The definition of suicide is the act of killing oneself. According to data collected by the American Association of Suc 2010 Final Data Report, there is an average of one person every 13.7 minutes who commits suicide, and such suicide was the tenth leading cause of death in the United States at the time the report was compiled. With studies showing that suicide is a viable option for some, moral questions regarding suicide arise. Is this ever an acceptable course of action? If so, under what circumstances might suicide be considered reasonable? Are there circumstances in which the act of killing oneself is justifiable? Does one's position in society or religious background determine the validity of one's beliefs about suicide? Suicide is an uncomfortable topic to discuss. While other types of death elicit sympathy or even anger if there was foul play involved in taking a life, suicide is shrouded in feelings of shame and embarrassment for the family and loved ones left behind. Does a person have the right to subject his or her family to this type of pain? For example, what if a loved one suffers from a prolonged, painful, terminal illness? There is no longer any chance of survival and the individual is faced with nothing but a slow and immeasurable wait for the end, would committing suicide seem more reasonable in that situation? Would it make suicide more palatable if the person was destined to die anyway? Another example might involve war, such as in a hostage scenario. A soldier captured by the enemy and taken prisoner to be tortured to death. Would an extreme situation like this justify killing someone? If you are experiencing great physical constraints or difficulties… in the center of the card… you empathize with, it is another question all together whether you would be justified in taking the action behind those feelings. The same can be said for suicide, feeling like you want to end your life, depending on the circumstances you find yourself in, may be reasonable, but once you kill yourself, the legacy you leave behind will justify your shares? Works Cited1. American Association of Suicidology 2010 Data Final Report www.suicidology.org/c/document_library/get_file?folderId=262&name=... 2. A journey that ended in heartache” written by T. Christian Miller of Los Angeles Times articles.latimes .com › Investigations3. Lindsey Beyerstein Journalist http://majikthise.typepad.com/majikkthise/2007/03militray ethici.html4. www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/01/military-suicides-us-veterans_n...Report by Phil Stewart