(Excerpts from a lecture I delivered at Oxford University
Sir ! Sir ! please put down the fire extinguisher and stop yelling your point has been acknowledged , now please take your seat and remove your mask .
As I was saying, I believe it is a logical impossibility to have a choice in the matter of your own personal existence. If you do not exist you can not make the choice and if you do exist then the choice has already been made. However there is a choice you can make once you exist and that is to continue your existence. To my knowledge no other animal on the planet has the capability of committing suicide.
This is one of the unique aspects of human existence. We can self terminate.
This Freedom and ability is at the root of happiness. But always remember, it is the fruit not the root.
The last sentence is very esoteric, I'm not sure I know what it means. In the movie " The cove" the trainer of the famous dolphin "Flipper" told a story about how Flipper commited suicide. When Dolphins breath out of the water they will it, it is a conscious control unlike us humans who involuntarily breath. Flipper looked into his trainers eyes and willfully stopped breathing. What does that say about your whole theory?
ReplyDeleteI've also heard of whales that will intentionally beach themselves as a result of their depression over the death of their mate.
ReplyDeleteNonetheless, choice of the quality of our lives is definitely a beautiful characteristic known in humans. But with privilege comes responsibility. We have the choice to self-terminate, self-actualize, or dwindle somewhere in the middle.
I detect two assertions:
ReplyDeleteSuicide is a uniquely human phenomenon. (False)
The decision not to commit suicide is at the root of happiness. (Unclear what this unsupported assertion means)
I think, Daniel, because humans are far more intelligent than other species, perhaps we can say that choosing to end your own life would be considered a really dumb thing to do, because when we think things through we realize that isn't the answer, and that is why God gave us the ability to choose, because he also gave us the ability to rationalize.
ReplyDeleteare humans more intelligent that other species? debateable, shoud someone kill themselves? no, do pple kill themselves? others kill them inside first. has an animal killed itself? all the time. willingly? doubtful, except for one or two, do we kill animals? mike vick does, should u commit suicide? i dont think so, should i? asshole, rational? i hope not. if yes? kill urself
ReplyDeleteI don't know who this Israel person is, but obviously he/she has a strong opinion about what is being said here, it wasn't meant for anyone to take it personal and finishing it off with the words "kill urself" was inappropriate and i honestly believe he/she is everything I despise in a person.
ReplyDeleteThats a very tough question but life is a gift and only the powers that be should be able to take it from you, if they deem it necessary, even if a person thinks they are doing the right thing their are always other alternatives. A persons life is precious that is why, although a person has the choice to commit such an act but the bottom line is who gave them that choice. A persons mind is still their own their thoughts are still their own. Mind and body are one. Otherwise consequences such as Hell and other extreme circumstances would not exist. The reason animals do not have this choice is because the powers that be do not give them a choice. another thing I learned is what happens to people after they have commited suicide since although the choice was theirs to commit the act what happens to their body afterwards is whatever the public wants to do with it your remains are not your choice because their was no request to honor and people can do whatever they want to your body so that is definitely something to think about. Do you care about what happens to your body after that you will never get a proper burial because people will toss your body around like it is scrap metal so even if you don't believe in the powers that be how much self respect do you have for yourself that is your choice.
ReplyDeleteA good friend of mine once said "Are we living life because we have life, or do we have life because we want to live life.". Simply some of us feel that life is a gift and suicide is not an option and therefore we make the best of it no matter how difficult things may seem, and then some of us are given long life because we enjoy life, thank you God for this gift!
ReplyDeleteis it better to have been born and fight the battle of life or would it have been better to never been born in the first place, when your soul was that much closer to the place it loves in heaven,
ReplyDelete"Gonna go to the place that's the best
When they lay me down to die
Goin' up to the spirit in the sky"
Nothing is wasted and life is worth living.
ReplyDeleteHeaven is nowhere, just look to the stars.
There is a day that is yours for embracing.
Everything is nothing, and nothing is ours.
And maybe if we all think this way,
Then we would live and prosper.
But I doubt it, we are a violent race,
And we deserve what we get.