We’re having Baconators. My particular brand of ethics in relation to this subject falls under the category of Egoism, as it’s really not in my personal best interest to be dead.
It has been suggested by some, however, that basing morality exclusively on one’s personal best interest is selfish. So in the spirit of open discussion, let us consider two prominent schools of thought regarding morality: deontology and Utilitarianism. For the sake of a fair comparison, we will examine how each ethical theory would view the subject of suicide.
	Deontology is an ethical approach that maintains that morality is guided by unchanging principles that cannot be broken in any circumstance without stepping outside of morality. This approach is sometimes referred to as a non-consequentialist view because deontological ethics do not take into consideration the outcome of an action. They would say that the motive of an action is moral or immoral in and of itself. To better understand the deontological approach to morality, let us examine the work of one of its most significant contributors, Immanuel Kant.
	Kant has been a helpful addition to the conversation on ethics because of his willingness to lay out specific parameters for what makes an act moral or immoral.
First, ask what action is being considered. Second, form a generalization of the essence of that action. Third, ask if the generalized version of the action could be a universal moral law without contradicting itself. And finally, if the generalized action can become moral law without contradicting itself, ask what the consequences of such a moral law would be. (Kant)
	Let us now apply these principles to the subject of suicide. We will use, as a theoretical example, celebrity Paris Hilton. Paris is feeling depressed after realizing how terrible everything she has ever done is, and recognizing that the odds are not in her favor that she will accomplish any good for the world, she is now considering jumping off of a bridge. The generalization of this principle would say that everyone who is feeling depressed about their lives kills themselves. When we ask if this principle can be applied universally, the answer is no. To do so would be a contradiction. Depression and sadness are often the greatest motivators for self-improvement. It is human nature to desire happiness, so sadness is used to motivate a change that would presumably lead to happiness. It would be logically impossible then for this progression to also universally lead to suicide.
	In short, because it wouldn’t work for us to all go around killing ourselves every time we get bummed, deontology dictates that there is an inherent moral law that it is never moral for anyone to kill themselves under any circumstances.
	Utilitarianism takes a different approach to the subject entirely. Utilitarian ethics, unlike deontology, claim that the morality of an action is determined solely by its consequences. Philosophers like John Stuart Mill would suggest that whatever action produces the greatest amount of total happiness is the moral decision. 