Abstract
The situation in the area of ethics is dismal. Not coincidentally the cultivation of ethics has been left in the hands of those who have a special interest in the problem - and the people in question are almost invariably associated with theology and religion.
It is necessary to develop a discussion of ethics in the field of philosophy that focuses on concrete issues, first and foremost among which is the issue of euthanasia. However, both sides of the discussion should beware of various forms of simplification and dismissal.
It is necessary to retain the complexity of the socio-political structures, and also to see the full complexity of pain and suffering. A secular ethics (and indeed ethics in general) dealing with the issue of euthanasia is, and remains, a challenge for the future.
The feasibility of euthanasia is an integral part of the possible setting of that ethics.