Imagine this situation: a person has no medical illness but wishes to end his or her life purely because he or she no longer wishes to live. Should they be eligible for euthanasia or assisted suicide?
We use euphemisms about death and dying to soften the blow of the real words, or because we feel awkward being direct. But this can lead to misunderstanding and confusion.
Chuck Berry has died age 90, rightly remembered as the legend who shaped rock and roll. But his misdeeds can’t be ignored in the rush to glorify an icon.
Australia’s snakes, spiders and other venomous critters tend to strike fear in many people. But is Australia’s reputation as a nation of deadly creatures deserved?
When Facebook accidentally listed millions of users as “dead” in an embarrassing glitch it was a reminder that everyone needs to plan for their own digital death.
Proponents of assisted suicide, such as emeritus archbishop Desmond Tutu, argue that as people have the right to live with dignity, they also have the right to die with dignity.
In 1997, Joe Cinque was killed by his girlfriend Anu Singh. A new film about his death is riveting Australian cinema, with a heightened sense of tension and implicit violence throughout.
Visiting Professor in Biomedical Ethics, Murdoch Children's Research Institute; Distinguished Visiting Professor in Law, University of Melbourne; Uehiro Chair in Practical Ethics, University of Oxford