Suicide Argumentative Analysis

Suicide is the intentional termination of one's own life with the objective being to cease living. For the purposes of this essay, self-sacrifice, or suicide for the sake of others, will not be considered a form of suicide as in that situation the individual does not possess the desire to die, they are instead putting the lives of others above their own. The standard position on suicide holds that all suicides are immoral and irrational except for in cases of terminal illness. This position on suicide is too restrictive and dismisses the suffering others experiences in instances beyond terminal illness. There are extreme situations in which most would agree that suicide is an acceptable choice. For example, someone trapped in a fire or subjected
Morality is such a subjective concept and it often depends on the fundamental beliefs every person has. Rationality and morality can be mutually exclusive. Arguing for the rationality of suicide in certain cases is far easier than attempting to defend its morality to the individualized morals others have. However, I would argue that no matter how immoral suicide may be, it would be more immoral to sentence an individual to an existence of unending pain and/or suffering, their only escape being their “natural death” which could take years to arrive. Furthermore, a suicide is such a personal and intimate decision, and when chosen rationally, depends on a specific circumstance a person is in. An outside party with no measure of the suffering that person is experiencing really has no grounds to tell them what is morally
Everyone comes to the table with their own beliefs, some religiously backed, others from personal experiences leading to serious divisions in opinion. It is extremely important to keep the dialogue open and to be able to truly acknowledge the complexities of every person's situation that may lead them to consider suicide. No one should be scorned for rationally choosing an option that would end their suffering, nor should their loved ones have to feel ashamed of their decision in addition to the grief that comes with any death no matter the circumstance. Suicide doesn't have to be evil, for those suffering, it can be their only form of