Dying with dignity

The existential and personalistic perspective, according to which the value of a human being is absolute, is beginning to be supplanted in the modern world by utilitarianism, according to which the value of a human being depends on his or her qualities, merits and benefits. The consequences of the utilitarian approach are euthanasia, eugenic selection, the Holocaust or abortion on demand. In the utilitarian view, illness, disability, invalidity or dying take away a person’s dignity. The reason for the desire to undergo euthanasia is the lack of acceptance of all human existence, in which suffering and dying are inscribed, as well as the lack of care for dignified dying conditions. Instead of “curing” the cause of suffering, pro-euthanasia movements propose the simplest, fastest and cheapest way – killing the patient. Meanwhile, long experience confirms that once pain relief is obtained, the patient does not ask for death again. The chapter shows how important it is to counteract the causes of non-acceptance of suffering, to restore the meaning of dying and suffering, and to conduct appropriate palliative care, which should include, among other things: effective pain relief, accompanying the patient and his relatives, taking care of the dignity of the departing person in every field as part of dignity therapy.