All of the reasons for or against suicide (including "moral" reasons) come up short against the opacity of death. That is, we don't know what happens when we die. Those who have a strong stance on suicide almost necessarily have a strong stance on what happens when we die. The only caveat is that someone who is suffering may believe that anything is better than their current suffering, and hence they may wish to commit suicide regardless of what happens when we die. — Leontiskos
If some people feel incapable of going on, unable to convince themselves that things might improve for them in the future, then there would seem to be little scope for argument against suicide in those kinds of cases. — Janus
THERE is but one truly serious philosophical problem, and that is suicide. Judging whether life is or is
not worth living amounts to answering the fundamental question of philosophy. All the rest— whether
or not the world has three dimensions, whether the mind has nine or twelve categories—comes afterwards.
If you've decided to end your life, for either a rational or emotional reason, that's hardly a handicap. — Vera Mont
https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/opioids/prevention/painperception.html
The United States makes up 4.4% of the world’s population, and consumes over 80% of the world’s opioids.
Antidepressants, anti-anxiety medication, and opioids are the rational solution to a spiritual problem. There simply is no rational reason for life itself. Therefore, the only truly rational solution for the rational meaninglessness of life is to medicate it away.
It is not just that the unbelievers do not want children. They are even actively self-deleting. In the meanwhile, we pray to the spiritual Lord, and carry on, with or without the unbelievers. — Tarskian
In the abstract, yes. On the personal level, the question becomes, is my life, in its present state worth living? It comes down from Life to my life, from Philosophy to personal experience, from the general to the specific - and that's a world of difference.Judging whether life is or is
not worth living amounts to answering the fundamental question of philosophy.
There are people with these symptoms who are spiritual. Ergo, It's not a spiritual problem — Moliere
https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.ajp.2011.11091407
In this issue, Miller and colleagues present data from a longitudinal study of offspring from a sample of depressed and nondepressed subjects to determine if religion or spirituality influenced the onset and course of major depression over the 10 years of follow-up (1). They found, among individuals who affiliated as either Protestant or Catholic, that subjects who reported religion or spirituality as highly important were 76% less likely to experience an episode of major depression during the follow-up. In contrast, religious attendance and denomination had no impact. The protective effect was experienced primarily among subjects at high risk because their parents experienced depression.
But then again, I agree that the only truly rational solution to the problem is medication. — Tarskian
After all, from a rational standpoint, suicide is a disproportionately (ir-ratio ... absurd) permanent solution to a temporary problem. :smirk: — 180 Proof
Suicidal folk can see it quite differently. Trust me. The problems are not "temporary" until their gone. Death is believed to provide that. — creativesoul
No doubt, yet the act is not rational (i.e. false hope). — 180 Proof
That is why there have never been atheist societies in history. They don't last long enough to make it into the history books. — Tarskian
The hope is that all suffering will end with life. It's false if there is a judgmental afterlife, in which suicide is against the law.If the person believes the only way to rid themselves of misery is to end their own life, and they choose to commit suicide, then that is a completely rational choice. I do not see how false hope plays a role here — creativesoul
Sometimes there are other means - or would be, if they were made available to the person contemplating death. But there are situations in which that person is powerless to affect change in their circumstances. (I'm thinking prisoner in some benighted country or terminally ill or catastrophically injured patient. those are extreme situations, but they're the simple fact of life for many thousands.)That said, I suspect there are - sometimes - multiple other ways to rid oneself of misery, but that is definitely context dependent. — creativesoul
If the person believes the only way to rid themselves of misery is to end their own life, and they choose to commit suicide, then that is a completely rational choice. I do not see how false hope plays a role here
— creativesoul
The hope is that all suffering will end with life. It's false if there is a judgmental afterlife, in which suicide is against the law. — Vera Mont
That said, I suspect there are - sometimes - multiple other ways to rid oneself of misery, but that is definitely context dependent.
— creativesoul
Sometimes there are other means - or would be, if they were made available to the person contemplating death. But there are situations in which that person is powerless to affect change in their circumstances. (I'm thinking prisoner in some benighted country or terminally ill or catastrophically injured patient. those are extreme situations, but they're the simple fact of life for many thousands.)
Suicide is not always irrational. That's the only point I was making. — creativesoul
Suicide is not always irrational. That's the only point I was making.
— creativesoul
You don't have to convince me! While I would not want to live in a culture that values 'honour' -whatever they think that means - over life and happiness, I have my own exit strategy in case of certain foreseeable eventualities. — Vera Mont
suicide is not always irrational — creativesoul
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absurdism
Absurdism is the philosophical theory that the universe is irrational and meaningless. It states that trying to find meaning leads people into a conflict with the world. Absurdism claims that existence as a whole is absurd.
Various possible responses to deal with absurdism and its impact have been suggested. The three responses discussed in the traditional absurdist literature are suicide, religious belief in a higher purpose, and rebellion against the absurd.
... but does not know because she cannot know. Her mere "belief" – desperate guess – is an unwarranted hope, or fantasy (i.e. ideation¹) – thus, the "choice" to kill oneself might be valid and yet unsound; and often is unavoidable, even involuntary.If the person believes ... — creativesoul
Perhaps, but my point is that suicide is always either unsound (choice) or involuntary (abject / pathological).suicide is not always irrational — creativesoul
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