Should coercive treatment be made illegal?

Should coercive treatment be made illegal? Coercive treatment is the administration of treatment (e.g. medicines into a human body or electroshocks) against the will of the human, e.g. in the case of patients with mentally anomalous conditions such as psychosis (delusions, hallucinations). Involuntary treatment is a broader category since it encompasses e.g. treatment of someone in a coma.

Coercive treatment should be made illegal

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  •   Pro Forced medication is a worse violation of human autonomy than imprisonment. Therefore, those subjected to involuntary medication are treated worse than actual criminals. That is unacceptable.
  •   Pro Expanding on the above, electroshocks are no better than forced substance intake. They were criticized by the American classic Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig.
  •   Con Those who are in the risk of harming themselves need medical help.
    •   Objection Not against their will; that is a violation of their human autonomy.
    •   Objection Each person has the right to take their own life since they alone are the rightful owners of their own life. A state that violates a bodily and mental autonomy of a person in the name of their protection engages in a grave act of despotism. See also Should suicide be legal?
  •   Con Those who are in the risk of harming others need to be prevented from doing so.
    •   Objection True, but only by legitimate means, such as incanceration (limiting of freedom of movement). Violation of bodily autonomy and integrity and violation of mental autonomy and integrity is not a legitimate means.

See also

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Further reading

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