Welcome to Ethical Rights

Voluntary Assisted Dying Survey 2021

We comprehensively surveyed voluntary assisted dying (VAD, voluntary euthanasia) advocates around the world in 2020–2021. They were surveyed on many of the ethical, regulatory and individual considerations that arise when considering voluntary euthanasia.

The survey outcomes (Summary Report, Results and Supplementary Material) and survey questions are available at: Ethical Rights Voluntary Assisted Dying Survey 2021.

Ethical Rights Overview

Ethical Rights's objective is to challenge and inspire people to think more rationally about important ethical and science-related issues. More people might then make better decisions about issues affecting themselves, other people and the world, and help make the world a better place.

Public debate on issues ranging from euthanasia to discrimination to climate change has too often been ill-informed. Consider as an example, how some politicians have used religious ideology, unsupported by evidence, for rejecting the progressive and informed views that would improve the lives of individuals, the world's climate and betterment of human society. In this example, in any conflict between rights, the views of one group cannot be forced onto other groups.  This follows from the observations that

  • people do not want other people's unsubstantiated opinions forced on them
  • people should not treat others in ways that they would not like to be treated.

Personal opinions on significant issues have no intrinsic merit. People are only entitled to what they can argue for.

This website contains short articles and larger well-argued papers that address important issues. 

The Articles link includes some general and media contributions, such as 'Religion and politics', which is critical of the mainly religion-linked objections to climate change and euthanasia policies, and 'Time for euthanasia to be regulated', which provides a strong case for legislated voluntary assisted dying. 

A comprehensive set of responses to Voluntary Euthanasia Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) addresses the most common questions that are asked of euthanasia advocates. 

The Articles link also includes more detailed submissions on issues including human rights, discrimination, equality, euthanasia, freedom of religion amongst others.  Papers are also provided on science matters ranging from fuel quality (Better Fuel for Cleaner Air) to human cloning. 

We hope you find the information on this site challenging, stimulating and useful.