A Dissertation on Suicide. Published, by Appointment, as Having Gained a Prize (May 1785) in the University of Cambridge. by Richard Hey

A Dissertation On Suicide. Published, By Appointment, As Having Gained A Prize (May 1785) In The University Of Cambridge. By Richard Hey. This tract presents a moral and legal defense against suicide, arguing that the act is murder and examining its social, familial, and political consequences. Hey analyzes how ancient authorities treated suicide, the potential harms of allowing self-destruction, and the pernicious effects of the principle that permits suicide. He discusses consequences such as confiscation of property, disgrace to survivors, and the undermining of public order, and then turns to objections and to the prevention of suicide, including the case for universal laws against it. The work concludes with practical guidance for individuals to resist suicidal impulses by cultivating benevolence, social duties, and personal virtue, and by understanding the links between mind and body.