A Merciful End: The Euthanasia Movement in Modern America

This book doesn't simply recount a dry record of various episodes of euthanasia but rather addresses the real history of euthanasia through a host of issues (ideological origins, concepts, etc.) that demand our attention when dealing with the subject of euthanasia. The author does an excellent job of maintaining an objective stance for the most part. This isn't intended as an argument for or against but rather how and why euthanasia and similar issues should remain at the top or our priorities. However, for the record, upon learning the ideological origins and history of the euthanasia movement, its direct link to eugenics, its connection with various unscrupulous individuals as founders and instigators, etc., reasonable people will find it very difficult to support euthanasia. In short, the author traces the origins of euthanasia, both ideological as well as geographical and cultural. We find that altough various forms of euthanasia have existed probably since our beginning, in terms of a formal movement or social agenda the modern idea finds its roots firmly planted in the fairly recent history having its earliest beginnings in the Enlightenment (at least with certain individuals during the Enlightenment) but not materializing until Darwin. Just the discussions concerning euthanasia and its connection with Darwinst ideology, natural selection, evolution, and Humanism more than merit anyone's serious attention. The author truly deserves credit for the research involved in writing this book. The bibliography and notes comprise almost a quarter of the books bulk. He takes you all the way to the bedrock principles that drive euthanasia and where they came from with all the proof anybody could want for his conclusions concering euthanasia's history. He is insightful without being biased, complete but brief, factual and detailed while not boring or cumbersome. In my view, the greatest value of this little book lies on two fronts. First, its unsaid and indirect prompting of any rational person to serioulsy question why you would support or not support euthanasia. Second, it forces (or should force) an individual to delve into much deeper philosophical water concerning the existence of God, human life and its value or lack thereof, and the direction we as human beings should take in the future concerning these and other such issues. In short, this book prompts us to think. I can think of no higher compliment to give.