Ethical and legal aspects of the right to die with dignity

Abstract

The issue of euthanasia presents a contact area of ethics, law, and politics. This text provides a contribution to the expert public debate on the introduction of euthanasia into Serbian legislation. It does so first by clarifies the term - euthanasia (as a right to die with dignity). Further, it considers the obligations of other persons that arise from this right and the conditions under which they present a restriction on personality rights. By citing examples from the fields of ethics and law, the text states that the distinction between active and passive euthanasia is in fact a product of inadequate deliberation during the implementation of this differentiation.

Keywords

• euthanasia
• mercy killing
• active euthanasia
• passive euthanasia
• suicide
• responsibility
• ethics
• law