# What? No Brittany Maynard thread? (terminal disease, doctor-assisted suicide) **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 19, 2014, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-no-brittany-maynard-thread-terminal-disease-doctor-assisted-suicide/701765 "2014-10-19T05:46:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-no-brittany-maynard-thread-terminal-disease-doctor-assisted-suicide/701765/161 "2014-11-04T20:11:17Z")
> [@Revenant\_Threshold](#): > > Your legal obligation not to kill anyone? Can’t prosecute the dead. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-no-brittany-maynard-thread-terminal-disease-doctor-assisted-suicide/701765/162 "2014-11-04T20:12:04Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > It perhaps makes me a _hypothetical_ coward. LOL. This post should be bookmarked. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-no-brittany-maynard-thread-terminal-disease-doctor-assisted-suicide/701765/163 "2014-11-04T20:13:08Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > You really and truly have absolutely no idea what you are talking about, and frankly the pontification about she “should have done” is medically and factually outrageous and an insult to this wonderful and courageous person who lived a spirited life and now, even in death, has helped many to become better informed about the issues of compassionate medicine. You say “wonderful and courageous person who lived a spirited life”. I say “one-percenter globetrotting elitist who took the coward’s way out and encouraged a culture of death in doing so”. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-no-brittany-maynard-thread-terminal-disease-doctor-assisted-suicide/701765/164 "2014-11-04T20:14:10Z")
> [@Revenant\_Threshold](#): > > Why would you be terrified of it? You’re not there anymore. It makes no sense to claim fear of something you’re not around for, unless, I guess, you’re saying that death happening can have severe negative effects on your mental psyche before it even happens, but you can’t be saying that. It terrifies me to know that it will happen. It’s not being dead that I fear - it’s the moments leading up to death. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-no-brittany-maynard-thread-terminal-disease-doctor-assisted-suicide/701765/165 "2014-11-04T20:15:22Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > You say “wonderful and courageous person who lived a spirited life”. I say “one-percenter globetrotting elitist who took the coward’s way out and encouraged a culture of death in doing so”. There’s not much greater way to encourage a culture of death than by choosing the option to extend your own life by a second over avoiding the death of the entire universe. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-no-brittany-maynard-thread-terminal-disease-doctor-assisted-suicide/701765/166 "2014-11-04T20:16:49Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > You say “wonderful and courageous person who lived a spirited life”. I say “one-percenter globetrotting elitist who took the coward’s way out **and encouraged a culture of death in doing so** ”. (bolding mine) Do you have any evidence that any non-dying people have been encouraged to kill themselves by her actions? ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-no-brittany-maynard-thread-terminal-disease-doctor-assisted-suicide/701765/167 "2014-11-04T20:17:03Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > There’s not much greater way to encourage a culture of death than by choosing the option to extend your own life by a second over avoiding the death of the entire universe. Conceded. Let’s agree to work towards a society where no one ever has the power to do that. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-no-brittany-maynard-thread-terminal-disease-doctor-assisted-suicide/701765/168 "2014-11-04T20:18:10Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Correct. Doctors **should** not be in the business of allowing patients to die. > [@Smapti](#): > > Who said anything about **morality**? I keep telling you… you need to start interposing [a United Way update](http://dilbert.com/strips/comic/1995-10-02/) or something when you do that. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-no-brittany-maynard-thread-terminal-disease-doctor-assisted-suicide/701765/169 "2014-11-04T20:18:14Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > (bolding mine) Do you have any evidence that any non-dying people have been encouraged to kill themselves by her actions? It’s been three days. Give it time. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-no-brittany-maynard-thread-terminal-disease-doctor-assisted-suicide/701765/170 "2014-11-04T20:18:27Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Can’t prosecute the dead. Obligation ends at the point at which you can’t receive comeuppance from authority for it? ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-no-brittany-maynard-thread-terminal-disease-doctor-assisted-suicide/701765/171 "2014-11-04T20:20:07Z")
