Kant And Suicide Analysis

812 Words4 Pages

to end their lives to do so in an honourable and descent style. Culture, age and society play a great part in determining the moral flavor of suicidal act (Dile and Jerumanis 2016).
ETHICS
Classic Theories on the Morality of Suicide The moral permissibility of suicide has a lengthy history of philosophical debate. Plato opposed suicide since it irritates the decree of destiny he also argued that the gods are our guardians, and that we are belongings of theirs .Then there may be reason in saying that a man ought wait, and not take his own life until God summons him, as he is now summoning me. Aristotle also opposed suicide since it is contrary to the rule of life. Later Greek and Roman philosophers accepted of suicide as a means of ending …show more content…

Some also might give examples from history that suggest that suicide is sometimes virtuous. For example, in Roman history, Cato, who was a symbol of resistance against Caesar, found he could no longer resist Caesar; to continue living a compromised life would disillusion advocates of freedom. Kant argues that this is the only example of this sort and thus cannot be used as a general rule in defense of suicide. Kant's main argument against suicide is that people are entrusted with their lives, which have a uniquely inherent value. By killing oneself, a person dispenses with his humanity and makes himself into a thing to be treated like a beast. Kant also argues on “more consequentialist grounds that if a person is capable of suicide, then he is capable of any crime. For Kant, he who does not respect his life even in principle cannot be restrained from the most dreadful vices” by Dile and Jerumanis …show more content…

This influence is based on two major processes which are integration and regulation. “Integration refers to the degree to which a person is able to be integrated into his or her immediate society, the kind of relationship or bond he/she is able to develop with his/her society and with other members of the society. Regulation on the other hand refers to how the society through its structural mechanism regulates, controls and influences both the creed, the goals, the desires and the behavioural attitudes of the individual” mentioned by Durkheim (1897). The central argument of Durkheim is that the primary cause of suicide is the influence of social structures or factors on the lives of the members of the society. The book examines the power of sociological factors on suicidality. To explain further his theory of integration and regulation, Durkheim offered four different kinds of suicide, each

Open Document