An issue widely debated and criticized is suicide. There are many contrasting opinions about whether it is morally or ethically to commit suicide or whether it is morally of ethically permissible to commit suicide. Immanuel Kant is against the idea of suicide he said, “Suicide is in no circumstances permissible.” His main arguments are suicide is self contradictory meaning that “if a man destroys his body, and so his life, he does it by the use of his will, which is itself destroyed in the process.” Also Kant uses the bible to show why suicide is immoral and says that it is a moral abomination because it degrades human worth. On the other hand R.B. Brandt argues that in certain cases suicide is morally alright. Brandt feels suicide can be a very rational act but admits there can be errors in judgement. Brandt also has classes that judge suicide and argues theological beliefs (the sixth amendment thou shall not kill), natural law as a moral reason for suicide, and also takes into account that suicide can ultimately harm other people. Immanuel Kant and R.B. Brandt both use ethical and moral judgments for their side and have ethical reasons that back them up.
Immanuel Kant’s paper is titled “The Morality of Suicide” Kant’s papers relies heavily on the idea that suicide is contradictory to the body and soul and using ones self as to end you own life it morally wrong. He argues that the power of free will is used for its own destruction. Kant defines suicide as the intention to destroy oneself. Many times in the article he states that using life to produce lifelessness is contradictory. His paper uses the perfect or absolute duty to refrain from suicide. Prima Fascia duties are duties that have an actual duty and a purpose and Prima Fascia duties cannot be used to kill yourself. On Kant’s issue of God he states that we have been placed on this world for a specific purpose and suicide opposes the purpose of his Creator. Also to commit suicide would be like to rebel against God. Since Gods intention is to preserve life we are obligated to conform our activities to coincide along with that idea. Kant’s paper is very well written but lacks the depth to back it up. His strengths go together very well but his biggest weakness is his lack of arguments that show why suicide is immoral in “All” cases.
R.B. Brandt’s article titled “The Morality and Rationality of Suicide” takes the position that suicide is morally and rationally justifiable in some cases has many supporting claims. Brandt feels that Prima Fascia duties can have exceptions. Brandt uses three classes to argue against the alleged immorality of suicide and also states that suicide can be justified by rationality. Brandt more so tries to disprove reasons against suicide or find rationality behind suicide. He argues against the idea that every act of suicide is wrong after you have taken into account every moral and rational judgment because sometime there are cases where it is acceptable. Brandt also uses an example of rationality of suicide and after weighing all the options in this scenario has a very good reason for suicide. His scenario of rationality states that an Army pilots plane loses control over a very populated area and the pilot has two options eject and save his life but possibly kill innocent civilians or stay in the plane steer it to an unpopulated area and crash with the plane and die. This act of suicide took into considerations the lives of many innocent people and that fact that he certainly saved lives. Brandt argues that Kant would judge that is act be morally acceptable. Brandt takes the idea of theological, natural law, and the idea that suicide harms other people in society in to account. The Theological idea is the idea of thou shall not kill yourself found in the ten commandments. Natural law described by St. Thomas says: “it is altogether unlawful to kill oneself, for three reason” His reason being that everything loves itself, the result being that everything naturally keeps itself in being, and resists corruptions so far as it can. Although St. Thomas ignores the idea that it is true most people love themselves and do not want to die but obviously the people who do commit suicide feel stronger about not living. This article has little weaknesses and what weaknesses it does have is stated in it. He admits that there are times when suicide is immoral. For example when suicide would hurt or injure others it would be morally wrong. Brandt agrees you should not harm others while trying to harm yourself.
The two opposing view points each have good ideas to back up their opinion. Kant does not use as many arguments for the opposition of suicide. He takes fewer arguments and bases his statements heavily on them. His main idea being that suicide is self contradictory and you cannot use ones life to end life. Brandt has many more ideas and even classifies them in three classes along with stating that there can be rationality behind suicide and gives the example of the army pilot. Brandt’s paper is the better of the two just because he uses more arguments and doesn’t just prove his side but uses classifications to disprove the other side. Kant did not take into account the opposition instead he just states that it is morally wrong in all cases and doesn’t take into account all cases.
Immanuel Kant’s paper is titled “The Morality of Suicide” Kant’s papers relies heavily on the idea that suicide is contradictory to the body and soul and using ones self as to end you own life it morally wrong. He argues that the power of free will is used for its own destruction. Kant defines suicide as the intention to destroy oneself. Many times in the article he states that using life to produce lifelessness is contradictory. His paper uses the perfect or absolute duty to refrain from suicide. Prima Fascia duties are duties that have an actual duty and a purpose and Prima Fascia duties cannot be used to kill yourself. On Kant’s issue of God he states that we have been placed on this world for a specific purpose and suicide opposes the purpose of his Creator. Also to commit suicide would be like to rebel against God. Since Gods intention is to preserve life we are obligated to conform our activities to coincide along with that idea. Kant’s paper is very well written but lacks the depth to back it up. His strengths go together very well but his biggest weakness is his lack of arguments that show why suicide is immoral in “All” cases.
R.B. Brandt’s article titled “The Morality and Rationality of Suicide” takes the position that suicide is morally and rationally justifiable in some cases has many supporting claims. Brandt feels that Prima Fascia duties can have exceptions. Brandt uses three classes to argue against the alleged immorality of suicide and also states that suicide can be justified by rationality. Brandt more so tries to disprove reasons against suicide or find rationality behind suicide. He argues against the idea that every act of suicide is wrong after you have taken into account every moral and rational judgment because sometime there are cases where it is acceptable. Brandt also uses an example of rationality of suicide and after weighing all the options in this scenario has a very good reason for suicide. His scenario of rationality states that an Army pilots plane loses control over a very populated area and the pilot has two options eject and save his life but possibly kill innocent civilians or stay in the plane steer it to an unpopulated area and crash with the plane and die. This act of suicide took into considerations the lives of many innocent people and that fact that he certainly saved lives. Brandt argues that Kant would judge that is act be morally acceptable. Brandt takes the idea of theological, natural law, and the idea that suicide harms other people in society in to account. The Theological idea is the idea of thou shall not kill yourself found in the ten commandments. Natural law described by St. Thomas says: “it is altogether unlawful to kill oneself, for three reason” His reason being that everything loves itself, the result being that everything naturally keeps itself in being, and resists corruptions so far as it can. Although St. Thomas ignores the idea that it is true most people love themselves and do not want to die but obviously the people who do commit suicide feel stronger about not living. This article has little weaknesses and what weaknesses it does have is stated in it. He admits that there are times when suicide is immoral. For example when suicide would hurt or injure others it would be morally wrong. Brandt agrees you should not harm others while trying to harm yourself.
The two opposing view points each have good ideas to back up their opinion. Kant does not use as many arguments for the opposition of suicide. He takes fewer arguments and bases his statements heavily on them. His main idea being that suicide is self contradictory and you cannot use ones life to end life. Brandt has many more ideas and even classifies them in three classes along with stating that there can be rationality behind suicide and gives the example of the army pilot. Brandt’s paper is the better of the two just because he uses more arguments and doesn’t just prove his side but uses classifications to disprove the other side. Kant did not take into account the opposition instead he just states that it is morally wrong in all cases and doesn’t take into account all cases.
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