[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by Chris

There are few human rights that are absolute, because when one person exercises their rights, it always has an impact on someone else, in one way or another. Our own rights must always therefore be balanced against those of others. Nobody lives in isolation.

The ‘right’ to die (which does not exist in law, and in my view is extremely hard to define satisfactorily in any ethical system) would impinge on others if it did exist, because it would create a set of legal procedures and, eventually, societal assumptions, that the vast majority of other people would then have to consider, as they reach end-of-life. As the ‘right’ to die does not presently exist, there is no duty, or pressure, to consider it. Simply allowing the possibility of a ‘right’ to die affects everyone else, quite profoundly.

Appeals to ‘individual rights’ of this kind often ultimately fail because what is dressed up as personal freedom is often merely a selfish failure to consider how one’s own choices affect others. Thankfully we still have a legal and legislative system in this country that is willing to take such considerations seriously and not to rush to confer ‘rights’ on everyone at the insistence of a vocal minority.

So they can't be allowed to die if it's inconvenient to someone else or offends against their right not to be upset!

If anyone told me that and I had enough energy to do so, I'd get up and jump out of the window. They could clear up the mess.