well known: thus the book contains (with merit) a wide variety of arguments and perspectives. And, although each author's presentation is different in his or her own way, the way in which each of them confront identical problems is one of the greatest values of the book.