Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site gatech.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!cca!decvax!harpo!floyd!vax135!ariel!houti!hogpc!houxm!hocda!spanky!burl!sb1!sb6!emory!gatech!spaf
From: spaf@gatech.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.suicide
Subject: More thoughts
Message-ID: <204@gatech.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 9-Jun-83 17:47:31 EDT
Article-I.D.: gatech.204
Posted: Thu Jun  9 17:47:31 1983
Date-Received: Sat, 11-Jun-83 10:26:03 EDT
Organization: Georgia Tech, School of ICS
Lines: 42

It was pointed out to me that the examples I gave in my previous
article all involved an adolescent.  Well, I don't view suicide
as a demonstration of maturity.

In particular, my personal philosphy does not admit that any
person is capable of really judging the worth or value of a
life.  It is only one step from claiming that my life is
without value to proclaiming that your life is worthless.
If I am without hope, perhaps I should also help do away with
others I view as hopeless?  I believe that a sign of
true humanity is valuing all life as something special.
I cannot judge the value of my own life, even when it seems
to be going pretty rotten.  I have effects on many others,
like ripples in a pool, and I cannot tell what changes I make
for good or ill.  Neither can I judge the value of any other life,
be it of a baby with birth defects or an old person who can
no longer care for himself/herself.

Suicide is a highly emotional subject.  If you have had a close
friend or relative succumb to such an act (or consider it yourself)
I believe it alters your perspective somewhat.  I do not
consider suicide a normal act, and I believe it is ethically wrong.

A separate question is what do we (as society) do about suicides
and potential suicides?  The question of laws and treatment, of
what do we do to failed attempts, is a much more complex
question.  I remember reading an article in the newspaper about
a police officer in Buffalo who shot a man to keep him from
stabbing himself to death.  Is that the kind of extreme we
should allow or even encourage?  I don't think I want to
go into the whole subject just now.

In summary, then:  I believe suicide is a moral wrong.  What
we do as a society to prevent and deal with suicide attempts
is another question, don't you think?
-- 
"The soapbox of Gene Spafford"

Spaf @ GATech		        (CS Net)
Spaf.GATech @ UDel-Relay        (ARPA)		 School of ICS
...!{sb1, allegra}!gatech!spaf  (uucp)      	 Georgia Tech
...!duke!mcnc!msdc!gatech!spaf                   Atlanta, GA 30332