A Concise History of Euthanasia: Life, Death, God, and Medicine

by Ian Dowbiggen

In this first book to explore the history of euthanasia worldwide since classical antiquity, distinguished historian Ian Dowbiggin exposes the many disturbing themes that link present and past in the concept of the right to die. His deeply informed history traces the controversial record of "mercy killing," a source of heated debate among doctors and laypeople alike. Dowbiggin examines evolving opinions about what constitutes a good death, taking into account the societal and religious values placed on sin, suffering, resignation, judgment, penance, and redemption. He also examines the bitter struggle between those who advocate for the right to compassionate and effective end-of-life care and those who justify euthanasia by defining human life in terms of biological criteria, utilitarian standards, a faith in science, humane medical treatment, the principle of personal autonomy, or individual human rights. The author considers both the influence of technological and behavioral changes in the practice of medicine and the public's surprising lack of awareness of death's many clinical and biological dimensions.

Dowbiggin reminds us that the stakes in the struggle are enormously high, with the lives of countless vulnerable people hanging in the balance. His provocative historical perspective will be indispensable as patients, families, governments, and the medical community debate when it is time to let go of life. Bound to spark controversy, this book takes issue with the right-to-die movement over the question of legalizing either assisted suicide or actual lethal injection (mercy-killing) and raises profound personal and collective questions on the future of euthanasia.

172 pages, Paperback

First published September 25, 2005

Reviews

[Yuxi Liu · Rating 1 out of 5]

Skimming Chapter 1, I was unimpressed by the many inaccuracies. Those are not all the pedantic kind, but rather directly opposite on essential points.

For example, it claims that Confucianism bans suicide, because it deprives the ancestors of veneration. In fact, ancestral veneration is not a strong part of Confucianism, which (at least since the Han dynasty) generally avoids speaking of anything supernatural, including ancestral spirits. If we go back to the Analects, there at a few cases of suicides praised, as they were done to uphold proper conduct.
> 齊景公有馬千駟，死之日，民無德而稱焉。伯夷叔齊餓于首陽之下，民到于今稱之。其斯之謂與？
> The Duke Jing of Qi had a thousand teams, each of four horses, but on the day of his death, the people did not praise him for a single virtue. Bo Yi and Shu Qi died of hunger at the foot of the Shou Yang mountain, and the people, down to the present time, praise them. Is not that saying illustrated by this?

In general, Confucianism disapproved suicide not because it deprives ancestors of veneration, but because it is not the proper conduct -- it violates the cosmic laws of behavior. The proper conduct requires one to care for one's parents, to bring up one's offsprings, to serve the bureaucratic supervisors, etc. Suicide breaks all these obligations.

It claims that Islam considers the modern suicide bombers as martyrs, when the majority of Islam people consider them sinful and "not real Muslims".

I went through Chapter 2 quickly, and decided to stop.

Also, the author is probably against euthanasia, but he is keeping his objectivity moderately well.

[Annushka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this for work. It is indeed concise. Perhaps too concise?

Many interesting historical examples here, and I enjoyed the prose. The book does make some pretty sweeping claims about different societies’ views on death. Also devotes much more attention to Unitarians and Catholics compared to other religions (which would be fine if the book weren’t claiming to be a global history).

There are surprisingly few monographs on the history of assisted dying, so I’m grateful to have found this one!

[Samuel Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is somewhat partisan (anti-euthanasia) but quite useful as an overview of the relevant history, and the partisanship is much milder than many of the polemics about euthanasia. I do think that both sides in the debates over assisted suicide and euthanasia would do well to contextualize their views more rigorously in terms of history, and this book offers the best effort to date from the anti-euthanasia side of the debate.

[Scooterskitten Harrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Research for my Sociology paper. Interesting.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had to read it for Medical Sociology. Quotes and references are interesting and writer's point of view is presented in an unbiased way, perfect for letting the reader create his/hers own opinion.