A friend is asked to assist in ending a persons life with metastatic cancer by assisted euthanasia. The friend considers this a form of suicide or murder. The family of the cancer patient is unaware of her wishes and she tells the friend she will do this act with or without her help. Which categorical imperative by Kant does this pertain to and explain.

 

This pertains to Kant's humanity formulation of the categorical imperative, which requires that a person treats others with respect, and consider them as ends to themselves and not as means to satisfy personal interests.

Step-by-step explanation

In this case, even though the friend considers the request to end the cancer patient's life as a form of murder or suicide, what should prevail is the need to fulfil the cancer patient's request. To fulfil the cancer patient's request for assisted euthanasia will be an act of respect for the person's dignity, and recognizing that they are means to their own ends. The cancer patient is adamant with this desire, to which they are ready to acquire euthanasia with or without the patient's help, therefore, it would be worthy to observe the principle of humanity in this case, as