Suicide and Assisted Dying Through Ontology, Epistemology, Ethics and Aesthetics

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Suicide and Assisted Dying Through Ontology, Epistemology, Ethics and Aesthetics

Introduction

Suicide and assisted dying raise difficult philosophical questions that sit at the centre of criminology, moral philosophy and social policy. These questions are not only about whether an act should be legal or illegal. They reach deeper into how we define harm, how knowledge is created, how moral decisions are justified and how cultural representations shape public thinking. By exploring suicide and assisted dying through the four foundations of ontology, epistemology, ethics and aesthetics, it becomes possible to understand why these debates continue to divide societies and why criminal justice responses often appear inconsistent.

Ontology

Ontology focuses on what a phenomenon is and what causes it. In the context of suicide and assisted dying, the central question is whether these acts should be treated as crimes, private choices or medical events. Historically, suicide was understood as an attack against divine or state authority. This view appears in the work of Aquinas, who argued that suicide violated natural law because life was a gift from God and belonged to the community rather than the individual (Aquinas 1273). Plato also condemned suicide, except in rare situations authorised by the state, which reflected a belief that the individual existed for a wider social purpose.

Modern criminology challenges these assumptions. Hume (1783) rejected the idea that suicide was sinful or criminal and suggested that personal autonomy allowed individuals to end their lives when life delivered unbearable suffering. Ontologically, Hume treated suicide as a rational decision rather than a moral failure. This view shaped contemporary liberal thought, including debates on assisted dying.

Within criminology, the shift from moral judgement to scientific explanation reframed suicide as a matter of mental health, social structure and individual agency. Durkheim’s work, although not explicitly required here, remains important because it showed that suicide rates varied according to social integration and regulation. For criminology, this created a new ontology. Suicide became a social fact rather than a purely individual act. Assisted dying adds another layer, because the act involves more than one agent and raises questions about consent, vulnerability and state control. Ontologically, this means the phenomenon cannot fit neatly into traditional categories such as crime, harm or care.

Epistemology

Epistemology focuses on how knowledge about suicide and assisted dying is produced. Measuring suicide is complex because the classification itself depends on coroners, medical professionals and cultural attitudes. Many recorded suicides rely on inferred intention, which means the data carry uncertainty. Bernat, Gert and Mogielnicki (1993) highlight a related issue in assisted dying, where patient refusal of nutrition or hydration may mask decisions that resemble suicide but are categorised differently due to medical framing.

This draws attention to the scientific status of criminological research. Suicide statistics appear objective but are shaped by legal categories, reporting practices and stigma. Under-reporting is common in societies where suicide remains morally condemned. Comparative research also becomes difficult because different countries label deaths in different ways. As a result, epistemological debates in criminology ask whether suicide can ever be fully understood through numbers alone.

Philosophers such as Beauchamp and Davidson (1979) try to clarify definitions around euthanasia and assisted dying, but even these attempts show the limitations of purely analytical approaches. Qualitative research captures personal narratives, but it also struggles with issues of consent, reliability and representation. These tensions affect the scientific status of criminology. Suicide and assisted dying sit on the boundary of law, medicine and philosophy, which makes it difficult to apply a single research method or claim absolute certainty about causes.

Ethics

Ethical debates are the most visible part of the discussion. They ask how individuals who consider suicide should be treated and what role the state should play in allowing or preventing assisted dying. The classical tradition, as seen in Aristotle and Seneca, often supported endurance and virtue, yet Seneca accepted the idea of a rational exit when illness destroyed dignity.

Modern ethical thinking splits between deontological and consequentialist positions. Kant (1785) argued that suicide violated the duty to oneself because it used rationality to destroy the very foundation of rational agency. This places suicide outside moral permission. By contrast, contemporary writers such as Biggar (2004) draw attention to the risk of coercion and social pressure when assisted dying becomes legal. They argue that vulnerable people may feel obliged to choose death to avoid being a burden.

Supporters of assisted dying rely on autonomy and the relief of suffering. They argue that criminalisation produces harm by denying choice to those facing terminal illness. Epistemological uncertainty also shapes ethics. When mental capacity is difficult to assess, ethical reasoning becomes more fragile. Criminal justice systems must balance autonomy with protection, which explains why assisted dying laws remain contested.

Aesthetics

Aesthetics examines how suicide and assisted dying appear in culture, art and popular media. These representations influence public attitudes and can either romanticise or stigmatise the act. In classical literature, suicide often appeared as a noble choice, seen in works about heroic self-sacrifice. In contrast, religious art tended to show suicide as tragic or sinful.

Contemporary films and novels often portray assisted dying as an act of compassion, which shifts ethical expectations. Crime drama sometimes uses suicide to advance narratives involving guilt, responsibility or mental illness. These portrayals shape the social meanings attached to suicide. When media presents suicide as a way to regain control or escape suffering, it may unintentionally encourage imitation. Criminology recognises this through research on copycat behaviour, which is an aesthetic concern with real consequences.

Aesthetic representation also affects lawmaking. Politicians respond to public emotion, and public emotion is shaped by cultural storytelling. For example, sympathetic portrayals of assisted dying in documentaries or novels create pressure for legal reform. This demonstrates that aesthetics drives both policy and personal behaviour.