Citation

Tomasini F. Med. Health Care Philos. 2013; 16(4): 1001.

Affiliation

School of Archaeology and Ancient History, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK, ft59@leicester.ac.uk.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s11019-012-9424-6

PMID

22760203

Abstract

What is rational about suicide is explored from a number of perspectives. Of key significance is the distinction between irrational (or regular) suicide and rational suicide. Rational suicide can be defined as: instrumentally rational, autonomous, due to stable goals and not due to mental illness. One of the major problems with rational suicide is that it tends towards a utilitarian and instrumental view of rationality, which concentrates on the rational means of suicide, rather than fully considering the rational ends of why suicide could be substantively justified in certain special and controlled circumstances. With the aim of defending rational suicide, the article looks towards its stoic rather than utilitarian roots. The stoic argument is then reframed for a more contemporary audience and is explored in the socially relevant context of physician-assisted suicide.

Language: en