Question

After reading David Hume's essay "On Suicide," can you identify his ethical approach when it comes to determining whether suicide is a moral or immoral (not moral) action? Is it objective or subjective? Does he argue from a standpoint that takes the role of the emotions into consideration? What is his position (explain it in full)? What are the three arguments against suicide that Hume addresses (outline all three arguments in detail citing passages as needed)? What do you think of each of the arguments you have outlined above? Do you agree with his conclusion that suicide is morally permissible

Answer 1

David Hume is one of the most important and influential figures in the Western philosophy who supported suicide by saying that God has given free will to decide on the lives of humans, thus if gods wouldn't have given the right and free will if they didn't want humans to decide for themselves. Hume argues that it's morality right to commit suicide when one's in great and chronic pain. His standpoint is that when one undergo severe pain which is intolerable, one has the choice to commit suicide or live with that pain. His final argument is that when one is dead by committing suicide, one doesn't need to follow the rules of the society thus one is not needed to answer anyone. His argument is very objective where he only touch upon the pure reasoning and he doesn't play with emotions to put forth his argument. I strongly agree with Hume because every human beings in this world has their own individual rights which no one can take from them. Individual rights is the central point of all the civilized countries. So, only the person has the right to decide what will the person so with his body.