Nitschke proclaimed that any legal restrictions on assisted suicide would put us back in the dark ages. He didn't explain or define what he meant by the terms dark ages. He just assumed they were a bad thing. Assuming what he is trying to prove seems to be the hallmark of Dr. Nitschke's rants in favor of legalizing assisted suicide.
There are a couple of possible implied judgement that the "good" doctor could have in mind when he uses the terms dark ages:
- The dark ages were a time of ignorance and unlearned beliefs. Some people would characterize the period of the dark ages (476AD - 1000AD) as a time when ignorance ruled the day. In this case the doctor was saying that to place any legal restrictions on assisted suicide is to be unlearned or ignorant. This really isn't an argument. I can call anyone's position ignorant, but that is simply engaging in name calling. It doesn't tell us how lack of learning makes the position incorrect or fallacious.
- The dark ages were a time very long ago. This in effect is saying that restrictions on assisted suicide are old fashioned beliefs and the only reasonable and correct beliefs are those in vogue right now. C S Lewis called this the fallacy of chronological snobbery. If Nitsche is claiming this belief he is forgetting that what is in vogue today will very soon be out of vogue in the not too distant future. All this claim proves is that a belief is not popular today-it says nothing about a belief's truth or falsity. Besides, popularity is very poor test for truth.
In review of these brief arguments I find it apparent that Dr. Nitschke's approach is heavy with rhetoric and emotionally charged statements. His arguments are not really arguments, but rather rants. Rhetoric may prove to be persuasive, but it is no substitute for logic.
