Kant’s claim suicide is in every case contrary to moral duty makes him an unlikely figure to turn to when mounting a defence of physician-assisted dying (PAD). This is because it is plausible to assume that the permissibility of suicide in at least some cases is a necessary condition for support of PAD.

The aim of this talk is to suggest an alternative to this picture. I argue that Kant’s account of moral virtue and the duties we have towards the moral perfection of others are both compatible with a commitment to PAD. The prohibition on suicide sets limits to the way in which this practice may be carried out but does not forbid it altogether. Moreover, I argue that there are good reasons to support the limits suggested by the Kantian view.