The Medical-Ethical Implications of Harry Potter

Abstract

The seventh book in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, unfortunately reveals that one of the lead characters in the book, Professor Albus Dumbledore, was killed by Professor Severus Snape at his own request. This action may suggest to millions of young readers' that euthanasia is an ethical option. In this essay, I would like to analyze the reasoning behind the actions of Dumbledore and Snape. I will point out the relevance of these story plots to the modern medical-ethical debate over active euthanasia. I will then contrast this act of assisted suicide with the very Christian self-sacrifice of Harry Potter in his final confrontations with the villainous Lord Voldemort.