Mercy, Compassion, and Euthanasia

This dissertation examines which virtues a good doctor would draw upon to guide them when confronted with choices over whether to assist a patient to die. I examine the use of two virtues, mercy and compassion, which commonly feature in assisted dying laws and medical codes of conduct. I argue that it is a conceptual error to treat mercy killing as synonymous with euthanasia. What is meant by reference to mercy killing in the context of euthanasia is actually compassionate homicide. Compassion is a virtue good doctors would call upon to guide their conduct in the context of assisted dying.