Suicide: An Ethical Delimna

[Ryantology]

I think the majority of suicides are probably due to chemical imbalances. But so are fits of rage, the lusts that lead to infidelity, the incessant hunger of gluttony, etc.

Are we to accept all counterproductive behaviors under the umbrella of understanding, because we understand brain chemistry better now, or are we still going to see ethics as a relevant field of philosophy?

No, because I don't really go for slippery slope arguments.

The relevance of ethics is ITSELF hypothetical. But it is apparently at least relevant enough to merit a thread and to talk about it. So you tell me-- on what basis would you judge an act as being ethical or unethical?

There is no single basis. Regarding this specific act, the ethics of it are as internal as an ethical situation can be. It is ethical to decide that I want to shut my biological substrate off, because it is my own. It is ethical to want a person to live, even if they don't want to live. But, to force them to live, or to shame them into it, is not ethical.

Of course, there are exceptions to this; when a person is clearly not in their right mind, irrational, mentally-ill. There is no single basis.

If we are going to mix arguments about free will and determinism with arguments about what is ethical, we're going to have a problem. Is it "unethical" for a pedophile to assault children, if his brain chemistry inevitably leads to that act, without any real possibility of acting otherwise?

There's hypocrisy in the selectivity of applying determinism to some behaviors and not to others. I believe we either have to stand strong in applying ethical ideas to all, or we have to abandon the field altogether, and end the discussion with "Fuck it. Do what you want, and if it brings pain and suffering to others, tough. Determinism means never having to say you're sorry."

I'm confused by this passage, because if my argument contained any framework for a debate between free will and determinism, it was not my intent to do so.

When you say "Fuck it. Do what you want, and if it brings pain and suffering to others, tough", what I hear from your argument is "Fuck it. Do what I want, and if it brings pain and suffering to you, tough".

Why not? Why shouldn't people hold views, and express them? Are humans not a social species?

I'm not suggesting either of these things. I'm saying that it's not cool to shame or guilt trip a suicidal person. Not only is it selfish on your part, but they are likely feeling plenty enough shame and guilt already.