I recently took a philosophy course and was given this question to answer. I was wondering what your thoughts were.
A close friend of yours has just confided in you that he plans to kill himself.
Similar to Camus “Myth of Sisyphus”, his stated explanation is that;
I have always been intensely curious about my own existence, the hereafter and whether we transcend with any awareness. Having explored and been frustrated in discerning a relevant truth about my state of being, the next logical step for me is to cause my own death and perhaps find the answers I have always searched for.
The reason I tell you now, is so that you can tell others that this was not done in the grips of any depression, loneliness or sickness, so that they do not feel any guilt about my death.
You know this person to be a deep thinker, sincere and financially comfortable, having a close group of friends and family, but no dependants.
If you failed to convince him not to commit suicide, would you physically try to stop him?
I wouldn’t because I believe life is meaningless and suicide is the most logical thing to do. If no one existed there would be no problems in the world.
[quote]xXSeraphimXx wrote:
I recently took a philosophy course and was given this question to answer. I was wondering what your thoughts were.
A close friend of yours has just confided in you that he plans to kill himself.
Similar to Camus�?? �??Myth of Sisyphus�??, his stated explanation is that;
�??I have always been intensely curious about my own existence, the hereafter and whether we transcend with any awareness. Having explored and been frustrated in discerning a relevant truth about my state of being, the next logical step for me is to cause my own death and perhaps find the answers I have always searched for.
The reason I tell you now, is so that you can tell others that this was not done in the grips of any depression, loneliness or sickness, so that they do not feel any guilt about my death.�??
You know this person to be a deep thinker, sincere and financially comfortable, having a close group of friends and family, but no dependants.
If you failed to convince him not to commit suicide, would you physically try to stop him?[/quote]
The only way to truly stop him would be to have him committed. I may stop him for the moment but if he’s determined, what else can I do?
[quote]nothingclever wrote:
I wouldn’t because I believe life is meaningless and suicide is the most logical thing to do. If no one existed there would be no problems in the world.[/quote]
Fight him, it will quite literally be life or death, and in my experience nothing is as quite as exhilarating. He’ll probably sign up for MMA/BJJ/Boxing lessons the next day.
The scenario makes no sense, and nothingcleaver sucks.
EDIT:
OK, I have thought about it further and have concluded that Mr. Deep Thinker is a dumbass and you should just let him off himself.
If he serially desires to have his curiosity satiated immediately rather than waiting for it like every one else, then he should be darwined before his dumbass reproduces.
The scenario still makes no sense, and nothingcleaver still sucks.
I hope to god that none of my friends are this stupid.
But just in case, I would say to my friend:
“I argue that you are not in your right mind, as only someone with issues, either mental, physical, or emotional, would consciouslly persue suicide, this barring euthenasia into the argument, which is a wholly different circumstance. Thus, to allow you to take your own life in persuit of this exploration, is immoral on my part”
[quote]nothingclever wrote:
I wouldn’t because I believe life is meaningless and suicide is the most logical thing to do. If no one existed there would be no problems in the world.[/quote]
If thats the case, then what are you waiting for? Throw on some morrisey or cure or other depressing music and roll.
Or are you waiting for everyone else first?
There is a national suicide hotline number, by the way. Please call them. Or your psychiatrist.
[quote]nothingclever wrote:
I wouldn’t because I believe life is meaningless and suicide is the most logical thing to do. If no one existed there would be no problems in the world.[/quote]
[quote]dk44 wrote:
nothingclever wrote:
I wouldn’t because I believe life is meaningless and suicide is the most logical thing to do. If no one existed there would be no problems in the world.
The friend in question sounds like a dumbass who is just begging for attention. Best you ignore him. But that’s probably not the answer your teacher is looking for.
I would answer something like this:
If he is trying to off himself right in front of me, yes, I would try. Beyond that, try to get him to see a doctor. But if he wants to kill himself he will eventually succeed. Don’t waste your life trying to help people who don’t want to help themselves. Have you heard of Triage? Don’t waste limited time and resources on lost causes, when in that same time you could save five others.
the best advice before making a big decision is to wait a week. i dont think there is anything wrong with suicide and i dont think you have to be crazy, because self worth is a pleasent delusion. although i assume you’d all think he was less insane if he martyred himself for something. that i say is selfish, not curiosity. curiosity is the noblest quality a human can have
