What is it about?
This article is a critical review of John Keown’s book, which argues against the legalization of euthanasia and assisted suicide. It summarizes the book’s main arguments, highlights its ethical and legal perspectives, and evaluates its contribution to the debate on end-of-life care.
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Why is it important?
Euthanasia and assisted suicide are among the most controversial issues in bioethics and public policy today. This review helps readers understand Keown’s influential position and provides insights into how ethical reasoning and legal analysis can shape the debate. It also points out the strengths and limits of Keown’s argument, helping scholars and practitioners engage more deeply with this key resource.
Perspectives
For me, writing this review was an opportunity to critically engage with a leading voice in the field. While I appreciated the book’s thoroughness, I also reflected on the need to balance strong arguments with openness to diverse perspectives. This exercise sharpened my own thinking about conscientious objection and end-of-life ethics, which are central to my research.
Carlos Gomez-Virseda
Associatie KU Leuven
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: John Keown: Euthanasia, ethics and public policy: an argument against legalisation, 2nd edition, Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics, February 2020, Springer Science + Business Media,
DOI: 10.1007/s11017-020-09518-9.
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