Voluntary Euthanasia and the Common LawPDF电子书下载

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Introduction 1

1.Euthanasia Under the Criminal Law 12

Introduction 12

Ⅰ.Doctors’ Criminal Liability for Acts Which Cause Death 14

A.Introduction 14

B.The Acts 15

C.The Intention Requirement 15

D.The Causation Requirement 16

E.Irrelevance of Patient’s Terminal Condition 18

F.Irrelevance of Patient’s Consent 20

G.Irrelevance of Motive 21

Ⅱ.Doctors’ Criminal Liability for Omissions Which Cause Death 22

A.Introduction 22

B.The Omission 23

C.Attitude of the Law to Omissions and the Duty Requirement 23

D.The Imposition of a Legal Duty to Act 25

E.The Causation Requirement 28

F.Mens Rea for the Crime of Murder 31

G.Irrelevance of Motive and the Terminal Condition of the Patient 33

Ⅲ.Legal Effect of a Patient’s Right to Refuse Treatment on a Doctor’s Duty to Treat 33

A.Scope of a Doctor’s Duty to Treat 33

B.The Patient’s Common Law Right to Refuse Treatment 35

C.Legal Effect of Patient’s Refusal of Treatment:Introduction 45

D.The Case Law 47

E.The Position Under the Criminal Codes 49

Conclusion 54

2.Suicide and Assisted Suicide 56

Introduction 56

Ⅰ.Assisting Suicide: The Legal Requirements 57

A.A Doctor’s Liability for Active Involvement in a Patient’s Suicide 60

B.Refusal of Treatment as Suicide and the Legal Position of Doctors 61

C.Suicide by Omission 62

D.Refusal of Treatment as Suicide? 65

E.Legal Implications of Recognizing Refusal of Treatment as Suicide 73

Ⅱ.Constitutional Challenges to Assisting Suicide Legislation 86

Conclusion 124

3.The Position in Practice: Doctors’ Practices and the Law Applied 127

Introduction 127

Ⅰ.Patients’ Requests and Doctors’ Practices 130

A.Active Euthanasia and Doctor-Assisted Suicide:Patients’ Requests 130

B.Active Euthanasia and Doctor-Assisted Suicide:Doctors’ Practices 134

C.Other Forms of Active Assistance in the Termination of Life 138

Ⅱ.The Law in Practice 140

Prosecutions of Doctors for Active Euthanasia or Assisted Suicide 140

Ⅲ.Discrepancies Between the Criminal Law Principles and the Law in Practice 148

A.No Guaranteed Consistency in the Application of the Law 149

B.The Law is Brought into Disrepute 149

C.Lack of Legal Precedent and Medical Guidance 150

D.Patients’ Rights are Undermined 151

Ⅳ.Problems with the Characterization of Certain Aspects of Medical Practice 152

A.Withdrawal of Life-Support 152

B.Administration of Drugs for the Relief of Pain and Other Symptoms 170

Conclusion 185

4.The Euthanasia Debate 187

Introduction 187

Ⅰ.The Case For Legalization of Active Voluntary Euthanasia 188

A.Self-Determination: An Argument from Liberty 189

B.The Patient’s Right to Refuse Treatment: Is there a Morally Valid Distinction between Passive and Active Euthanasia? 191

C.Prevention of Cruelty: An Argument from Mercy 203

D.Promotion of Human Dignity 204

E.What is Morally Right Should be Made Legally Permissible 206

F.Formalize Current Practices 207

G.Public Demand and Support for Active VoluntaryEuthanasia 210

H.The Case For Legalization: An Evaluation 211

Ⅱ.The Case Against Legalization of Active Voluntary Euthanasia 212

A.Doctrinal Arguments Against Active Voluntary Euthanasia 213

B.Practical Arguments Against Active Voluntary Euthanasia 218

C.Evaluation of the Case For and Against Active Voluntary Euthanasia 248

Ⅲ.The Legal Philosophers’ Debate: The Role of the Criminal Law 249

A.The Libertarian Premise: The Prevention of Harm 249

B.The Present Limits of Consent 251

C.Relationship Between Law and Morality 252

D.Relationship Between Law and Public Opinion 254

Conclusion 256

5.The Changing Climate For Reform 257

Introduction 257

Ⅰ.Public Opinion 257

A.United Kingdom 257

B.USA 259

C.Canada 261

D.Australia 263

E.Evaluation of Opinion Poll Results 264

Ⅱ.The Voluntary Euthanasia Movement 268

A.Organizational Support for the Legalization of Active Voluntary Euthanasia 268

B.Increased Media Coverage, and Public Figures in Support 289

C.Organized Opposition to the Legalization of Active Voluntary Euthanasia 290

Ⅲ.Signs of Change from Within the Medical Profession 292

A.United Kingdom 295

B.USA 305

C.Canada 314

D.Australia 318

E.International Developments: The Appleton International Conference 325

F.Changes Within the Medical Profession: An Evaluation 326

Conclusion 331

6.Moves Towards Reform 333

Introduction 333

Ⅰ.United Kingdom 333

A.Legislative Developments 334

B.Official Inquiries 336

Ⅱ.Australia 339

Ⅲ.USA 362

A.Legislative Developments 363

B.Government Inquiries 374

Ⅳ.Canada 378

Ⅴ.International Developments 387

A.Council of Europe 388

B.European Parliament 388

Conclusion 389

7.The Netherlands 391

Introduction 391

Ⅰ.The Legal Position in the Netherlands 392

A.The Dutch Penal Code 392

B.Jurisprudential Developments 393

C.Evaluation of Dutch Case Law Developments 409

Ⅱ.Position of the Royal Dutch Medical Association 410

Ⅲ.Institutional Policies and Procedures 416

Ⅳ.The Governmental Response to Active Volunta Euthanasia in the Netherlands 416

The Netherlands State Commission on Euthanasia 416

Ⅴ.Moves Towards Reform 419

Ⅵ.The Remmelink Report 423

A.Background to the Report 423

B.Report Findings and Recommendations 427

C.Evaluation of the Remmelink Committee’s Inquiry 431

D.Expanding Boundaries? 435

Ⅶ.Government’s Response to the Remmelink Report 441

Ⅷ.Arguments for the Legalization of Active Voluntary Euthanasia in the Netherlands 444

Ⅸ.Why the Netherlands? 448

Ⅹ.Evaluation of the Netherlands’ Model: Suitable for Export? 450

Conclusion 454

8.Options For Reform 456

Introduction 456

Reform Options 459

A.Mercy Killing 460

B.Legalization of Doctor-Assisted Suicide 464

C.Legalization of Active Voluntary Euthanasia 467

Conclusion 492

Conclusion 494

Appendix: Rights of the Terminally Ill Act 1995 （NT） 503

Rights of the Terminally Ill Regulations 513

Bibliography 520

Index 553

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