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Self-Directed Death, Euthanasia, And The Termination Of Life-Support: Reasonable Decisions To Die, G. Steven Neely

Campbell Law Review

The purpose of this paper is to challenge the common legal and psychiatric presumption that all decisions to die result from a clouded mind. Indeed, a realistic and common sense view of the issue asserts quite the contrary: namely, that self-directed death may prove to be an optimally rational course of action in light of an individual's circumstances and ends. While the state has a legitimate concern in the welfare of its citizens and should seek to prevent unwarranted loss of life, it should be loathe to force a mentally competent adult to remain alive against his will and best …