Some years ago, I was approached by a campaign group called Dignity in Dying, which has had great success in altering public perceptions of this very difficult question, and, after a good deal of thought, I agreed to give my name to its cause. My reasons were as follows. A patient is known to be terminally ill. They are in agony: mental, physical torment. They want to die. Their families love them, but they too want the agony to end. Why should they not be allowed to bring the torment to a close?
True, there are many who do not think as they do. A majority of practising Christians, for example, believe life to be God-given, and we must therefore wait for God to take us to himself, rather than arrogate to ourselves the moment of departure. Fine.