Loewy Erich H
University of California Davis, California, USA.
Health Care Anal. 2004 Sep;12(3):181-93. doi: 10.1023/B:HCAN.0000044925.40069.c7.
This paper introduces a series of papers dealing with the topic of euthanasia as an introduction to a variety of attitudes by health-care professionals and philosophers interested in this issue. The lead in paper--and really the lead in idea--stresses the fact that what we are discussing concerns only a minority of people lucky enough to live in conditions of acceptable sanitation and who have access to medical care. The topic of euthanasia and PAS really has three questions: (1) is killing another ever ethically acceptable; (2) is the participation of health professionals ethically different and (3) is it wiser to permit and set criteria (being fully aware of some dangers that lurk in such a move) or to forbid (knowing that it will occur clandestinely and uncontrolled). This paper takes no definite stand although it is very troubled by useless suffering (not only pain) by many who would wish their life and with it their suffering ended.
本文介绍了一系列探讨安乐死主题的论文，以此作为对关注该问题的医疗保健专业人员和哲学家的各种态度的介绍。开篇论文——实际上也是开篇观点——强调了这样一个事实，即我们正在讨论的仅仅涉及少数幸运地生活在可接受卫生条件下且能够获得医疗保健的人。安乐死和医师协助自杀的主题实际上有三个问题：（1）杀害他人在伦理上是否可接受；（2）医疗专业人员的参与在伦理上是否有差异；（3）允许并设定标准（充分意识到此举潜藏的一些危险）还是禁止（明知它会秘密且不受控制地发生）更明智。尽管本文对许多希望结束生命及痛苦（不仅是疼痛）的人所遭受的无意义痛苦深感困扰，但并未明确表态。
