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Originally Posted by Byron  Regarding the cost to society-- it is often more costly for society to sustain a life that does not want to be lived, than it is to let it go. |
That is certainly not always true. I personally know someone who has -repeatedly and seriously- attempted suicide but failed. Now she dragged herself back up from the depths she was in, and is in many ways adding value to society again. I find it strange that you assume that in most cases someone that wants to commit suicide will never want to live again. It is a plainly false assumption.
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Originally Posted by Byron It is healthier for the body to release cells that are no longer functioning, even if their life span is not yet finished. |
I would not call it healthy to cut off body parts that are sick may can be healed. If your leg was infected with a disease, and there was even a twenty percent chance of it recovering, would you cut it off anyway?
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Originally Posted by Byron The current model of applying a blanket statement that suicide is bad and no one should commit suicide, is to overlook the nuances and individual circumstances surrounding a contemplated suicide. |
Just lacking a desire to live at a certain time in one's life is not a valid reason for me to accept suicide. In some cases I see euthanasia as a right, loving and just thing to do for someone who suffers physically badly, without any chance of improving his or her life. But that is usually a mariginal case.
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Originally Posted by Byron Often, the contemplator faces a spiritual or moral dilemma, or circumstances that cannot be reconciled. |
Most people considering suicide are completely and utterly unable to judge whether or not their perceived problems can be solved.
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Originally Posted by Byron The current view of society is that the person should keep on living, despite his spiritual or moral pain. |
And why should society expect any less? Suicide is in some ways a cowardly, easy way out. I have little respect for someone committing suicide (I have also known some who succeeded). Society is justified in expecting from humans to face their problems and handle them, not to run away from them.
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Originally Posted by Byron and those that are really thoughtful, in which the contemplated suicide has gone through counseling, and already explored suitable options for living (this includes dealing with irreconcilable circumstances, maintaining moral and spiritual integrity, dealing with terminal mental or physical illness, and euthanasia). |
What are these irreconcilable circumstances? I mean, other than terminal physical illness (as fas as I know, terminal mental illness does not exist?).
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Originally Posted by Byron Sometimes morally and circumstantially, life is better to be ended in a thoughtful manner, than to be sustained in an inferior or unacceptable manner. |
That, I agree with. There are very limited circumstances in which I would find ending a life the better alternative, however. Such would include:
- physical suffering with no chance of improvement (i.e. someone who would be mortally ill and face the choice of dying today in relative peace or dying after a month of agonizing pains and zero quality of life).
- elderly who lost their will to live and who face serious mental or physical illness. This category is unavoidable as far as I can see, as the day comes closer in which medical science will be able to keep our elderly alive almost indefinitely, even with an unacceptable (i.e. inhuman) quality of live.
Apart from these two categories, I see little reason to find suicide or euthanasia acceptable.