Euthanasia And The Slippery Slope: Socio-Legal Perspectives On Compassion And Control
- IJLLR Journal
- Jan 13, 2025
- 2 min read
Ms. Ashana Mishra, Research Scholar, Department of Law, University of Mumbai
ABSTRACT
With the rise in the acceptance of euthanasia, the debate around this socio- legal discourse has surfaced yet again. The challenge today still centres around the slippery slope argument. Adoption of euthanasia, under strict guidelines, has been accepted in jurisdictions, but the concern it posits hints at the gradual erosion of ethical boundaries given the gravity of precedent such implementation might hold. This paper aims that assessing the balance between compassion and control and how countries have evolved safeguards in place to maintain a balance between these two factors.
While there may be support on the argument of euthanasia being legalised, the legality has to be assessed on multiple considerations, the autonomy of the individual, the dignity aspect under the ambit of right to life, the social concerns and the lack of unanimous outlook towards the implementation of euthanasia. The debate revolves around the upholding of personal choice and seeking relief of persistent suffering. Balancing the fundamentals of life and death and reading death under the broad contours of right to life requires sustained deliberation. There is a pressing need to have legal safeguards in place to prevent the diminishing sanctity of life and also respecting the cultural norms associated with life and death.
The paper would delve into the past footprints of euthanasia, the judicial lens through which euthanasia settled in countries and also the legal scope that these holds. This study stretches to a critical evaluation of legal mechanisms, myriad societal perceptions, the ethical dilemma, empathetic factor amongst the several aspects. This field demands not just a legal framework but a socio-legal framework keeping all the mention considerations in perspective. This paper aims to present a balanced approach between the idea of compassion and control and all that lies between these two compelling factors. The paper also proposes recommendations for striking a balance amongst the several factors stated. The ultimate aim eventually being to uphold human dignity without succumbing to compromise of the ethical and legal standards.
Keywords: euthanasia, ethical, socio-legal, safeguards, dignity
