Year: 2004 Source: Archives of Suicide Research, v.8, no.1, (2004), p.37-42 SIEC No: 20041273

Examples of recent cases of martyrs are examined in order to identify the basic issues of whether martyrdom can be viewed as altruistic suicide. Several issues are identified: whom does the act have to benefit, must the act have its intended consequences or is the intent sufficient, does the martyr have to be thinking rationally, & whether execution by the state can be viewed as altruistic suicide. (19 refs)