> [@Revenant\_Threshold](#): > > Obligation ends at the point at which you can’t receive comeuppance from authority for it? In a practical sense, yes. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-no-brittany-maynard-thread-terminal-disease-doctor-assisted-suicide/701765/172 "2014-11-04T20:20:16Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > It terrifies me to know that it will happen. It’s not being dead that I fear - it’s the moments leading up to death. And yet - Maynard chose to bring those closer. She looked at the thing you fear above absolutely everything else, something you consider to be the fear above all things, and selected to face it _now_. So where does the cowardice part come in, exactly? She chose to face the greatest fear you consider to exists immediately. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-no-brittany-maynard-thread-terminal-disease-doctor-assisted-suicide/701765/173 "2014-11-04T20:21:16Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > In a practical sense, yes. Cool. So no problem with you for Maynard, then, given that with her death she’s removed herself from the authority that would obligate her to live? ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-no-brittany-maynard-thread-terminal-disease-doctor-assisted-suicide/701765/174 "2014-11-04T20:21:45Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Morality does not factor into the equation here. Cowardice is objectively defined as the refusal due to fear to carry out one’s obligations. Nonsense. By this definition, German generals who retreated when the situation so indicated, despite Hitler’s order to the contrary, were engaging in cowardice rather than rational tactical evaluation, which is absurd on its face. In any case (as noted in my previous message), you already contradicted yourself even more blatantly by asserting a “should” proposition, which by definition is a moral rather than a factual statement. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-no-brittany-maynard-thread-terminal-disease-doctor-assisted-suicide/701765/175 "2014-11-04T20:22:31Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Suicide is always an act of cowardice. We need to be helping people in these situations, not enabling them to kill themselves. You think a Kamikaze is a coward? Also, needless suffering isn’t some goal to strive for. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-no-brittany-maynard-thread-terminal-disease-doctor-assisted-suicide/701765/176 "2014-11-04T20:24:31Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Conceded. Let’s agree to work towards a society where no one ever has the power to do that. Just a minute…I’m working on it…Just a few adjustments more…_done!_ I have fixed it so that no man has the power to extend their own life by one second using that horrific method. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-no-brittany-maynard-thread-terminal-disease-doctor-assisted-suicide/701765/177 "2014-11-04T20:25:04Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > We are all inconvenienced when suicide is treated as a lifestyle choice or an act of bravery rather than as a crime against the self. It cheapens the value of every human life when one is ended frivolously and needlessly. By this “logic”, the value of every human intellect is cheapened by the fact that one of them (that would be you) insists on spewing out an endless stream of nonsense. Fortunately, stupidity is not contagious, at least not the the degree of the Ebola virus as seen by famous medical expert Chris Christie. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-no-brittany-maynard-thread-terminal-disease-doctor-assisted-suicide/701765/178 "2014-11-04T20:28:33Z")
> [@Revenant\_Threshold](#): > > Cool. So no problem with you for Maynard, then, given that with her death she’s removed herself from the authority that would obligate her to live? From her perspective the obligation no longer exists because she doesn’t exist. From our perspective, the obligation exists, and she broke it by killing herself. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-no-brittany-maynard-thread-terminal-disease-doctor-assisted-suicide/701765/179 "2014-11-04T20:29:42Z")
> [@Revenant\_Threshold](#): > > And yet - Maynard chose to bring those closer. She looked at the thing you fear above absolutely everything else, something you consider to be the fear above all things, and selected to face it _now_. > > So where does the cowardice part come in, exactly? She chose to face the greatest fear you consider to exists immediately. She is a coward because she refused to face that which would have come to pass otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-no-brittany-maynard-thread-terminal-disease-doctor-assisted-suicide/701765/180 "2014-11-04T20:30:58Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > You think a Kamikaze is a coward? No, I think a kamikaze is stupid. > [@](#): > > Also, needless suffering isn’t some goal to strive for. Suffering is how we know we’re alive. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-no-brittany-maynard-thread-terminal-disease-doctor-assisted-suicide/701765.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-no-brittany-maynard-thread-terminal-disease-doctor-assisted-suicide/701765.md?page=10)