Year: 1991 Source: Listening, (1991), p.15-19 SIEC No: 20030481

This paper argues that currently there are two forms of suicide: 1) emotional suicide of people who are depressed or disturbed; and 2) rational or justifiable suicide – when a dying person chooses accelerated death rather than lingering suffering. The author argues that rational suicide is more appropriately called ‘self-deliverance’ or ‘autoeuthanasia.’ The paper sets out the criteria by which the average member of the Hemlock Society (a pro-euthanasia group) could ethically justify his or her self-destruction.