Gloria asked:

I have to write a term paper on assisted suicide being permissible under certain given conditions.
From the following philosophies, which one(s)would support the proposition and which one(s) would
not support the proposition: Social Contract Theory; Kantianism; Utilitarianism; or Virtue Theory?
Why?

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You should write your own essay or you won't come to understand philosophy, because writing forces
you to think things out.

But since you ask, briefly, social contract theory is social and political rather than moral - at least, on
my view - so that if assisted suicide is regarded as wrong socially and legally, it is not permissible.
The question, however, is whether it is morally permissible.

Kant would hold that assisted suicide is always wrong because you should always treat people with
respect as rational beings and it is not rational to want to die nor is respectful to help someone die.
This is highly disputable. Why is it not rational not to want to die, especially if you are in pain? Why is
it disrespectful to help a person in such a condition die? Perhaps this action is more like killing than
assisted suicide, and killing is not a universalisable action./P>

On a utilitarian view, the principle of the greatest happiness of the greatest number may condone
assisted suicide. The person wants to die and I will only help if I think it is a good thing, so this is good
for us both. But whether this is right depends on others and how upset they may be by the assisted
suicide. How do we know what their being upset consists in? Are they upset as an immediate reaction
to the death and its means and will feel it is acceptable later, or not?

On virtue theory, it may be a kindness to help someone to die. But a person who does this will have
his conscience to reckon with and so it is questionable whether this is a permissible moral action if it
leads to remorse and guilt.

Think about these things for yourself and how you feel.

Rachel Browne