A cross-sectional survey of 400 medical students of multicultural backgrounds at the University of Malaya was conducted to understand their attitudes towards euthanasia and factors related to medical decisions and ethical reasoning concerning the prolongation of life, the right to die and euthanasia. The student respondents completed self-administered questionnaires that comprised of twelve que...

Debates about the moral dilemmas of euthanasia date back to ancient times. Many of the historical arguments used for and against the practice remain valid today. Indeed, any form of discussion on the subject often provokes emotive responses, both from members of the medical profession and the general public. For this reason alone, the issue will continue to be debated at all levels of society. ...

Interest in euthanasia, also called “dignified death” or “death humanization” is relevant from the ethical and moral points of view, especially if it is oriented toward the detection of the motivations and conceptions of life subject to such practices. The movement of opinion in favour of euthanasia, currently active, has characteristic connotations and motivations, aimed at demanding legalizat...

the most recent cases and legal developments in Germany, Britain, USA, Australia, and the Netherlands helps to fill this gap. Taking the approach of a critical commentator on historical sources, the author presents a wide range of positions in the Jewish and Christian traditions, the medical profession, law, and philosophy (including the contributions by Friedrich Nietzsche and Peter Singer). I...

At 2.00 am on the morning of May 24, 1995 the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly Australia passed the Rights of the Terminally Ill Act by the narrow margin of 15 votes to 10. The act permits a terminally ill patient of sound mind and over the age of 18 years, and who is either in pain or suffering, or distress, to request a medical practitioner to assist the patient to terminate his or her...