Is there a duty to die?

Is there a duty to die?

Is there a duty to die?

It sounds an odd question - most of us would say 'no', except perhaps for military and similar personnel in certain circumstances.

After all, when we say someone did their duty when they gave up their life to save others, we often mean that they did an act of heroism, well beyond the call of duty.

But some cultures, and some modern thinkers, think that there is a duty on a person to die in certain circumstances.

The ideas of John Hardwig

The philosopher John Hardwig re-opened this debate with an article in 1997. He says that an individual is not the only person who will be affected by decisions over whether they live or die. So, when deciding whether to live or die, a person should not consider only themselves; they should also consider their family and the people who love them.

What produces a duty to die?

Hardwig thinks that we may have a duty to die when the burden of caring for us seriously compromises the lives of those who love us:

• they may be physically exhausted by caring for us
• they may be emotionally exhausted by caring for us
• they may be financially destroyed by the cost of our healthcare
• they may be financially destroyed by having to give up work to care for us
• their home may become a place of grief and sickness
• other family members may be neglected as all attention is focussed on us

Hardwig says that there are no general rules - each case will be different, and he openly admits

Nor does Hardwig think that a person should make their final decision without consulting their family - although he points out the difficulties in doing this.

What makes a duty to die more likely?

He goes on to list various features of a person's situation that make it more likely that they have a duty to die:

• a duty to die is more likely when continuing to live will impose significant burdens on our family and loved ones
• a duty to die becomes greater as we grow older, because we will sacrifice less of our life
• a duty to die is more likely if we have already lived a full life
• there is a greater duty to die if our loved ones' lives have already been difficult or impoverished
• a duty to die is more likely if our loved ones have already made great contributions or sacrifices to make our life a good one
• the duty to die is reduced if we can adapt well to our disease or disability
• the duty to die is reduced if we still make significant contributions (not just money) to the lives of others
• a duty to die is more likely when the part of us that is loved will soon be gone or seriously compromised
• there is a greater duty to die to the extent that we have lived a relatively lavish lifestyle instead of saving for illness or old age