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Terry Pratchett begins formal process to end his life
Blastr ^
| June 13, 2011
| Carol Pinchefsky
Posted on 06/15/2011 6:58:15 AM PDT by Abin Sur
Three and a half years ago, Terry Pratchett, the beloved author of the Discworld series, announced that he has early-onset Alzheimer's disease. Now he's made an even more startling announcement.
Pratchett, who has campaigned in his native United Kingdom for the right of assisted suicide, has begun the formal process of assisted suicide in Switzerland, one of the few countries in the world to legalize euthanasia. Specifically, this would take place at Dignitas, a clinic that provides qualified doctors and nurses to assist with the patients' suicides.
Dignitas has sent Pratchett the paperwork he needs to sign to begin the assisted suicide processbut he has yet to sign it.
(Excerpt) Read more at blastr.com ...
TOPICS: Health/Medicine; Society
KEYWORDS: assistedsuicide; discworld; euthanasia; homicide; moralabsolutes; napl; pratchett; prolife; pterry; pterrydont; sad; terrypratchett; tragic; zot
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To: hoagy62
The vast majority of sci-fi authors, brilliant as some may be, do NOT believe in God.According to Wikipedia, he is listed as an agnostic and humanist. He participated in a protest against the Pope's visit to the UK, claiming that the Church was "responsible" for all sorts of human rights violations.
21
posted on
06/15/2011 7:45:25 AM PDT
by
pnh102
(Regarding liberalism, always attribute to malice what you think can be explained by stupidity. - Me)
To: knittnmom
Even Larry Niven loves his work.
I loved “Good Omens” and I swear this guy owns the largest space in the sci-fi aisle at my local bookstore.
22
posted on
06/15/2011 7:45:36 AM PDT
by
SJSAMPLE
To: freedumb2003
Let us not forget the Good Doctor (Asimov). I've always liked Asimov, one of the Big Three Golden Age science fiction writers (Asimov, Clarke, and Heinlein).
Heinlein's still the best, though...IMHO, of course :-)
23
posted on
06/15/2011 7:46:48 AM PDT
by
Abin Sur
To: Abin Sur
I think that those of us who know his work know that any decision Pratchett makes will be wise.
24
posted on
06/15/2011 7:49:57 AM PDT
by
Grut
To: Grunthor
I see your point. I was watching Discovery of some such channel and they showed Stephan Hawking as he is today and someone in his condition I can see would have a hard time implementing an end-of-life act on their own. But even he could drive his wheelchair off of a cliff if he wanted to. About the only one (fictional character) I could think of who could not implement his own demise was the one wounded solider in the story about Johnny Got His Gun (supposedly based on a true story). That is one condition I can see not wanting to live through, although that character did.
25
posted on
06/15/2011 7:54:00 AM PDT
by
chimera
To: Abin Sur; Dr. Brian Kopp; trisham; DJ MacWoW; little jeremiah; Coleus; narses; Lesforlife; ...
Suicide isn't a choice I can imagine making, but I'm not willing to impose that on another person. Wow, did you think that up on your own?
This is EXACTLY what every leftist politician says about abortion.
How do the following statements work for you?:
"Murder isn't a choice I can imagine making, but I'm not willing to impose that on another person." "Rape isn't a choice I can imagine making, but I'm not willing to impose that on another person."
"Armed robbery isn't a choice I can imagine making, but I'm not willing to impose that on another person."
26
posted on
06/15/2011 7:54:29 AM PDT
by
wagglebee
("A political party cannot be all things to all people." -- Ronald Reagan, 3/1/75)
To: Abin Sur
I love all of his books. When he dies however it comes it will be a great loss.
To: wagglebee
How do the following statements work for you?: "Murder isn't a choice I can imagine making, but I'm not willing to impose that on another person."
"Rape isn't a choice I can imagine making, but I'm not willing to impose that on another person."
"Armed robbery isn't a choice I can imagine making, but I'm not willing to impose that on another person."
Invalid analogy. All of those involve the initiation of force against another person. Suicide does not.
