Morir con dignidad, pero ¿qué es la dignidad?

Read full text
Authors: Martín D. Farrell
Cited by: 1
References: 26

Abstract

Within moral and legal philosophy, this essay critically examines the concept of dignity in the debate on euthanasia, starting from its intrinsically ambiguous and contested character. Through a conceptual and historical analysis, it argues that "dignity" is not a univocal concept, but rather one marked by ongoing disputes about its meaning, allowing for multiple conceptions with divergent normative implications. The text reconstructs relevant philosophical traditions, from Cicero to Kant and Waldron, in order to situate the relationship between dignity and autonomy as its central argumentative axis, recovering the latter as one of its most plausible foundations. On this basis, the essay contends that paternalistic interventions that restrict individual decisions in the name of dignity are conceptually problematic. Accordingly, a conception of dignity grounded in autonomy provides a normative basis for euthanasia, understood as the expression of an autonomous decision regarding one's own death.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Patient Dignity and Privacy Ethics and bioethics in healthcare Data Privacy and Cybersecurity

Publication details

Journal / source
Salud Colectiva
Publisher
Universidad Nacional de Lanus
Volume
22
Pages
e5975–e5975
Publication date
23 April 2026
Language
EN