Cryonics, euthanasia, and the doctrine of double effect
Abstract In 1989, Thomas Donaldson requested the California courts to allow physicians to hasten his death. Donaldson had been diagnosed with brain cancer, and he desired to die in order to cryonically preserve his brain, so as to stop its further deterioration. This case elicits an important questi...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Philosophy, Ethics, and Humanities in Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13010-023-00137-5 |
| _version_ | 1797789609779789824 |
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| author | Gabriel Andrade Maria Campo Redondo |
| author_facet | Gabriel Andrade Maria Campo Redondo |
| author_sort | Gabriel Andrade |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract In 1989, Thomas Donaldson requested the California courts to allow physicians to hasten his death. Donaldson had been diagnosed with brain cancer, and he desired to die in order to cryonically preserve his brain, so as to stop its further deterioration. This case elicits an important question: is this a case of euthanasia? In this article, we examine the traditional criteria of death, and contrast it with the information-theoretic criterion. If this criterion is accepted, we posit that Donaldson’s case would have been cryocide, but not euthanasia. We then examine if cryocide is an ethically feasible alternative to euthanasia. To do so, we rely on the ethical doctrine of double effect. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T01:53:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-05a2bf24c93b4373be9624bd7e705a8a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1747-5341 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T01:53:07Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Philosophy, Ethics, and Humanities in Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-05a2bf24c93b4373be9624bd7e705a8a2023-07-02T11:22:42ZengBMCPhilosophy, Ethics, and Humanities in Medicine1747-53412023-06-0118111010.1186/s13010-023-00137-5Cryonics, euthanasia, and the doctrine of double effectGabriel Andrade0Maria Campo Redondo1Ajman UniversityUnited Arab Emirates UniversityAbstract In 1989, Thomas Donaldson requested the California courts to allow physicians to hasten his death. Donaldson had been diagnosed with brain cancer, and he desired to die in order to cryonically preserve his brain, so as to stop its further deterioration. This case elicits an important question: is this a case of euthanasia? In this article, we examine the traditional criteria of death, and contrast it with the information-theoretic criterion. If this criterion is accepted, we posit that Donaldson’s case would have been cryocide, but not euthanasia. We then examine if cryocide is an ethically feasible alternative to euthanasia. To do so, we rely on the ethical doctrine of double effect.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13010-023-00137-5CryonicsEuthanasiaDouble effectDeath |
| spellingShingle | Gabriel Andrade Maria Campo Redondo Cryonics, euthanasia, and the doctrine of double effect Philosophy, Ethics, and Humanities in Medicine Cryonics Euthanasia Double effect Death |
| title | Cryonics, euthanasia, and the doctrine of double effect |
| title_full | Cryonics, euthanasia, and the doctrine of double effect |
| title_fullStr | Cryonics, euthanasia, and the doctrine of double effect |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cryonics, euthanasia, and the doctrine of double effect |
| title_short | Cryonics, euthanasia, and the doctrine of double effect |
| title_sort | cryonics euthanasia and the doctrine of double effect |
| topic | Cryonics Euthanasia Double effect Death |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13010-023-00137-5 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT gabrielandrade cryonicseuthanasiaandthedoctrineofdoubleeffect AT mariacamporedondo cryonicseuthanasiaandthedoctrineofdoubleeffect |