Does the assisted dying bill devalue life?
From Seneca in ancient Rome to today, discussions of death and the right to end life have revolved around three broad moral poles: sanctity of life, personal autonomy and protection of the vulnerable.
Balancing them has never been a rational task, as these are values that we hold almost instinctively — to paraphrase the 18th-century Scottish philosopher David Hume, this is a matter where reason follows passion. The law should not shy away from this passion. It must, after all, continue to reflect social mores — no less so than in the question of death.
To assess how the assisted dying bill will change the law's approach to death, we should first take stock of what it is now.
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