Physician Assisted Suicide is a cross-disciplinary collection of essays from philosophers, physicians, theologians, social scientists, lawyers and economists. As the first book to consider the implications of the Supreme Court decisions in Washington v. Glucksburg and Vacco v. Quill concerning physician-assisted suicide from a variety of perspectives, this collection advances informed, reflective, vigorous public debate.
"...this book offers one of the most comprehensive tools to date for understanding the physician-assisted suicide debate." -- Janet Heald Forliani, Religious StudiesReview
"This excellent collection succeeds in expanding the debate about legalizing physician-assisted suicide well beyond its current narrow framework." -- New EnglandJournal of Medicine
"From protecting the weak to the question of saving health-care money through PAS, the book covers many often contentious subjects." -- Publishers Weekly
"Physician Assisted Suicide is by far the most comprehensive collection of materials yet...Whether you know little about this issue, or thought that you knew everything there is to know on it, you are bound to learn more from reading this volume." -- Peter Singer, author of Rethinking Life and Death
"In a field where a debate can easily degenerate into sound-bites, it is refreshing to find a collection of essays that examines the difficult issues in a thoughtful and balanced fashion. Everyone concerned with the personal, psychological, medical, social, religious, and legal dimensions of physician-assisted suicide needs this volume." -- Alexander M. Capron, Professor of Law and Medicine, University of Southern California Law School
"The debate on physician-assisted suicide is infected by emotional and confused advocacy on all sides; the only defense is clear, honest, rigorous thought--which this book offers in abundance, illuminating the issues, elevating the debate, and exemplifying civil discourse." -- Samuel Gorovitz, Professor of Philosophy and of Public Administration, Syracuse University
"The debate about legalizing physician-assisted suicide in the United States has been characterized more by exaggeration and hyperbole by both sides than by a carefully reasoned argument. Physician Assisted Suicide is important reading for those on either side of the debate who want to more deeply understand the enormous complexity of this topic. This collection of essays is an excellent antidote." -- Timothy E. Quill, M.D., author of Death and Dignity: Making Choices and Taking Charge and Psychiatry, University of Rochester
"[There is] a refreshing lack of cant in these essays. This excellent collection, in short, accomplishes the goal proclaimed by the subtitle of the book: it succeeds in expanding the debate about legalizing physician-assisted suicide well beyond its current narrow framework." -- New England Journal of Medicine
"... there is no doubt that one emerges much better informed. It should be required for any legislatures that are considering a change to the laws." -- Journal of Health Psychology
Margaret P. Battin is Professor of Philosophy and Adjunct Professor of Internal Medicine, Division of Medical Ethics at the University of Utah. She is the author of numerous books, including, The Least Worst Death (1994). Rosamond Rhodes is Director of Bioethics Education and Associate Professor of Medical Education at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, CUNY. Anita Silvers is Professor of Philosophy at San Francisco State University.