Nitschke's Comfortable Climate of Cuddling for Assisted Suicide

I am continuing my examination of Phillip Nitschke's presentation at a debate held August 25, 2001. In his presentation Nitschke cited the case of Bob Dent. Dr. Nitschke assisted Mr. Dent to commit suicide by providing a lap-top PC that controlled the administration of a lethal dose of drugs. Such suicide was legal at the time until the law was later overturned.

Comfortable Killing
Dr. Nitschke praised the fact that Bob Dent died while holding his wife in his arms. Nitschke is implying that because the killing took place in such a serene scene of husband and wife bonding over poison this was a good and proper act.

Critical Condition
According to reports Bob Dent was in pain with prostate cancer and was having difficultly controlling his bowel movements. He was dying from the cancer. This is a terrible condition from which to be suffering and not something I would hope to have to endure.

Confusing Red Herrings
The real question Phillips Nitschke ignores is whether it is morally and ethically right for someone to:

1. kill himself/herself
2. assist he/she in such an act.

The fact Mr. Dent bonded in love with his wife while he killed himself does not determine the right or wrongness of the act. It simply describes the setting where someone committed suicide and nothing else. This is Dr. Nitschke's attempt to deflect our consideration of the real issue and is called in logic a red herring. Later in his argument he charges that it is sophistry to say it is okay to give morphine to the terminally ill to alleviate pain because as a side effect it can also speed up dying.  Well, Dr. Nitschke, your clouding of the real issue with an image of a husband and wife bonding is the true example of Sophistry.

The Real Issue
The ethics of assisted suicide should be decided based on its moral rightness or wrongness. The supposed side benefit of producing a climate of comfort and bonding has no bearing on that decision.