Alzheimer’s groups and medical ethicists are expressing outrage over the suggestion by British moral philosopher Baroness Mary Warnock that those with dementia should consider ending their lives early.

There are obvious moral implications of the comments that 84-year-old Baroness Mary Helen Warnock shared with the Church of Scotland’s Life and Work magazine last week, in which she stated, “If you’re demented, you’re wasting people’s lives — your family’s lives — and you’re wasting the resources of the National Health Service.”

If this represents a legitimate belief of moral philosophy, I guess that makes me an immoral philosopher. If you want to end your life before your time, that is your decision to make. Please do not decide to end your life in order to save the government money and/or make your family happy. Looking for, creating, and maintaining purpose in our lives is one of the foundations of a fulfilling life. You do not have to give up purpose in your life just because some of your cogitative skills are slipping. You do not have to give up your life in order to make others happier in their lives. Only they can do that for themselves.

Baroness Warnock, please do not throw in your royal towel if you are diagnosed with dementia of this or that type.

Richard