This paper tries to answer the following question: Are there acceptable romantic motives of suicide or assisted suicide?
Table of Contents
1. In the ancient times
2. Early Christianity
3. Reprehensible and acceptable suicides in our time
4. Arthur Koestler, Primo Levi and Bruno Bettelheim
4.1 Arthur Koestler
4.2 Primo Levi
4.3 Bruno Bettelheim
5. What is the duty and task in those cases of the physician?
5.1 Sokrates
5.2 Sigmund Freud
Objectives and Topics
The primary objective of this work is to explore the historical and psychological duality surrounding suicide, specifically the conflict between condemning self-destruction and justifying it as a rational, "honourable" act. The author investigates whether the glorification of "deliberate dying" serves as a defensive psychological mechanism for individuals—including prominent intellectuals—to justify long-standing suicidal tendencies.
- Historical perspectives on suicide from antiquity to Early Christianity.
- The role of "honourable suicide" in contemporary culture and legal frameworks.
- Case studies of Arthur Koestler, Primo Levi, and Bruno Bettelheim.
- The psychiatric perspective on the physician's duty in cases of deliberate self-destruction.
- The influence of rationalization in masking deep-seated suicidal wishes.
Excerpt from the Book
Arthur Koestler, Primo Levi and Bruno Bettelheim
In order to make this more clear I want to expand a little bit an some well known examples from recent times, the examples of Arthur Koestler, Primo Levi and Bruno Bettelheim.
In all three of the cases there has been a very early suicidal tendency in life, which developed at least in early adulthood, but never caused a suicidal attempt. But when life served an opportunity for an honourable and justified deliberate dying this opportunity was used and the act of killing one self was prepared so well as to end life safely and immediately, which, alone, demonstrates that there were long-standing plans for such situations. Obviously there was absolutely no opportunity for medical or other help. Al three of these men belong to the field of the psychiatry of the persecuted. And one can have the impression that it was the existential uncertainty of life, caused by the persecution, which after a lifelong struggle against suicide in the end caused it. All three of them were writers, and in their writings frequent allusions and argumentations an suicide can be found, which they not only described as a possible way out of a hopeless situation but as something deserving praise. They have, this is the conclusion, prepared justification for their deliberate dying long before acting out. Now I shall go more into details.
Summary of Chapters
In the ancient times: Discusses the Stoic philosophy of suicide as a rational right and examines historical examples like Lucretia, framing suicide as an act of autonomy or honor.
Early Christianity: Analyzes the transition from honoring suicidal martyrdom as an act of heroism to the Church's eventual condemnation through severe moral and social penalties.
Reprehensible and acceptable suicides in our time: Explores the persistence of both condemnatory and accepting attitudes toward "deliberate dying" in modern Western culture and legal systems.
Arthur Koestler, Primo Levi and Bruno Bettelheim: Examines how these three writers utilized their intellectual output to justify their long-planned suicides as rational and honorable acts.
What is the duty and task in those cases of the physician?: Addresses the psychiatric challenge of intervening in suicides that are deeply rationalized, emphasizing the need to uncover the underlying suicidal wishes hidden behind these justifications.
Keywords
Suicide, deliberate dying, honourable suicide, psychiatry, stoicism, martyrdom, Arthur Koestler, Primo Levi, Bruno Bettelheim, rationalization, mental health, autonomy, persecution, psychological defense, medical ethics.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this publication?
The work examines the dual perception of suicide throughout history, contrasting the view of suicide as a reprehensible act with the idea of it as a rational, honourable, and autonomous choice.
What are the central themes discussed?
The main themes include historical attitudes towards suicide, the influence of philosophical and religious views on self-destruction, and the psychological mechanisms individuals use to justify suicidal intentions.
What is the author's primary research goal?
The goal is to demonstrate that the societal or personal justification of "honourable suicide" can act as a dangerous defense mechanism, allowing individuals to mask and eventually execute long-standing suicidal desires.
What methodology does the author apply?
The author, a psychiatrist, utilizes a combination of historical analysis, case studies of prominent intellectuals, and psychiatric observations to interpret the underlying motives of suicide.
What does the main body focus on?
The main body provides detailed historical context from antiquity, analyzes the impact of Christian doctrine, and offers specific psychological profiles of Koestler, Levi, and Bettelheim to show how they prepared for their deaths.
Which keywords best describe this work?
Key terms include suicide, deliberate dying, honourable suicide, psychiatric perspective, autonomy, rationalization, and the history of ideas regarding self-inflicted death.
How does the author characterize the suicides of Koestler, Levi, and Bettelheim?
The author suggests that their suicides were not impulsive but were long-planned, rationalized acts, reinforced by their own writings that elevated self-destruction to an honourable status.
What is the physician's role in cases of rationalized suicide?
The author argues that while such cases are difficult to reach, the physician's duty is to attempt to dissolve the "chain of thinking" that legitimizes suicide as a logical consequence of life circumstances.
- Citation du texte
- Uwe H. Peters (Auteur), 2008, Are there acceptable romantic motives of suicide or assisted suicide?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1181148
