Ideas from 'Lectures on Ethics' by Immanuel Kant [1780], by Theme Structure

[found in 'Lectures on Ethics' by Kant,Immanuel (ed/tr Infield,Louis) [Methuen 1979,0-416-72480-9]].

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25. Social Practice / F. Life Issues / 4. Suicide
The maxim for suicide is committed to the value of life, and is thus contradictory
                        Full Idea: If my maxim is to shorten my life if its continuance threatens more evil than pleasure ...it is seen that a system of nature by whose law the feeling intended to further life should actually destroy life would contradict itself, and could not subsist.
                        From: Immanuel Kant (Lectures on Ethics [1780], 422:53)
                        A reaction: [compressed] I take it this means that a potential suicide is assessing what is best for life, and is therefore implicitly committed to life. Not persuasive! Should we not terminate the life of a mass murderer in mid-crime?