Just as it is ethical for lawyers to assist with bankruptcy, it is ethical for doctors to assist with suicide. Bankruptcy discharges financial obligations; suicide discharges moral objections. Discuss.
Should assisted death/suicide be legal?
21–30 of 53 posts
Re: Should assisted death/suicide be legal?
#22For me, the problem is death is final, while our experience of life is always changing. Reminds me of that documentary I watched about a police officer that was working on that bridge, not sure which, in CA I believe, who have seen a lot of people jump and die. The few that survived (and who were badly hurt result of the jump) explained that as soon as they threw themselves in the void they immediately regretted doin…
> For me, the problem is death is final, while our experience of life is always changing.
You have no way to know that “our experience of life is always changing.”
It doesn’t always get better. Sometimes it keeps getting worse! Sometimes it stays equally awful!
What’s true for you and the people you’ve heard talk about it isn’t necessarily true for everyone. Maybe the people who died on the bridge would’ve hated surviving?
Re: Should assisted death/suicide be legal?
#23Earlier quoted context omitted.
The bridge you're trying to remember is probably the Golden Gate bridge. There's a documentary about suicides and attempts from the that bridge called "The Bridge", which for me was riveting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRs-DlYmws4
I don't think so. If I remember correctly, this documentary was more focused on the police unit that was in charge of this bridge (could be the Golden Gate, can't remember even if it was in CA now that I'm thinking), and so one of their task was to intervene in case someone seemed they could want to jump. That particular police officer they were interviewing was a pretty old guy, who spent many decades working on tha…
A documentary focused on the people trying to stop suicide is going to be very anti-suicide.
You think they’re going to show people who survived a suicide attempt saying, “dang, really upset I didn’t die.”?
Re: Should assisted death/suicide be legal?
#241. Yes — it’s their choice just like any elective medical procedure. If there’s enough demand for a legal service, somebody will offer it.
2. No — I don’t need to have a chronic illness to know that I hate my life and would rather die painlessly. Mental illness is not always treatable. If someone wants to die that opportunity should be available to them.
3. Don’t understand your question here.
4. No. Killing yourself usually leaves somebody else a mess to clean up, both literally and mentally. Plus I’m not skilled at killing myself and there’s a good chance I would fuck it up. If it’s a legal service, somebody will take my money to do it and that option should be available.
Re: Should assisted death/suicide be legal?
#25For me, the problem is death is final, while our experience of life is always changing. Reminds me of that documentary I watched about a police officer that was working on that bridge, not sure which, in CA I believe, who have seen a lot of people jump and die. The few that survived (and who were badly hurt result of the jump) explained that as soon as they threw themselves in the void they immediately regretted doin…
> For me, the problem is death is final, while our experience of life is always changing. You have no way to know that “our experience of life is always changing.” It doesn’t always get better. Sometimes it keeps getting worse! Sometimes it stays equally awful! What’s true for you and the people you’ve heard talk about it isn’t necessarily true for everyone. Maybe the people who died on the bridge would’ve hated surv…
> You have no way to know that “our experience of life is always changing.”
The experience we have is always changing, even if our material condition stay the same. That's what I mean here.
> Maybe the people who died on the bridge would’ve hated surviving?
Sure, at that moment, but what about 3 days later, or 3 months, who can tell?
So, my argument here is in life, nothing is permanent, while death is.
Re: Should assisted death/suicide be legal?
#26Earlier quoted context omitted.
> For me, the problem is death is final, while our experience of life is always changing. You have no way to know that “our experience of life is always changing.” It doesn’t always get better. Sometimes it keeps getting worse! Sometimes it stays equally awful! What’s true for you and the people you’ve heard talk about it isn’t necessarily true for everyone. Maybe the people who died on the bridge would’ve hated surv…
> You have no way to know that “our experience of life is always changing.” The experience we have is always changing, even if our material condition stay the same. That's what I mean here. > Maybe the people who died on the bridge would’ve hated surviving? Sure, at that moment, but what about 3 days later, or 3 months, who can tell? So, my argument here is in life, nothing is permanent, while death is.
> my argument here is in life, nothing is permanent
Your argument is based only on your own experience and what you’ve chosen to hear from others.
Can you acknowledge the possibility that for some people the miserable experience of their life is permanent?
Re: Should assisted death/suicide be legal?
#271. Of course not! The mental state of someone at a given moment should not be allowed to be used as an excuse to end his/her life forever
2. Also no, because multiple times chronic illness is related to lifestyle and can be fixed or at least improved a lot. Laziness and lack of willpower (even because of suffering) is not an excuse to be legally allowed and assisted in death
3. The same as above.
4. Also the same! Giving up of life doesn't need to be assisted, anyway. But definitely the state should not in ANY circumstance incentive suicide.
Re: Should assisted death/suicide be legal?
#28For me, the problem is death is final, while our experience of life is always changing. Reminds me of that documentary I watched about a police officer that was working on that bridge, not sure which, in CA I believe, who have seen a lot of people jump and die. The few that survived (and who were badly hurt result of the jump) explained that as soon as they threw themselves in the void they immediately regretted doin…
Bridge jumpers are self selected group of mostly physically healthy people suffering from the mostly temporary/treatable mental health issue of depression. I think almost nobody would argue that depression should qualify you for assisted suicide. Also, jumping off a bridge is probably the most terrifying method of suicide available. It's practically suicide-by-torture, yup, you're gonna regret that. It's a very, very…
> I think almost nobody would argue that depression should qualify you for assisted suicide
Did I understand this wrong? Because if not, at least I'm sure I don't agree with that. Depression is the most fixable problem an human-being can fix and is as seasonal as happiness and cheerfulness. Every person that suicides because of depression is an idiot that most of the times leave lots of people hurt.
Re: Should assisted death/suicide be legal?
#29For me, the problem is death is final, while our experience of life is always changing. Reminds me of that documentary I watched about a police officer that was working on that bridge, not sure which, in CA I believe, who have seen a lot of people jump and die. The few that survived (and who were badly hurt result of the jump) explained that as soon as they threw themselves in the void they immediately regretted doin…
> For me, the problem is death is final, while our experience of life is always changing. You have no way to know that “our experience of life is always changing.” It doesn’t always get better. Sometimes it keeps getting worse! Sometimes it stays equally awful! What’s true for you and the people you’ve heard talk about it isn’t necessarily true for everyone. Maybe the people who died on the bridge would’ve hated surv…
The experience is always changing. If you cross the same bridge twice, at the second time the experience is not the same, as you are not doing it for the first time.
So if the experience is changing and you are equally suffering, you are not learning with life, that's a mistake that lots of people do. Suicide is not a solution.
Re: Should assisted death/suicide be legal?
#30Earlier quoted context omitted.
> You have no way to know that “our experience of life is always changing.” The experience we have is always changing, even if our material condition stay the same. That's what I mean here. > Maybe the people who died on the bridge would’ve hated surviving? Sure, at that moment, but what about 3 days later, or 3 months, who can tell? So, my argument here is in life, nothing is permanent, while death is.
> my argument here is in life, nothing is permanent Your argument is based only on your own experience and what you’ve chosen to hear from others. Can you acknowledge the possibility that for some people the miserable experience of their life is permanent?
But can you acknowledge that these people are probably reinforcing the miserable experience by their own? And that's why it looks like it is permanent?