many people want to die. Doesn't mean we should help them do it.
by 'potentially treatable' I mean both the potential to reform, of which modern penal regimes are based on, and the potential of medicine to understand and treat pathologies. That people like him are deemed 'untreatable' in both the penal and medical sense, and may be disposed of by euthanasia, perhaps shows that the State and civic society are failing in their duty of care.
As for mental distress due to mental illness - this is roughly an idea from Enzyme's blog - I'm not speaking of offenders (although, it has been argued that the US prison system has a large majority of mentally ill inmates because the US has inadequate mental health care). I'm speaking of the right to die based on mental distress. There are many people suffering treatable and untreatable mental distress - schizophrenia, chronic depression, bipolar, DID, etc. Even before the Government cuts, the NHS was unable to fully help the mentally ill and disabled. So, in places like Belgium (or in a future Britain) I worry people are being deemed (or will be deemed) viable for euthanasia because there just aren't the finances to treat them, as well as taking away incentive to find a cure.
(, Tue 16 Sep 2014, 14:46, Share, Reply)
I think that shifts the context slightly, though
If you're talking about somebody suffering from a mental illness like chizophrenia, chronic depression, bipolar or DID, those individuals should absolutely be treated. And if their culpability is deemed due to mental illness, then the treatment should absolutely be the same.
I just don't think this example, where no specific mental illness has been listed in the article beyond "violent sexual urges" - which leads me to assume likely a paraphilia and ASPD comorbidity - can be placed in the same context. Because neither is currently regarded as a mental disorder which responds to treatment. It's rare that a person is hospitalised because of a personality disorder.
Society would say he was responsible for his actions. I don't at all believe he should be killed or mistreated beyond deprivation of liberty by the state if he's assessed as a risk to society, but if he wants to die in a country that allows euthanasia then what can be done?
(, Tue 16 Sep 2014, 14:58, Share, Reply)
if the question of a mental disorder is taken out then we are left with the state's failure to rehabilitate...
as well as a person seemingly wishing euthanasia based on self awareness and guilt
are not self awareness and guilt the road to redemption, and thus shows the man to be treatable in some way
(, Tue 16 Sep 2014, 15:37, Share, Reply)
But how would you know that self awareness and guilt are genuine in somebody with an ASPD?
Isn't that one of the hallmarks of the disorder? The so called mask of sanity?
I'm all for rehabilitation if possible - I just don't believe it is possible in pathologically "bad" people. Maybe I'm wrong.
(, Tue 16 Sep 2014, 16:46, Share, Reply)