Death is one of the many controversial topics to discuss in ethics. When deciding whether or not it is permissible to die in a natural way or by assisted suicide is indeed an endearing topic. In a case, Norma Jones plans to end her life if she develops an incurable disease. If that ever happens, she wants her friends to assist in killing her via injection or smothering her with a pillow. Is assisted suicide morally justified in this case? Are there any circumstances that would override the justification of assisted suicide? Even though it is unnatural to assisted suicide, it is morally permissible. I am in favor for Kantian’s and utilitarian’s moral theory, and I plan to argue against the natural law theory that underpins assisted suicide.
In a Kantian aspect, assisted suicide is morally permissible because people should have the right to express self-determination. The Kantian principle respect the autonomy of the patient, which allows people to make decision’s freely. Immanuel Kant stated a person who is able to make conscious decision is autonomous, as
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Given that Norma a conscious human being, it is her responsibility to adequately inform her friends on the situation and consent to allowing her friends to kill her. Without adequately informing her friends and a written consent form about the situation, there may be some discrepancies that may result in penalties for her friends. For example, without adequately informing her friends, it does not grant her friends the full autonomy; they will not fully know about her desire to end her life to escape suffering. This can distorted their view on the situation and may impede in carrying out the task. Second, a written consent will legally secure Norma’s autonomous wishes, and it grants her friends the ability to carry on the task to end her life if she develops an incurable disease. Not