Lesson plan

Final Exit

Final Exit: The Practicalities of Self-Deliverance and Assisted Suicide for the Dying, often shortened to just Final Exit, is a 1991 book written by Derek Humphry, a British-born American journalist, author, and assisted suicide advocate who co-founded the (defunct) Hemlock Society in 1980 and co-founded the Final Exit Network in 2004. The book was published in 1991 by the Hemlock Society US in hardback. The following year, its 2nd edition was published by Dell in trade paperback. An updated edition was published in 2010. The book, often described as a "suicide manual", describes the means that the terminally ill may use to end their lives. The book outlines relevant laws, techniques, and living wills. Final Exit was perceived as controversial, and it drove debate regarding the right to die. Another concern was that people who were mentally ill could use information in the book to end their lives. Despite the controversy, Final Exit reached #1 on The New York Times Best Seller list in August 1991. Final Exit Network claims that approximately 750,000 copies have been sold in the United States and Canada and approximately 500,000 elsewhere. The book is banned in France. Final Exit is Derek Humphry's third book on the subject of self-euthanasia; it was preceded by Jean's Way (1978) and The Right to Die: Understanding Euthanasia (1986).

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Article summary

Final Exit: The Practicalities of Self-Deliverance and Assisted Suicide for the Dying, often shortened to just Final Exit, is a 1991 book written by Derek Humphry, a British-born American journalist, author, and assisted suicide advocate who co-founded the (defunct) Hemlock Society in 1980 and co-founded the Final Exit Network in 2004. The book was published in 1991 by the Hemlock Society US in hardback. The following year, its 2nd edition was published by Dell in trade paperback. An updated edition was published in 2010. The book, often described as a "suicide manual", describes the means that the terminally ill may use to end their lives. The book outlines relevant laws, techniques, and living wills. Final Exit was perceived as controversial, and it drove debate regarding the right to die. Another concern was that people who were mentally ill could use information in the book to end their lives. Despite the controversy, Final Exit reached #1 on The New York Times Best Seller list in August 1991. Final Exit Network claims that approximately 750,000 copies have been sold in the United States and Canada and approximately 500,000 elsewhere. The book is banned in France. Final Exit is Derek Humphry's third book on the subject of self-euthanasia; it was preceded by Jean's Way (1978) and The Right to Die: Understanding Euthanasia (1986).

Key claims

  1. date of birth: 1980 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
  2. publication date: 1991 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
  3. publication date: 2010 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
  4. release date: 2006 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95

Discussion questions

  1. Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
  2. The record states that the date of birth is "1980". What evidence would count against this claim?
  3. The record states that the publication date is "1991". What evidence would count against this claim?
  4. The record states that the publication date is "2010". What evidence would count against this claim?
  5. The record states that the release date is "2006". What evidence would count against this claim?
  6. Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
  7. If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?

Bibliography

  1. Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1357403005

Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.