Suicide

Suicide (from Latin sui caedere, to kill oneself) is the act of willfully ending one's own life; it is sometimes a noun for one who has committed or attempted the act.

Arguments for Pro-Choice and Pro-Euthanasia

There are arguments in favour of allowing an individual to choose between life and suicide. This view sees suicide as a valid option. This line rejects the widespread belief that suicide is always or usually irrational, saying instead that it is a genuine, albeit severe, solution to real problems – a line of last resort that can legitimately be taken when the alternative is considered worse. No being should be made to suffer unnecessarily, and suicide provides an escape from suffering in certain circumstances, such as incurable disease and old age.

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Heroic suicide, for the greater good of others, is often celebrated. For instance, Gandhi went on a hunger strike to prevent fighting between Hindus and Muslims, and although they stopped before he died, if they hadn't, he may have indeed killed himself. For this, he earned the respect of many. In the past, the Japanese were often ordered to commit seppuku, a form of ritual disembowelment suicide, by their superiors, and were expected to do so as a matter of honor. They may also have done it as a matter of free choice, also for the sake of honor, and it was considered better than being taken prisoner.

Related Topics:
Gandhi - Japanese - Seppuku

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A few rare groups say that people should kill themselves for the greater good. For example, the Church of Euthanasia says that people should kill themselves in order to reduce mankind's stress on the environment.

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