Author Topic: Tony Nicklinson - The right to die  (Read 600 times)

Offline DP89

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Tony Nicklinson - The right to die
« on: August 21, 2012, 09:13:52 AM »
Serious questions about Tony Nicklinson, locked in syndrome sufferer, and his right to die,"... Does a right to live mean a right to die?...Taking your own life is so grave and irreversible that we might indeed think it worth including such a clause: no matter how much I insist that I want to die, society must not help me to acheive this goal, and may indeed seek to frustrate my doing so." (Julian Baggini, i 18 August '12)

News article

Thoughts?

Online AceHigh

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Re: Tony Nicklinson - The right to die
« Reply #1 on: August 21, 2012, 12:53:56 PM »
For most people it is not an issue, since there are no legal consequences of taking your own life. In fact there may be benefits to your family from it (like for the family of Robert Budd Dwyer).

The real issue comes to the elderly. There are more and more organisations created by old people that are lobbying to allow them to die with dignity as those poor fellas are terrified of dying while being in a half coma with tubes attached to their body just because the doctors keep everyone alive as long as possible.

I support them, because unless I die a quick death from some accident, I will too become old and helpless one day. Nature dictates that living being who can't survive on their own, are not fit to live, so it's only natural for old people to die instead of being held for prolonged time alive as some half corpse.
For one thing, Tiff is not on any level what I would call a typical American.  She's not what I would consider a typical person.  I don't know any other genius geneticist anime-fan martial artist marksman model-level beauties, do you?

Offline TMRNetShark

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Re: Tony Nicklinson - The right to die
« Reply #2 on: August 21, 2012, 04:04:12 PM »
Nope... make me a cyborg and attach tons of tubes and machines to me. I know there is nothing on the other side of death so I wanna milk life for what it is.

Obviously, if I'm in such a way where it is no feasible to keep me alive... just let me die. Why should I cause suffering to people around me just because modern science "can" keep me alive.

Offline Soryon

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Re: Tony Nicklinson - The right to die
« Reply #3 on: August 21, 2012, 05:12:18 PM »
People should have full control over how and when they die (I mean, you cant stop car accidents and other random stuff)
I have always thought that if someone decides to end their life that it is their own decision and I just hope they make it responsibly. That said, I think its fair for a physician to aid in the process since it would be a heck of a lot less to clean up then say blowing your brains out.

Online AceHigh

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Re: Tony Nicklinson - The right to die
« Reply #4 on: August 21, 2012, 05:18:23 PM »
That said, I think its fair for a physician to aid in the process since it would be a heck of a lot less to clean up then say blowing your brains out.

Well, on other hand I respect the decision of physicians not to aid in suicide. The have Hippocratic oath after all.
For one thing, Tiff is not on any level what I would call a typical American.  She's not what I would consider a typical person.  I don't know any other genius geneticist anime-fan martial artist marksman model-level beauties, do you?

Offline Soryon

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Re: Tony Nicklinson - The right to die
« Reply #5 on: August 21, 2012, 05:29:09 PM »
Well, maybe not an actual physician/doctor in the typical sense, but someone who is at least somewhat trained, and then could maybe obtain a license to carry out such things.

I always figured a hotshot/OD would be the easiest way to go. Dont need any help for that anyway.

Offline Ixarku

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Re: Tony Nicklinson - The right to die
« Reply #6 on: August 21, 2012, 09:19:02 PM »
Absolutely, an individual should ultimately have the right to die if they so choose.  Obviously, it's not a decision to be taken lightly, and, ideally, suicidal or depressed people should have access to some sort of counseling before they ever get to that point.  But in the end, it is still each person's fundamental right to choose to live or die.
 
There was an episode of Star Trek: TNG that had this topic as a theme.  A particular race instituted a policy where, when people reached a certain age, ritual suicide was mandatory.  The idea was for a person to die at a late age in life, but before they could descend into senility and general decreptitude.  It helped the family & the individual preserve & celebrate the memory of the individual as a vibrant person, without the burden and trauma of dealing with that person's slow decline.
 
