How Did Craig Ewert's Decision To End His Life

According to Bentham’s calculus of felicity, Craig Ewert’s decision to end his life is morally justified. Since humans are prone to make bad predictions, the seven circumstances that make up the calculus allow us to decide if something is morally good or wrong. In Craig’s situation where he wants aid in dying all the seven circumstances are satisfied in one way, or another. Beginning with the first condition, Craig should assess the intensity of the pleasure he will get from this, and he does this in conjunction with the sixth condition, which is concerned with being free from pain. Craig reasons that with the disease that he has, death coupled with a large amount of pain in inevitable. The most logical thing according to Craig is to die sooner and avoid all the pain, if the ultimate result is death in both situations. This reasoning is morally correct because if the goal is to increase utility, there is no explanation for keeping Craig alive against his will, and he is certain about this.

It could be argued, however, that it is not certain whether or not when one takes the pills or the medicine which kills them they are free of pain. This objection is dismissed when it is noted that Craig is always in a lot of pain; when he swallows, talks, breaths, or eats, pain will always be present. What follows is the reasoning that if it is acceptable for Craig to suffer while living, it should also be acceptable to minimally suffer in order to end his pain, once and for