Of Suicide
This essay examines religious and moral arguments claiming to prohibit suicide absolutely, distinguishing duties to God, society and oneself.
Understanding the text
Withdrawn from the planned dissertations of 1757, it circulated and appeared after Hume’s death; its editions have a complex history.
Key points
- 01
Providence
Changing the natural course of events is not condemned in other ordinary human actions.
- 02
Society
Social obligations require consideration of actual relationships rather than a single formula.
- 03
Argument
The essay criticizes a general philosophical prohibition; it is not individual health advice.
How to read it
Place the text within eighteenth-century theological controversy and compare its premises with objections. Distinguish historical normative argument from judgment about an individual situation.
Editions & sources
Summaries and key points are original editorial interpretations. They accompany reading the work and do not replace an edition of the text. Editorial method ↗