Why Suicide Is Amoral

"""In Why Suicide Is Amoral: A Philosophical Account, Robyn Gaier offers a deft and lucid analysis of a fraught and difficult topic. Handling the topic with sensitivity and grace, Gaier argues that actions of suicide are amoral, in the sense that they fall outside the moral domain of evaluation, and as such are neither morally impermissible nor permissible. Her account of suicidal action is novel and enlightening. Gaier's discussions of deliberative and moral agency are plausible, deeply interesting, and richly developed. This book will be invaluable to anyone with an interest in the ethics of suicide, including issues surrounding self-sacrifice and medical end-of-life care, and to anyone with an interest in the nature and exercise of our capacities for moral and deliberative agency."" --Justin Klocksiem, New Mexico State University ""Robyn Gaier has produced a remarkable book on an important topic. She has combined research in psychology and philosophy to argue for a surprising yet ultimately persuasive thesis--that all actions of suicide lie outside the domain of moral evaluation and thus are amoral. Gaier's arguments combine analytical rigor with deep insights and sensitivity, informed by both literature and psychology. The writing is refreshingly accessible to nonspecialist audiences. This is the very best kind of interdisciplinary approach, and it will quickly become required reading for anyone concerned to grapple with the philosophical, psychological, and societal issues surrounding suicide."" --Alastair Norcross, University of Colorado Boulder ""The suggestion that suicide is beyond the reach of moral assessment is sure to raise eyebrows, but Robyn Gaier pursues this line of thought with profound acumen, acuity, and, most important, humanity. In my view, Why Suicide Is Amoral: A Philosophical Account is the most important philosophical text on suicide in many years."" --Dale Dorsey, University of Kansas"