Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-08-08
THE ETHICS OF SUICIDE
PROF. ALDERy LECTURE BEFORE TIE SCHOOL
or ETHICAL CULTURE.
Case Where Suicide is OOwardly and Where it
Nay bs Justifabls-A WCman'S Honor
More Precious Than Lifs-The Invalid,
Whose Case is Hopeless, Should DO
Permitted to Depart in Peace.

PLYMOUTH, MASS, August PROF.
Adler's lecture on the ethics OF suicide
was the most striking address to which
the School of Ethical Culture has yet
listened. The professor, after referring
to the annual increase in the number OF
persons who commit self-murder, said:
"It would be interesting to investi-
gate the causes of this increase, to con-
slider the relations subsisting between
increase of divorce and the increase OF
suicide, and to inquire into those patho-
logical conditions of modern society, OF
which both the above phenomena are
manifestations. But it is the object OF
this lecture to consider the ethics OF the
question, not its causes Conceive in
imagination a man who is standing on
the brink, who is about to take his des-
tiny into his own hands, about to eX-
tinguish his own life. 1t is to be con-
sidered whether, under any circum-
stances, he is justified in doing so. 1t
may be objected that this is not a tit
subject to be discussed with pupils of
thirteen or fourteen years Of age; such
pupils are are not yet tempted in this
particular way. The reply is, neither
are such pupils tempted to murder, ex-
cept in the rarest possible instances;
yet at this age they are made acquainted
with the commandment, Thou shalt
not kill" Equally they should be
taught, Thou shalt not commit suicide
He who cuts off his existence deprives
himself forever of all the various en-
joyments which yet may be in store for
him. Very often, in moments OF deep
depression, the whole world looks black
and his situation utterly hopeless. But
it Is to be remembered that suicide is
final, and suffering often temporary.
This is an obvious reason against TAX
ing q step which cannot be recalled.
But it is also superficial reason which
does not fit the more trying situations
in which human beings are sometimes
placed. There are cases where the fall
from the heights of prosperity is as
complete as it is sudden, who're the hope
of recovering lost ground Is eAVIuu "a,
where the future seems dreary blank,
which can never again be lit up the
light of happiness. Is person who
suffers such blows justified in commit
ting suicide? Certainly not. The mer-
chant who has lost his wealth must be-
gin again at the bottom; must labor to
support his family, however narrowly.
1t would be the rankest selfishness on
his part to desert them, to leave them
to meet their hard fate without his as
sistance, and of course, the grief which
be would cause them by violent enc
would be to them greater pain than
any physical privations. And the lover
who has lost his bride has still work
to do in life"
Prof. Adler said that he did not wish
to be understood as asserting that the
taking OF ones life is under no circum-
stances permissible. The suicide Of
Brutus cannot be justified, though it
need not be too harshly judged, for it
was dictated by pride rather than the
sense OF lost honor. But the conduct OF
that courageous girl Of whom it is re-
ported that she strangled herself with
her hair in order to escape the last in
fanny cannot be too highly commended.
In this case honor is the moral sense,
was at stake, and there was no other ex-
it open, and honor is more precious
than life. In certain other cases sui
eide might also be permissible, though
here Prof. Adler felt that he was tread
| ing on delicate ground, and spoke sub
iect to correction. He thought that
the chronic invalid should hold out as
long as there is the slightest chance of
| hn N q
intense and so continuous as to occupy
the entire attention Of the sufferer.
But why should not the sufferer
be unbound, that the
agonies should be ended
and that he should be permitted to de-
| part in peace? 1t has been objected to
this view that remedy may be dis
covered at any moment. This is posi-
BILE, but extremely improbable in any
given case, and we are compelled to act
according to the balance OF probabilities.
Nor will the stimulous to discover a
remedy, as some fear, be the less keen
If this opinion becomes general. The
signs Of suffering may be an incentive
to search for means of curing disease,
but the actual loss of friends will be as
suredly no less urgent incentive.
SIT should be added" said Prof. AID.
Ter, "that II this idea were carried out
the following precautions would be suffi.
cient: An official body designated by the
State, consisting, say, Of three Judge:
of the Supreme Court and three emf.
nent physicians, should be summoned
in every case to the bedside Of the SUI
ferer, and If this council be unanimous
ly of the opinion that there is no reason
1 able hope Of recovery, the patient should
be allowed to receive the cup of relief a.
the hands OF his attending physician
Some such device as this was suggested
more than three hundred years ago By
Sir Thomas More, in his Utopia"