Dignity at life's end

Death is an evil and life is a good. However, neither life is the highest good nor death is the ultimate evil. Human life tends naturally to its end since its beginning, and suffering, to one degree or another, is a loyal companion all the way. Ideally, the vital functions of the body decline only toward the natural end of life. But sometimes they are also experienced earlier on. Whatever the case may be, and regardless of when major decline of bodily vital functions may happen, human life has an indelible dignity.

This dignity belongs to human life from beginning to end regardless of the suffering one experiences at any given stage in life. A person does not lose her dignity when life’s end approaches or is desired. Human dignity cannot be separated from human life; neither one is self-generated and the two form an inextricable unit. Life and dignity are not things that must be acquired or that can be disposed of at one’s will or at the will of another.

Discussions about euthanasia frequently center around arguments in favor of human autonomy, self-determination, and the right to die with dignity. The idea that one has authority over her life and body in such a way that these can be done away with when she wishes ignores that life is essentially a gift that is received quite apart from one’s will. Life and body are not one’s own as if they were private property. As one ethicist rightly said, “My body and my life are my property only in the limited sense that they are not yours.” They are not mine in the sense that I can do with them everything I want. I do not own my life and body like an automobile that I can put aside when it is irretrievably broken or when I feel that I have no further use for it. Rather, life and body are gifts of indescribable value that were given to us before they could be desired or neglected. It is only right that we hold them as such until their natural end comes instead of consigning them to abandonment.

Death with dignity should be desired by every human being. But the discussion about dying with dignity is often mistaken. Euthanasia proponents put emphasis on dying rather than on dignity. Euthanasia detractors are not opposed to dying but emphasize dignity. The emotional appeal of the phrase “dying with dignity” is great. But the phrase can be misleading. Perhaps we should strive to have a better way of speaking about life’s end, and instead of shouting “death with dignity” at one another, we should speak of “dignity at death.” The true question is not whether human beings should die with dignity – all agree on this. Dying with dignity should always be aimed for. Rather, the question is whether euthanasia is a way in which this kind of death is achieved.

Our aim is dignity, not death. To aim for death means killing intentionally, whereas to aim for dignity means providing the best emotional, psychological, and physical care to a suffering person until she reaches death naturally. Euthanasia is sometimes thought of as the only decent way to bring relief to those who are in great suffering. Euthanasia thus acquires an inevitable character and is wrapped up in noble feelings such as compassion and true, self-less concern. But compassion and true, self-less concern is best shown when the dignity of the sufferer while dying is sought. The compassionate and caring person will maximize care even when minimizing suffering is not ethically viable. Dignity is fostered in care but precluded in euthanizing.