Assisted suicide, right or wrong?

[cman]

All right, so does this mean that government should allow people under 18 to use tobacco products? Should the government allow people to consume alcoholic products under the legal age? Or do those not have to do with allowing people to live their lives? And I can see the retort "Those things can affect other people; suicide doesn't", but one would figure that suicide would have a very emotional impact on the people around the person who committed suicide. How does someone explain to their daughter that Grandma died "because she didn't want to live anymore"?

I think that blanket age limits are rediculously stupid, but i guess in a way necessary. Nothing makes you suddenly more mature (physically, mentally, and emotionally) at 18 years than at 17 years and 364 days. Some people mature sooner, and some much later. There is no way to judge each individual, so 18 was picked. It has no special significance in itself.

As for the implied argument that tabacco and alcohol kill people too, suicide is irreversible and immeadiate, and therefore the mental maturity necessary to make an informed decision regarding their own death would be much higher than that needed to smoke or drink. With that said, a 79 has the mental maturity to make a sound decision, so i can't see why you find it within yours or anyone else's right to tell them that they can't choose to die.

Any negetive emotional response is that person's choice (likely influenced by genetics). How do i know this? From personal experiance. I sat at two of my grandparents deathbeds, and watched them die. What was i thinking you ask? Well i will tell you. It was something along the lines of 'Well they were very great grandparents, and helped me a lot. I love them, but their time is over and mine is just beginning, so there is no sense mourning their deaths.' I chose not to mourn others, and don't expect others to mourn me. If they do when i die, that is their choice, but that will not affect any plans of mine. Nor should it allow you to force me to act in a certain way. (Edit- I understand that personal experiences don't form the best arguments, however, this does prove that it is possible to not be negetively affected by the death of a loved one, does it not?)

Explaining things to kids is not that hard. "She didn't want to live anymore, but she lived a good and long life" would work just fine for any child i know. Grow a pair and explain the situation.

 

[WindyKitt]

I have been told that if you attempt suicide and fail, you are basically put on house arrest or you are institutionalized.

That being said, I agree when I hear people say suicide is one of the most selfish things you can do. Others may say, "Oh, the people are depressed. If they think it would be better if they were dead, it's their choice." It is their choice, but it's a stupid choice. A suicidal person may think that nobody loves them, their lives are going down the tubes, or nothing has ever gone right. But the reason I think that it's so selfish is that there has to have been one thing making your life worthwhile. One person whose life you have touched. Maybe your parents, siblings, friends, significant others. There's usually at least one thing that should keep someone from doing it. They decide that their reason for suicide is more important than those people who care for them.

Most suicides are due to "family problems." Death in the family, divorce, and all those reasons related to family. But the thing is that most of these problems don't usually end up with having no friends or having no one care about you. It's most likely that there is some one who still cares about you. It turns out that many suicides are spur of the moment. And these people with current problems don't usually think that some people's lives will be affected negatively. As it's been said, "Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem."

So as for whether it should be legal, if some one attempts suicide or is having suicidal thoughts, they should be under watch to make sure they can't commit suicide. As for illness related, they should be treated in the best possible way. -frowns at fact that there aren't very effective depression treatments-

In short, (too late!) suicide should be taboo and shouldn't be tolerated. I apologize if I've sounded too harsh.

I posted this on a debate on the legality of suicide. I believe the same principles apply here. If you would read through the post, you would notice I said that people who commit any kind of suicide, assisted or not, are committing a very selfish act. They are leaving behind the people they love. Assisted suicide is even more so if the person is healthy. The only reason a person should get euthanasia or anything related to assisted suicide is if they are suffering a terminal disease and are in an extreme amount of pain. Even then, I'm not so sure... I'm a Catholic, so I have mixed opinions on this issue.

 

[blazedaces]

I posted this on a debate on the legality of suicide. I believe the same principles apply here. If you would read through the post, you would notice I said that people who commit any kind of suicide, assisted or not, are committing a very selfish act. They are leaving behind the people they love. Assisted suicide is even more so if the person is healthy. The only reason a person should get euthanasia or anything related to assisted suicide is if they are suffering a terminal disease and are in an extreme amount of pain. Even then, I'm not so sure... I'm a Catholic, so I have mixed opinions on this issue.

So you're basically saying the only reason to not kill yourself is other people? You can't tell me you think it's impossible for people to not be loved.

Also, do you have any statistics to prove that most suicides have anything to do with family problems?

-blazed

 

[marthanoob]

"Modern Western societies are pluralistic societies. They consist of individuals devoted to differing religious views and, consequently, to differing moral views. Hence, in modern societies there will always be irresolvable differences over fundamental ethical issues. If a government tries to impose a particular morality upon its citizens, social conflict is inevitable. To avoid social tension and to deal with the moral pluralism of its citizens, the politics of moder societies ought to be based upon a "presumption in favor of liberty"; each citizen should have the right to live his life as he chooses so long as he does not infringe upon the rights of others. The state may interfere with the free choices of its citizens only to prevent serious harm to others."

--- Edgar Dahl, Southern Medical Journal
--- January 1, 2007

 

[WindyKitt]

So you're basically saying the only reason to not kill yourself is other people? You can't tell me you think it's impossible for people to not be loved.

Also, do you have any statistics to prove that most suicides have anything to do with family problems?

-blazed

Well, I was doing some research. I can't quite find my sources anymore for some reason (I'm not lying). But according to official suicide data from the country's government, "Each suicide intimately affects at least 6 other people (estimate)."

 

[blazedaces]

Well, I was doing some research. I can't quite find my sources anymore for some reason (I'm not lying). But according to official suicide data from the country's government, "Each suicide intimately affects at least 6 other people (estimate)."

I believe you, but without looking at your source I can't assume that it's a valid one. I apologize, but that's the truth. Unless it's held up to scrutiny, it's assumed to be unacceptable in my eyes.

-blazed

 

[WindyKitt]

Here are my sources:

Official Suicide Report for Country: http://www.suicidology.org/associations/1045/files/2005datapgs.pdf

Suicide study done in India: http://www.ijcm.org.in/article.asp?...=33;issue=1;spage=15;epage=18;aulast=Nagendra

On the suicide board, I accidentally switched cause of death and reason of death. I said "family problems" are around 75%, but I should have said 25%... Oops?