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Single Idea 4854
[filed under theme 25. Social Practice / F. Life Issues / 4. Suicide
]
Full Idea
That a man, from the necessity of his own nature, should endeavour to become non-existent, is as impossible as that something should be made out of nothing.
Gist of Idea
It is impossible that the necessity of a person's nature should produce a desire for non-existence
Source
Baruch de Spinoza (The Ethics [1675], IV Pr 20)
Book Ref
Spinoza,Benedict de: 'Ethics, Improvement of Understanding, Letters', ed/tr. Elwes,R [Dover 1955], p.203
A Reaction
At first glance this is very paradoxical, but it fits with evolutionary theory, which seems to make it almost inconceivable to naturally desire suicide. The desire to live is universal, and only circumstances can create an artifiical contradictory desire.
The
24 ideas
with the same theme
[attitudes to a person taking their own life]:
5228
|
A suicide embraces death to run away from hardships, rather than because it is a fine deed
[Aristotle]
|
1831
|
Wise men should partake of life even if they go blind
[Epicurus, by Diog. Laertius]
|
14520
|
It is small-minded to find many good reasons for suicide
[Epicurus]
|
20858
|
Suicide is reasonable, for one's country or friends, or because of very bad health
[Stoic school, by Diog. Laertius]
|
3046
|
Stoics say a wise man will commit suicide if he has a good enough reason
[Stoic school, by Diog. Laertius]
|
13298
|
Suicide may be appropriate even when it is not urgent, if there are few reasons against it
[Seneca]
|
13319
|
If we control our own death, no one has power over us
[Seneca]
|
13320
|
Sometimes we have a duty not to commit suicide, for those we love
[Seneca]
|
4854
|
It is impossible that the necessity of a person's nature should produce a desire for non-existence
[Spinoza]
|
4677
|
If suicide is wrong because only God disposes of our lives, it must also be wrong to save lives
[Hume]
|
19739
|
The maxim for suicide is committed to the value of life, and is thus contradictory
[Kant]
|
6188
|
A permanent natural order could not universalise a rule permitting suicide
[Kant]
|
21471
|
If suicide was quick and easy, most people would have done it by now
[Schopenhauer]
|
18329
|
Sometimes it is an error to have been born - but we can rectify it
[Nietzsche]
|
4678
|
Absolute prohibitions are the essence of ethics, and suicide is the most obvious example
[Wittgenstein]
|
23860
|
Even if a drowning man is doomed, he should keep swimming to the last
[Weil]
|
19611
|
No one has ever found a good argument against suicide
[Cioran]
|
19610
|
Religions see suicide as insubordination
[Cioran]
|
19609
|
If you have not contemplated suicide, you are a miserable worm
[Cioran]
|
23067
|
Suicide is pointless, because it always comes too late
[Cioran]
|
9248
|
It is essential to die unreconciled and not of one's own free will
[Camus]
|
7984
|
Suicide is ascribed to depression, with the originality of the act of will ignored
[Baudrillard]
|
4679
|
One test for a worthwhile life is to assess the amount of life for which you would rather be unconscious
[Glover]
|
7824
|
If suicide is lawful, but assisting suicide is unlawful, powerless people are denied their rights
[Grayling]
|