Tuesday, April 6, 2021

Peter Singer promotes euthanasia for mental illness.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Peter Singer
Long time euthanasia promoter, Peter Singer, has written a commentary on the expansion of euthanasia to include people with mental illness alone and advanced request for euthanasia. His commentary seems factual and dispassionate but in fact he supports more death by euthanasia.

In his article that was published by Project Syndicate, Singer reports on the expansions of euthanasia world-wide. Singer focuses on Canada, which recently expanded euthanasia, known as MAiD, to people who are not terminally ill and to people with mental illness alone. Euthanasia for mental illness alone is "held" for 24 months as Canada devises protocols for killing.

Singer first comments on the issue of euthanasia by advanced request, which the Dutch Supreme Court recently approved. He states:
The issue of allowing advance requests for assistance in dying will become more pressing as populations age and more people develop dementia. Last year, the Dutch Supreme Court ruled that doctors cannot be prosecuted for carrying out euthanasia on patients who have given written consent, but subsequently lost the capacity to consent.
Singer accurately points out how an aging population creates more pressure on a nation, nonetheless he ignores the fact that not requiring consent at the time of death justifies euthanasia without consent. 

Allowing euthanasia without consent undermines the original sales pitch for euthanasia, that being choice and consent. When consent is not required who chooses?

Singer then comments on the issue of euthanasia for mental illness alone. Singer states:
There can be little doubt that some mentally ill people are not helped by treatment, and do suffer greatly. It is hard to see why, if suffering from an incurable but non-terminal physical illness suffices for assistance in dying, suffering that is as bad or worse from incurable mental illness should not also be sufficient. Moreover, for people who are suffering from untreatable depression or other mental illnesses that do not respond to treatment, merely being judged eligible for euthanasia can in itself make life more bearable.
Singer acknowledges that psychiatric assessments may not determine if the mental illness is incurable, but then he suggests that this doesn't matter because only the patient can determine how unbearable the suffering is.

Euthanasia promoters, such as Singer ignore the reality that there is no proof that certain psychiatric conditions are untreatable and secondly they ignore the fact that a symptom of some psychiatric conditions is suicidal ideation.

We kill them because they want to die, but they want to die because they need treatment. Meanwhile Bill C-7 did not require that the person try effective treatments.

6 comments:

Nancy said...

We need a caring society, not a killing society. Thank you Very Much, Dear Alex !!! And, Happy Easter y'all!

Unknown said...

Mr. Singer:

Why do you promote Euthanasia for Mental Illness? I don't agree with you, because I have a brother, who has been battling Schizophrenia for years and now that he is at retirement age he seems to be free of most of the symptoms he had at a younger age. Now he has a chance to enjoy his life better, and relax while he does so. He lived through a lot of turmoil as he grew older and learned many lessons from his experiences. Do not think that someone in this situation does not learn anything because of the label pronounced upon them. They are still living, breathing, feeling human beings; who deserve to live the life that God has granted them and no one has the right to take it from them save GOD HIMSELF. I feel you must be numb, if you have lived for so long and not learned anything about human beings, or GOD, however, you might also be an Atheist which does not concern me, because I believe in GOD
but, I can not see how people like you can have the audacity to make decisions about others lives that are harmful to their existence.

Peace & Blessings
Maria Pace SDM



Julia P. said...

Project Syndicate is a Globalist Platform, handles by the Masters of Universe, which believe there are Gods. In reality they are Nazis !!

Anonymous said...

I agree with Maria Pace that in some cases of psychiatric disorders, patients often lead healthy happy lives in later life. Also with medical advances, there are more treatments than there used to be. People need time to work through their mental health issues and also support and care from friends and family.
The attitude to mental health issues is still not good in most societies. we humans have a problem with diversity and acceptance of people with mental health problems. Euthanasia is not the solution.

myra hamilton said...

I must agree with Julia P.The Nazi program is blossoming again into a world wide axis of evil.How many souls have to be extinguished before societies wake up to these murderers.6 million x 6 million x 6 million ? Myra Hamilton

Aquinas XXXXV said...

I would say that Singer's position is indicative of insanity on his part. Therefore, he should be a prime candidate for euthanasia.