Stransham-Ford and physician-assisted euthanasia

The Supreme Court of Appeal has upheld the appeal by the Minister of Health and others against the Pretoria High Court ruling allowing for Stransham-Ford to seek physician-assisted suicide.

Euthanasia and a “culture of death”

The assisted-dying debate is about to be reinvigorated in South Africa, as Robin Stransham-Ford goes to court to seek the right to a death at the time of his choosing.

Euthanasia and the permissibility of moral debate

For difficult moral issues, we shouldn’t be surprised if the arguments are difficult also. Euthanasia, especially in the case of children, is difficult enough that argument sometimes appears impossible.

DignitySA on Belgium’s child euthanasia decision

Child euthanasia is an emotive subject, as all end-of-life decisions are. But that shouldn’t blind us to what’s right.

Assisted dying, religion and reportage

Assisted dying and euthanasia are issues too important to be sacrificed in the service of an atheism versus religion argument.

On banning the Christchurch manifesto

The mosque murders in Christchurch on March 15, 2019 made me aware that New Zealand has a “chief censor”, which seems a somewhat quaint title in the 21st Century. It’s nevertheless true that someone (or some group of people) have to make determinations about when – if ever – something should be deemed unsuitable for…

Weekend reading in ethics, featuring Marie Kondo

Here are three pieces that have been open in my browser for a few days now, while I kept postponing the urge to write something substantial about each of them. Instead, I’ll simply present them for your consideration, with a paragraph or two on selected areas of possible interest. First, Bruce Schneier on blockchains, and…

COPE and the Civil Union Act

Deirdre Carter (COPE) is trying to have Section 6 of the Civil Union Act, which allows for Home Affairs to discriminate against gay couples, revoked.

DignitySA and COPE to bring advance directives Bill to Parliament

Deirdre Carter (COPE) is introducing Bill on advance directives and assisted dying. Support her and DignitySA by indicating your support to Parliament.

So that is indeed enough: Karel Schoeman and assisted dying

Renowned Afrikaans author, Karel Schoeman, has taken his own life, in what is yet another example of why we need urgent reform of South African law related to assisted dying.