A human's choice to continue living and endure the challenge of life as always,
or to accept one's self into the realms of Death itself, as a means to relief further suffering.
Premature end of life. A loose analogy might be the cutting of a rope, before the fire from one end of it burns its way to the other end of the rope and ends its supposed route, which would have signify the completion of the fire's purpose. With the premature cutting of the rope, thus the whole process is cut off.
Usually, the ones who have a desire to put a premature end to their lives have legitimate reasons to do so, and by "legitimate" I mean due to old age combined with loneliness (eg. loss of spouse, no other family members or they don't care anymore), multiple chronic diseases/illnesses, or, an extension to the previous case ; extreme pain (whether physical or mental) endured by a person, which is long lasting (or usually, permanent), and cannot be truly treated.
An excerpt from this website
"The 'right to life' including the right to live with human dignity would mean the existence of such a right up to the end of natural life. This also includes the right to a dignified life up to the point of death including a dignified procedure of death. In other words, this may include the right of a dying man to also die with dignity when his life is ebbing out. But the 'right to die' with dignity at the end of life is not to be confused or equaled with the 'right to die' an un-natural death curtailing the natural span of life."
"It is argued that right to die respects the individual's right to self-determination or his right of privacy. Interference with that right can only be justified if it is to protect essential social values, which is not the case where patients suffering unbearably at the end of their lives request to die when no alternatives exist. Not allowing the right to die would come down to forcing people to suffer against their will, which would be cruel and a negation of their human rights and dignity. Every person has a right to live with at least a minimum dignity and when the state of his existence falls below even that minimum level then he must be allowed to end such tortuous existence. In such cases relief from suffering (rather than preserving life) should be the primary objective."
Before I speak my mind, here are some other believes, philosophy, or thoughts:
"Suicide is justified when man's life, owing to circumstances outside of a person's control, is no longer possible; an example might be a person with a painful terminal illness, or a prisoner in a concentration camp who sees no chance of escape. In cases such as these, suicide is not necessarily a philosophic rejection of life or of reality. On the contrary, it may very well be their tragic reaffirmation. Self-destruction in such contexts may amount to the tortured cry: "Man's life means so much to me that I will not settle for anything less. I will not accept a living death as a substitute."
- Leonard Peikoff
"The emphasis on the power of the individual to create meaning is rejected, and acknowledge that all things are equally meaningless, including suicide."
-Nihilistic belief
"A person's life belongs only to him or her, and no other person has the right to force their own ideals that life must be lived. Rather, only the individual involved can make such decision, and whatever decision he or she does make, should be respected."
- Liberalistic belief
Jean Améry (who himself committed suicide in 1978) argues forcefully and almost romantically that suicide represents the ultimate freedom of humanity, justifying the act with phrases such as "we only arrive at ourselves in a freely chosen death" and lamenting "ridiculously everyday life and its alienation".
"When life is so burdensome, death has become for man a sought-after refuge".
-Herodotus
"Natural law forbids every man to do, that which is destructive of his life, or take away the means of preserving the same"
-Hobbes, from this book Leviathan
"The absurd man will not commit suicide; he wants to live, without relinquishing any of his certainty, without a future, without hope, without illusions ... and without resignation either. He stares at death with passionate attention and this fascination liberates him. He experiences the 'divine irresponsibility' of the condemned man"
-Sartre (an existentialist), while describing the position of Meursault (person), the protagonist of Albert Camus' novel L’Étranger who is condemned to death.
2281 Suicide contradicts the natural inclination of the human being to preserve and perpetuate his life. It is gravely contrary to the just love of self. It likewise offends love of neighbor because it unjustly breaks the ties of solidarity with family, nation, and other human societies to which we continue to have obligations. Suicide is contrary to love for the living God.
-Point 2281 of the Catechism
I won't preach too much religion here. Check it out if you want.
My 2 cents? (c'mon, I've got more than 2 cents)
For me, I wouldn't choose to take my own life. If I were to base on Christian values, suicide = eternally scaling the fiery wasteland of hell. As I believe that suicide is akin to murder. Murder own self, that is. Deliberate taking of one's life. Which in this case is the taking of one's own life. So thats in the Christian's perspective.
But on the other hand, if I were ALREADY inflicted with a multitude of affliction, hmm lets name a few:
- Cancer
- Myocardial infarction
- Myocarditis
- stroke
- Parkinson's disease
- Some stage of Alzheimer's disease.
- hemiplegia
- aortic dissection
(Though then again, if I had aortic dissection, I'm as good as dead. 80% mortality rate)
Now, not to say IF I got all of those listed above (takes some seriously screwed up disposition with God/luck/karma for ALL to happen. Blimey) but even if it were just one, or between 2-3 (and thats excessively morbid already, mind), it will be torturous. Perhaps hopelessness does set in. And if say I'm already very old and my darrrrliiiinggg (whoever that would be) has already returned to the Lord, kids all over the world hardly bothering how the old man (by that time? yeah) then, there'll honestly be nothing left to fight for.
But still, even if I were to die, considering the affliction I would already be going through, I'll be pretty sure that anytime I'll undergo some form of cardiac arrest, heart attack or some form of seizure, I'll perhaps just request that I not be resuscitated should such an event occur, thus leading to what would be "natural death". So in a sense, I don't deliberately bring death upon myself, but let it happen naturally, should it happen. That way, I won't really be condemned for "killing myself" but instead, let "nature take it's course", so to speak.
So in a nutshell, I wouldn't approve deliberately killing myself, should I be faced with such agony. But should some seizure or attack that will take my life happen, I'll be able to say bye-bye without burdening anyone else anymore.
But that was just MY 2 cents.
(can hardly get me a sweet)
Still. The debate goes on. Should people exercise their right to die, as they have the right to live? Is it ethical? Should it be part of our modernistic lives?
We may never find a true solution to this issue.