A Dead Proposal: Levi and Green on Advance Directives

Dawson, Angus; Wrigley, Anthony

Abstract

There are many problems with CitationLevi and Green's (2010) suggestion that a computer-based decision aid will overcome the major objections to advance directives (ADs). We focus on just two here. First, we argue that the key assumption underlying Levi and Green's paper, that autonomy always ought to take priority over other values, is false. Second, we argue that the paper misses the point of the most telling objections to the use of ADs: they lack the relevant moral authority to determine treatments. It is not that they are merely subject to a set of contingent problems related to capturing the wishes of individuals or being open to misinterpretation by others. We conclude that the plug should be pulled on Levi and Green's computer-based proposal.

Citation

Dawson, A., & Wrigley, A. (2010). A Dead Proposal: Levi and Green on Advance Directives. American Journal of Bioethics, 10(4), 23-24. https://doi.org/10.1080/15265161003632963

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Apr 9, 2010
• Deposit Date: May 30, 2024
• Journal: The American Journal of Bioethics
• Print ISSN: 1526-5161
• Electronic ISSN: 1536-0075
• Publisher: Routledge
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 10
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 23-24
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15265161003632963
• Public URL: https://keele-repository.worktribe.com/output/834607
• Publisher URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15265161003632963