Why I wrote … Euthanasia,Ethics and the Law: From Conflict to Compromise

I have elsewhere published a paper outlining this sort of approach: Huxtable R. Fatal Purposes: A Gewirthian Analysis of the ‘Right to Die’ in English Law. Contemporary Issues in Law 2005;8:242–63

Williams G. Euthanasia legislation: A rejoinder to the non-religious objections. In: Downing AB , ed. Euthanasia and the Right to Death: The Case for Voluntary Euthanasia. London: Peter Owen, 1969:134–47

For example, see McLean SAM. Assisted Dying: Reflections on the need for Law Reform. London: Routledge-Cavendish, 2007

For example, see Keown J. Euthanasia, Ethics and Public Policy: An Argument Against Legalisation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002

Battin MP. Ending Life: Ethics and the Way We Die. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005

Lewis P. Assisted Dying and Legal Change. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007

Singer P. Practical Ethics. 2nd edn. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1993:337–59

Guardian. Man jailed for threats to “mercy death” consultant. The Guardian 1995 August 5.

See Huxtable R , Forbes K. Glass v UK: Maternal instinct vs. medical opinion. Child and Family Law Quarterly 2004;16:339–54

Doyal L. Dignity in dying should include the legalisation of non-voluntary euthanasia. Clinical Ethics 2006;1:65–7

Tobias J. Letters: The ethics of euthanasia. The Guardian 2006 June 9

For attempts to provide robust definitions, see Beauchamp TL , Davidson A. The definition of euthanasia. Journal of Medicine and Philosophy 1979;4:294–312; Wreen M. The definition of euthanasia. Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 1998;48:637–53

Calabresi G. Ideals, Beliefs, Attitudes, and the Law: Private Law Perspectives on a Public Law Problem. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 1985

Charges were considered in relation to the assisted suicide of Daniel James, who was paralysed in an accident during rugby training: Gillan A. Father tells inquest of son's dying moments. The Guardian 2008 December 11

Gorman E. Teenager cleared of aiding suicide. The Times 1993 September 23

Fuller LL. The Morality of Law. Revised edn. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1969

Brownsword R. ‘Good faith in contracts’ revisited. Current Legal Problems 1996;49:111–57

Benjamin M. Splitting the Difference: Compromise and Integrity in Ethics and Politics. Lawrence, KS: University Press of Kansas, 1990

McCall Smith A. Euthanasia: The strengths of the middle ground. Medical Law Review 1999;7:194–207

Law Commission. Murder, Manslaughter and Infanticide. Project 6 of the Ninth Programme of Law Reform: Homicide. Law Com No. 304. London: Law Commission, 2006