People should be allowed to commit suicide

Firstly, I would disagree that as a society people should just consider suicide moral or immoral. It is actually an issue that there are both sides too. 45% of Americans said that doctor assisted suicide was okay, and 48% of Americans said that doctor assisted suicide wasn't right. Since this is a close issue, it's not like murder or stealing where most people would agree that it is morally wrong in most circumstances. Since there is controversy, it's not logical that as a society we just ban suicide, and there are many more advantages than disadvantages. If it wasn't a controversial issue then we wouldn't even be debating it now. Therefore, my opponent's argument that we should just ban suicide doesn't make sense. Secondly, I would not agree that there are always other options. There may be an infinite number of options in total, but there are only a certain number of options worth trying for the individual's situation. For example if the reason isn't for depression, it's not even worth trying depression medicine. If it's because the person was someone who dropped the bomb in the middle of a war, there may be no point in having a therapy where they just sit there and talk about it; maybe a more intensive form of therapy would be better. Depending on the individual's circumstances there are not an infinite number of options, and therefore, it is not a waste of potential if they are so upset that they can no longer function in today's society. Overall, there are a limited number of options for the individual, and if people are suffering enough, I still believe people have the right to commit suicide. I don't believe that I'm basing my argument solely off of pity. In killing others the person is damaging other people's lives physically. In this situation it's only themselves and possibly their families that they're damaging. However, the families can get over the pain much more easily than the person can get over the suffering. It's not just pity that makes committing suicide morally right. It's the factual information of how much that person is suffering. I'd agree that the society shouldn't just base everything off of pity. However, there are some logical reasons why it makes sense for people to commit suicide such as everything else not working, and the person keeps on suffering. However I'd agree that a lot of this is linked to emotion as it's a very emotional topic. This is different to the scenario which my opponent describes someone who physically harms others and their lives. This is internal, and because of internal suffering, people do have the right to commit suicide and in this case even though it's not completely others pity, pity is justice. Overall, there is a lot of emotion in this topic, but there are also logical reasons why suicide is morally right. I disagree to the argument that every day you don't kill yourself is progress. If you are still suffering exactly the same amount that you were when you started therapy, then there is a problem, and there is no progression. If you stay awake each night, and keep getting incredibly close to killing yourself then there is no progression in that circumstance. If there is no move towards not wanting to commit suicide, then the therapy isn't working. Therefore, if it seems to be getting worse, and you get closer and closer to committing suicide then the therapy definitely isn't working. Overall, if there is, the same amount of suffering each day or more, and it's incredibly painful to live every day then you do have the right to commit suicide. It's the person who's going to commit suicides choice how much they involve their families. At the minimum they should leave a letter assuring the family that it wasn't their fault. Also, at the minimum they should get the care that family members need if they need any. However, it's up to the individual if they talk to the family beforehand and get their say before committing suicide, and that may even influence whether they do commit suicide. Even if they don't choose to alert the family, the family will probably get over it within a year. It will always be an upsetting memory for them, but they will probably be able to get over it. However, the victim could have an entire lifetime of therapy and not get over their pain and misery. Therefore, it is up to the suicide victim how much they involve their family, and even if they don't, the family will recover much more easily than the victim could have. I believe it is up to the individual who is going to commit suicide to determine the amount of suffering and the decision that they make. If it was made into a law, everyone would have the right to commit suicide. Individuals could decide whether it's a good choice or not as they are the one's who know their personal situation and suffering best. Overall, for it to work it's got to be left up to the individual who can make their decision based on all of the factors of the situation that they're in. Again committing suicide is different to situations like drinking and driving. With people committing suicide they will only hurt their own family's life, and the family will get over it. It is emotional harm which with a bit of effort can be gotten over through a few months of therapy and depression. However, the person who drinks and drives have harmed someone else's family which is not their place morally to do. Also, that would be classed as killing someone else. Whether directly or indirectly killing another person is irresponsible as it's not part of your own life or family. However, individual's committing suicide are harming themselves which they should be morally allowed to do. Overall, committing suicide is a very different act to drinking and driving. Overall, I do believe that committing suicide is morally right. As my opponent said, I do believe that it is someone's life, and they have the right to do what they want with it. Individuals should be able to make decisions and get the positive or negative consequences as a result. That is what I personally believe. I also believe that nobody should have to go through an incredible amount of suffering, and they should have the right to end their own lives if nothing else works. Overall, committing suicide is morally right as nobody should have to suffer every single day of their lives. Source: http://www.livescience.com...