suicide

Question 1

extreme consequentialism

Answer 1

• depends on context, the consequentialism attitude varies sometimes permissible/obliged/forbidden
• contemplating the ‘voluntariness’ of the act is important
• consider hitler/soldier throwing themselves on grenade
• extreme consequentialist view, if death of one person could help to avoid disaster, then a consistent consequentialist would say that you should irrespective of whether you want to die
• without extraneous variables pointing towards suicide, consequentialists would want you to consider the impact on those around you. the harm it would inflict on others due to your loss would outweigh the benefits

Question 1

virtue ethics

Answer 1

• no single, unified stance
• in terms of suicide, aristotle would argue that it is impermissible because it is an act of cowardice that goes against one’s own flourishing
• under VE, aristotle does not believe that those without natural advantages can flourish (eg. physical health challenges), in these circumstances it is likely that Aristotle would not see suicide as imperssible
• argument is that to commit suicide is to do oneself an injustice, whihc is unjust under the view of the law and therefore commiting suicide is a personal and societal injustice
• consider courage (failure), wisdom

Question 2

formula of humanity

Answer 2

• for Kant, suicide is a violation towards an agent’s duty to oneself
• ‘not to commit suicide’ is a perfect duty for Kant, therefore, an absolute prohibition
• for Kant, under the FOH, suicide is immoral because it is the violation of the humanity which is an objective end
• perfect duty prohibits suicide.

Question 3

formula of universal law

Answer 3

• Kant’s opinion on suicide comes down to maxims example given in the groundwork. the maxim of shortening one’s life when living promises more happiness than unhappiness is a maxim driver by despair and is not universalizable. - kant gives nuance to this means in the metaphysics of morals, saying that it is not incompatible with respecting oneself as an end (eg. miltitary mission, child in the road)
• if everyone were to accept suicide as a general principle, there would be no humanity left.
• suicide may be considered impermissible because it is a contradiction that undermines the foundational conditions for morality itself – for us to be rational, autonomous agents