Category: Debates
Debate: Legalised Assisted Dying – right or wrong?
| 3 August, 2015 | Filled under Debates, Previous Events |
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As a new Assisted Dying Bill returns to Parliament this autumn, the Liverpool Salon and Ullet Road Unitarian Church are joining forces to host a public discussion around the rights and wrongs of legalising assisted dying. Kevin Yuill, author of “Assisted Suicide: The Liberal, Humanist Case Against Legalisation” will join us to take part in a conversation with questions and answers from the audience.
Date: Friday 4 September, 7.30 pm
Venue: Unitarian Church, Ullet Road, Liverpool L17 2AA
Opinion on this emotive subject remains polarised, as important questions of individual choice clash with concerns about the wider social and moral consequences of formally involving the State and doctors in the suicide of individuals. Does legalised assisted dying set a precedent with worrying consequences for us all? Is it the start of a slippery slope? A devaluing of human life? Or an enlightened and compassionate attempt to give choice to the dying, allowing them to end their lives with dignity and without pain.
Kevin Yuill is a researcher and lecturer in twentieth century American history and a writer on contemporary issues affecting American society. He is the author of a book on the intellectual history of affirmative action and is now preparing a book on the 1924 Immigration Acts and their impact on American identity and history in the twentieth century. Previously, Kevin has worked on the rise of therapeutic methods of governing during the Nixon administration, the history of post-war liberalism, immigration policy in the early twentieth century, the development of policy, especially of affirmative action, and the development of American culture between the wars. He also maintains an interest in current American political and cultural issues and has published material on assisted suicide, gun control and other current American political issues.
For more information or to book a place
Reading Matter.
Kevin Yuill reminds us of the central point about assisted suicide, which is that “The equal value we place on human life now risks being lost”
Labour MP Robert Marris’ private members bill Which closely resembles falconer’s Bill, except that Marris wantss the High court to have the ultimate say in whether a person can be euthanised.
Robert Marris’s Private Members bill Assisted Dying (No 2)
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Proposed Guidelines for Care of dying adults
Fiona Alderton’s defence of Liverpool Pathway
Denis Joe’s Review of Kevin Yuill’s Book Assisted Suicide: The Liberal, Humanist Case Against Legalization
Lord Falconer’s Private Members Bill
Giles Fraser’s interesting article on the Assisted Dying bill.
Living and Dying Well. An Analysis of the Assisted Dying Bill
My Life, My Death, My Choice. Personal Arguments in favour of assisted dying.
Douglas Murray. An Atheist’s opinion against assisted dying.
CARE is worth looking at for arguments in favour of euthanasia.
“A 2015 Populus poll of 5,000 people – the largest ever conducted on assisted dying – showed 82% of the public support Lord Falconer’s Assisted Dying Bill to give terminally ill, mentally competent people the legal option of assistance to die with dignity.”
Dignity in Dying on public opinion
No To Assisted Suicide. A good site with articles on why we should oppose falconer’s and marris’s bills.
