Stay : A History of Suicide and the Philosophies Against It

From Goodreads Worldwide, more people die by suicide than by murder, and many more are left behind to grieve. Despite distressing statistics that show suicide rates rising, the subject, long a taboo, is infrequently talked about. In this sweeping intellectual and cultural history, poet and historian Jennifer Michael Hecht channels her grief for two friends lost to suicide into a search for history’s most persuasive arguments against the irretrievable act, arguments she hopes to bring back into public consciousness. From the Stoics and the Bible to Dante, Shakespeare, Wittgenstein, and such twentieth-century writers as John Berryman, Hecht recasts the narrative of our “secular age” in new terms. She shows how religious prohibitions against self-killing were replaced by the Enlightenment’s insistence on the rights of the individual, even when those rights had troubling applications. This transition, she movingly argues, resulted in a profound cultural and moral loss: the loss of shared, secular, logical arguments against suicide. By examining how people in other times have found powerful reasons to stay alive when suicide seems a tempting choice, she makes a persuasive intellectual and moral case against suicide. Worldwide, More People Die By Suicide Than By Murder, And Many More Are Left Behind To Grieve. Despite Distressing Statistics That Show Suicide Rates Rising, The Subject, Long A Taboo, Is Infrequently Talked About. In This Sweeping Intellectual And Cultural History, Poet And Historian Jennifer Michael Hecht Channels Her Grief For Two Friends Lost To Suicide Into A Search For History's Most Persuasive Arguments Against The Irretrievable Act, Arguments She Hopes To Bring Back Into Public Consciousness. From The Stoics And The Bible To Dante, Shakespeare, Wittgenstein, And Such Twentieth-century Writers As John Berryman, Hecht Recasts The Narrative Of Our Secular Age In New Terms. She Shows How Religious Prohibitions Against Self-killing Were Replaced By The Enlightenment's Insistence On The Rights Of The Individual, Even When Those Rights Had Troubling Applications. This Transition, She Movingly Argues, Resulted In A Profound Cultural And Moral Loss: The Loss Of Shared, Secular, Logical Arguments Against Suicide. By Examining How People In Other Times Have Found Powerful Reasons To Stay Alive When Suicide Seems A Tempting Choice, She Makes A Persuasive Intellectual And Moral Case Against Suicide. One.the Ancient World -- Two.religion Rejects Suicide -- Three.to Be Or Not To Be: New Questions In The Rise Of Modernism -- Four.secular Philosophy Defends Suicide -- Five.the Argument Of Community -- Six.modern Social Science On Community And Influence -- Seven.hope For Our Future Selves -- Eight.the Twentieth Century's Two Major Voices On Suicide -- Nine.suffering And Happiness -- Ten.modern Philosophical Conversations. Jennifer Michael Hecht. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Many thousands of people kill themselves every year, and many more are left behind to grieve. Distressing statistics show that suicide rates are rising, and studies confirm that suicide causes more suicide, both among those who knew the person and even among strangers who feel some connection. In this highly original book Jennifer Michael Hecht channels her grief for two friends lost to suicide into a search for history's most persuasive arguments against the irretrievable act. Hecht recounts individual suicide cases from the Bible and ancient Greeks to the present day and analyses how ideas about suicide have changed over time. She explains several puzzling aspects of attitudes toward suicide, including the strange fact that secular philosophy has long been associated with a pro-suicide attitude. In our own times, when the influence of religious prohibitions has waned, Hecht finds that we lack shared, secular, logical arguments against suicide