Friday, September 30, 2005

Killing Babies

Via National Review Online, here is a shocking story about euthanasia for infants in Holland

The Dutch government intends to expand its current euthanasia policy, setting guidelines for when doctors may end the lives of terminally ill newborns with the parents' consent.

The change in Dutch policy is especially significant because it will provide the model for how the country treats other cases in which patients are unable to say whether they want to live or die, such as those involving the mentally retarded or elderly people who have become demented.

Under the protocol, euthanasia would be permissible when a child is terminally ill with no prospect of recovery and suffering great pain, when two sets of doctors agree the situation is hopeless and when parents give their consent.

Some time ago, in a discussion over what constitutes secular-right, we were asked our views on euthanasia.

Lets turn the question around. We unambiguously & firmly oppose killing babies. This is certainly not an idea for India. What do libertarians think?

5 comments:

libertarian said...

Outrageous! What gives anyone the right to take someone else's life? The child's right to live far supersedes his/her right to be happy, unless he/she can rationally determine that he/she is better of dead.

doubtinggaurav said...

PR,

I am not pro-euthanasia, so I will oppose euthansia, however if I were pro-euthanasia, whether it's a baby or adult will not matter.

Anonymous said...

I'm undecided on the idea, I neither support/nor oppose it.

I'm pro euthanasia/subject to the consent of the person dying. However, this seems to be a gray area.

Primary Red said...

Sakshi:

You are right on the human need to try and alleviate the pain of loved ones.

What makes this tricky is that, in many cases, science has no way of gauging the extent of pain (or if there is any). A loved one's judgement is surely not good enough to take someone's life when we don't even have the facts.

Also, shouldn't our focus be on finding new medical means to addressing pain -- instead of taking the euthnasia short cut? In this sense, euthanasia is a crutch that takes away an incentive for people to try and solve this medical challenge. No?

We think this is one of those complex edges of morality where no clear answer exists, yet. As we learn more about the nature of pain, maybe we'll get there someday.

Best regards.

Prahalathan said...

I'm a Doctor I'm all for Euthanasia. It's very much suitable for a society like Holland But in India it'll be misused more than its used. Female Foeticide by another name... thats what it would be here

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