Resource Tag: PHILOSOPHY

The article responds to several commentators (Bennett, Donagan, Matson) & argues that though self-destructive behavior is possible, such behavior occurs only in the face of overwhelming external causes of forces operating on the suicide victim. The authors rely heavily on the conatus doctrine, i.e., that everything strives to persevere & maintain itself, to conclude that […]

This paper utilizes Nietzsche & the 17th Century Japanese Zen Master Bankei as antidotes to the nihilism that prompts teenage self-destruction. Both thinkers offer counsel addressing the overwhelming hopelessness & self-lacerating regret youth can feel when confronted with societal demands to capitulate. Distinguishing between consummatory actions & acts of fulfillment, the paper plays with “bridging” […]

This article examines differences between the Stoic & Epicurean schools of philosophy concerning suicide. The Stoics endorsed suicide in many circumstances, e.g. on behalf of a friend or the homeland or to avoid performing shameful actions. Stoics who were making progress towards virtue could see the possibility of dying by suicide as ensuring the means […]

For responses to this article, please see SIEC #2003-0435

This article presents Spinoza’s views of the cause & cure of death. He holds death to be disruption of mind/body which need not involve becoming a corpse; amnesia counts. He also asserts that suicide is irrational & fear of death is to be overcome by realization that since adequate ideas are eternal, to the extent […]

The argument provided is primarily philosophical and only secondarily interpretative and historical. The strengths and weaknesses of Hume’s arguments regarding suicide are examined. It is contended that although Hume’s main arguments against other philosophers (especially Aquinas) contain serious weaknesses, some of Hume’s supporting arguments are more successful. In particular, his anti-theological arguments are found to […]

This article explores both the secular and theological strands of argument found in Locke’s writing’s on suicide, and the respective roles which they fulfill in his philosophy. The author argues for the conditional nature of Locke’s injunction against suicide as a means of accomadating his political contemporaries to Lockean politics, rather than an injuction made […]

The author deploys the interpretation that Kant’s moral philosophy was often a response to classical moral thought in order to examine his views on suicide in the “Doctrine of Virtue.”

In this article the author articles that given the phenomenological and existential “fact” that loneliness is the most pervasive force within awareness, it follows that when it overwhelms the individual psyhche, it often does (and perhaps should) serve as an adequate ground for suicide. He explores the philosophical interpretations of suicide throughout history in an […]

This chapter analyzes philosophical tenets regarding suicide offered by Camus, the Stoics, the Epicureans, & the Existentialists. Issues of free will, consent, involvement, abstract liberty & repetition of events throughout history are discussed. The philosophical tenet that the world is absurd is evaluated according to the attitudes of various philosophers. The author notes that suicide […]

In this article, the author draws heavily on Philippe Aries’ account of the Western medieval sense of a good death in order to determine how Western society has experienced a change in its conception of a good death. He also explores how one’s concept of a good death has bearing on the words and deeds […]

In this article the suicide of Gilles Deleuze is discussed. The author reviews the historical media surrounding DeleuzeÕs death, as well as subsequent articles that were published about on death. DeleuzeÕs writing style, form of philosophical thought, & his published works are all examined within the article. DeleuzeÕs views on suicide are discussed along with […]

This article investigates Schopenhauer’s views on suicide & explores what the author claims is an inconsistency embodied in Schopenhauer’s attitude toward suicide. He argues that if the aim of life is death, & death is an unreal aspect of the world as appearance, then there appears to be no justification why the philosopher should not […]

The purpose of this article is to evaluate & criticize Joseph Fletcher’s concept of the relationship between the ends & the means in human acts. Significant attention is given to how he goes about assessing the human moral act & to his position on absolute moral norms. The author analyzes a case-story about suicide which […]

This article examines some of the philosophical considerations of death by examining some of the theoretical paradigms of dying as a concept. Suicidal ideation is examined with the author’s realization that the awareness of death at any moment is grounded in his realization of the possibility of suicide. The author concludes by discussing suicide as […]

This article is a critical synopsis of the work of Sartre & includes a comparison of theories of Heidegger. Aspects of SartreÕs theory, such as existentialism & the right to die, are included. It also presents a historical interpretation of Sartre’s theory. (45 refs) (SC)

This book has 13 chapters each of which is divided into 3 parts: the first is an essay which reviews a specific book; the second is a reproduction of the title page & table of contents of the reviewed book; & the third consists of a few pages from the original text. The books included […]

The article begins by establishing the influence & impact of nihilism on society. The author says that the lack of positive ideals in society can lead to suicide. This author continues the article by tracing the chain of Albert CamusÕ objections to nihilism, as found in Camus’ literary works. The article examines CamusÕ views on […]

In this paper the author attempts to show that any system of thought which absolutely refuses to countenance suicide as a rational possibility is either irresponsibly optimistic or utterly immoral. Admitting the right to take one’s life under some circumstances, the author attempts to sketch some of the cardinal doctrines of a theory of moral […]

This article criticizes Harrison’s (1957) discussion of Kant’s Examples of the First Formulation of the Categorical Imperative. The author asserts that Harrison misinterpreted Kant’s supreme principle, moral standing & use of maxim,leading Harrison to incorrectly critiz the categorical imperative. Among the examples discussed is suicide. The author asserts that Kant implies that suicide could not […]

The authors argue that suicide is perhaps the most dramatic and demanding clinical situation psychiatrists have to face, because it is unlike any other clinical circumstances that involve ethical dilemmas. They suggest that the difficulties in refuting the “rationality” of suicide are considerable, but nevertheless leave room for a significant measure of justifiable intervention. Some […]

This article presents a slippery slope argument against the legalization of assisted suicide. The core of the argument is that legalization of physician-assisted suicide will result in a number of actions contributing to widespread belief that suicide is a duty in a variety of common circumstances. The essay contends that widespread belief is a good […]

Xenophon contends that Socrates sought death, availing himself of his indictment to make a desirable end of life. Plato’s dialogues do not permit outright rejection of Xenophon’s claims. To avoid conceptual infirmity the question thus raised should not be put in terms of an allegation of “suicide.” One should read the first tetralogy dialogues as […]