David Hume On Suicide Summary

Hume also believes that suicide (and therefore euthanasia) is morally permissible a. He believes that the gods have given us the ability to escape pain and suffering. Hume argues that people’s lives are their own, to deal with as they choose, because the gods have given us this power (Messerly). The gods have given us the power to have euthanasia so we are free to do what we want with it. In his writing, On Suicide, he talks about three types of duties: to god, to ourselves, and to others/society, but if suicide doesn’t conflict with these responsibilities then it is not wrong. Hume’s first reason for supporting suicide (and euthanasia) is that is doesn’t conflict with the duty to God. God has granted us the skills necessary to alter nature

In terms of duties to others/society, Hume claims that committing suicide does no harm to society, so therefore euthanasia would also do no harm to society. He also says that when we are dead, we no longer get the advantages from society, and therefore no longer have obligations. “If we are not obligated to do a small good for society at great expense to ourselves, then we are not obligated to suffer greatly for some small benefit to society” (Messerly). For example, if someone is old they may retire, thereby no longer contributing to the workforce of society. So the same thing could happen to life. If the continuation of someone’s life is a burden to society, for example having to have around the clock medical care that is very difficult to manage, then ending it should be a positive thing. Hume writes, “I am not obliged to do a small good for society at the expense of a great harm to myself.” As for duties to ourselves, Hume claims that “we have such a strong natural fear of death, which requires an equally strong motive to overcome that fear,” meaning that we do not contemplate the extreme measure of suicide (or euthanasia) lightly and easily