28
posted on
06/15/2011 8:00:22 AM PDT
by
Abin Sur
To: pnh102
Didn’t Asimov (I think) write a story once about a society on an overcrowded Earth where old folks, once they reached a certain age, celebrated their birthdays, then went to a place from which they never returned, and everybody thought it was jolly good?
29
posted on
06/15/2011 8:04:59 AM PDT
by
chesley
(Eat what you want, and die like a man.)
To: chimera
Assisted suicide is designed to destroy medical ethics for physicians— first do no harm.
To: Abin Sur
Thank you, I stand corrected.
31
posted on
06/15/2011 8:07:43 AM PDT
by
hoagy62
(Help stamp out crack-pull up your pants.)
To: Abin Sur
Sucide is morally wrong and a sin against God. But so are lot’s of things that are legal.
My objection concerns dragging someone else into the process.
An even more serious objection is, when does it stop becoming your choice and become an obligation you owe society?
the nose under the tent is not the whole camel, and the slippery slope only slides to the left.
32
posted on
06/15/2011 8:07:53 AM PDT
by
chesley
(Eat what you want, and die like a man.)
To: chesley
Vonnegut, “Welcome to the Monkey House.”
33
posted on
06/15/2011 8:10:59 AM PDT
by
GAB-1955
(I write books, love my wife, serve my nation, and believe in the Resurrection.)
To: Abin Sur
Maybe he’ll forget about it and bring joy to his family in his last days.
34
posted on
06/15/2011 8:18:58 AM PDT
by
Vendome
("Don't take life so seriously... You'll never live through it anyway")
To: Abin Sur
Assisted suicide is for weak people who can't bear suffering for themselves (a viewing of The Passion of the Christ might be helpful for them) and do not wish to be a burden on their families, when in fact, it is an opportunity at redemption for both the victims and their families. Suffering is a gift. Terry is denying this last-ditch effort from Christ. In doing so, Mr. Pratchett is playing with fire (possibly for eternity).
35
posted on
06/15/2011 8:36:31 AM PDT
by
mlizzy
(Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee ...)
To: mlizzy
One of my relatives, thank God, survived a suicide attempt. Before going to visit him, we called the Suicide Hot Line for advice. They advised be supportive, but direct. For example, remind him of the impact on his mother, wife, sister and brothers, etc., if he succeeded. End every visit with a promise that he will not attempt again before your next visit. I remember one visit, as I was getting ready to go, I started off saying, I want you to promise me... and he said, "I know, that I won't do anything stupid." I said: "Right. And I will define stupid. Stupid is having anything to do with overdosing on drugs, or inflicting wounds on yourself." He also got excellent counseling, and has been alive now for 29 more years. He's been a blessing to us, to his family, and his second wife and her children. (His first wife left him while he was in the hospital - best thing that could have happened, IMHO.)
36
posted on
06/15/2011 8:48:43 AM PDT
by
knittnmom
(Save the earth! It's the only planet with chocolate!)
To: chimera
Just go up 20 to 30 floors, find an opening, and step out smartly.Jeez, have a heart on the people who have to deal with the subsequent mess, really...
37
posted on
06/15/2011 8:49:45 AM PDT
by
no-s
(B.L.O.A.T. and every day...because some day soon they won't be making any more...for you.)
To: GAB-1955
Thanks. It was years ago.
38
posted on
06/15/2011 8:50:33 AM PDT
by
chesley
(Eat what you want, and die like a man.)
To: Grut
I think that those of us who know his work know that any decision Pratchett makes will be wise.I disagree, I know/love his work, but that does not mean that he will make good personal choices. Picasso, and Frank Lloyd Wright were both brilliant, but made some bad personal decisions
39
posted on
06/15/2011 9:07:31 AM PDT
by
verga
(I am not an apologist, I just play one on Television)
To: Abin Sur
Invalid analogy. All of those involve the initiation of force against another person. Suicide does not. For those of us that beleive in God you are mistaken. God is the author of life and He will end mine when He sees fit, not when I do.
40
posted on
06/15/2011 9:11:30 AM PDT
by
verga
(I am not an apologist, I just play one on Television)
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