2 Sovereign Masters : Suicide

“There is but one truly serious philosophical problem, and that is suicide” – Albert Camus According to utilitarianism, pleasure has intrinsic value. Therefore, a world without sentient beings is less valuable than a world with even one person living an overall happy life. If you commit suicide, you cause suffering to your loved ones or…

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“There is but one truly serious philosophical problem, and that is suicide” – Albert Camus

According to utilitarianism, pleasure has intrinsic value. Therefore, a world without sentient beings is less valuable than a world with even one person living an overall happy life.

If you commit suicide, you cause suffering to your loved ones or to those you owe something. However, that is not the primary concern. In most cases, you are also depriving yourself of an overall good life that likely lies ahead in your future.

I emphasize “in most cases” because there are exceptions where continued existence results in extreme suffering, either for yourself or others. For instance, certain severe cases of cerebral palsy may involve unrelenting pain, where the individual experiences no relief or possibility of improvement. In such situations, assisted suicide may be a compassionate and rational choice. A world without sentient beings is preferable to a world where a being endures extreme suffering. (In utilitarian terms, utility is calculated as pleasure minus pain, and a world dominated by pain has negative value.)

For most of us, however, our future holds an overall balance of pleasure that outweighs the pain. That means there is still hope, joy, and meaningful experiences waiting for us.

So, don’t choose suicide.

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