It was an interesting idea, but not one I entirely agree with (mandatory suicide at a specific age?  Not likely!)  I think allowances for ritual suicide could be / should be possible at some point in the future.  But in a heavily Christian U.S., the idea would face pretty stiff opposition.
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Offline jaybug

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Re: Tony Nicklinson - The right to die
« Reply #7 on: August 21, 2012, 11:25:53 PM »
Oregon passed the Death With Dignity Act. You now can end your life with  doctor's prescription, providing you have a terminal condition.
Timing is everything in comedy!

Online Burkingam

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Re: Tony Nicklinson - The right to die
« Reply #8 on: August 22, 2012, 12:47:54 AM »
Oregon passed the Death With Dignity Act. You now can end your life with  doctor's prescription, providing you have a terminal condition.
I assume it was challenged in the court by some religious groups over federal law.
Spacetime tells matter how to move and matter tells spacetime how to curve.

Offline jaybug

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Re: Tony Nicklinson - The right to die
« Reply #9 on: August 22, 2012, 03:20:56 AM »
Oh sure. So we passed it twice.
Timing is everything in comedy!

Online AceHigh

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Re: Tony Nicklinson - The right to die
« Reply #10 on: August 22, 2012, 10:13:14 AM »
And it has been working out for you guys? I mean no moral society collapse like in that article?  :D
For one thing, Tiff is not on any level what I would call a typical American.  She's not what I would consider a typical person.  I don't know any other genius geneticist anime-fan martial artist marksman model-level beauties, do you?

Online Burkingam

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Re: Tony Nicklinson - The right to die
« Reply #11 on: August 22, 2012, 01:46:39 PM »
And it has been working out for you guys? I mean no moral society collapse like in that article?  :D
What a silly question. If course the society has collapsed if jaybug is coming from it. jk
Spacetime tells matter how to move and matter tells spacetime how to curve.

Offline Lord of Fire

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Re: Tony Nicklinson - The right to die
« Reply #12 on: August 22, 2012, 09:02:37 PM »

Online AceHigh

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Re: Tony Nicklinson - The right to die
« Reply #13 on: August 22, 2012, 09:24:24 PM »
As I said, it is one thing you can do illegally without any legal consequence afterwards.
For one thing, Tiff is not on any level what I would call a typical American.  She's not what I would consider a typical person.  I don't know any other genius geneticist anime-fan martial artist marksman model-level beauties, do you?

Offline Ixarku

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Re: Tony Nicklinson - The right to die
« Reply #14 on: August 22, 2012, 09:48:48 PM »
As I said, it is one thing you can do illegally without any legal consequence afterwards.

If you do it yourself.  And if you don't mind your life insurance policy not getting paid out.
It took an hour to write; I figured it'd take an hour to read.

Offline jaybug

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Re: Tony Nicklinson - The right to die
« Reply #15 on: August 23, 2012, 01:51:23 AM »
There's always death by cop. Go point a thing that really looks like a gun at a cop. End of line.
Timing is everything in comedy!

Online AceHigh

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Re: Tony Nicklinson - The right to die
« Reply #16 on: August 23, 2012, 09:29:52 AM »
Only in Paranoid States of America.
For one thing, Tiff is not on any level what I would call a typical American.  She's not what I would consider a typical person.  I don't know any other genius geneticist anime-fan martial artist marksman model-level beauties, do you?

Offline Lord of Fire

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Re: Tony Nicklinson - The right to die
« Reply #17 on: August 23, 2012, 04:30:50 PM »
Only in Paranoid States of America.

Works just as effective here, though.

Offline Ixarku

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Re: Tony Nicklinson - The right to die
« Reply #18 on: August 23, 2012, 09:25:46 PM »
In some countries, all you have to do is to criticize the ruling party or its leader.
It took an hour to write; I figured it'd take an hour to read.