In a message dated 12/1/1999 8:31:50 PM EST, neosapient@geocities.com writes:
<< My point is that
killing yourself (permanently) is stupid because it robs
you of a potentially infinite amount of "pleasure points"
(pleasure being the interim meaning of life because all
our goals are based on the pleasure-discomfort principle,
the carrot and the stick). Why do we think that a certain
action or goal is good? Because it makes us *feel good*.
Therefore, the logical thing to do is to stay alive and
be pleasured whenever possible until you find something
more meaningful, if there is such a thing at all. >>
It is illogical to kill oneself if you accept the following two premises:
1.) Pleasure is a sufficient reason for remaining alive.
2.) The future will not be filled only with suffering.
I think many would accept the first, but there are many pessimists or people depressed or in despair who would not accept the second premise. Personally, I accept both (with my own caveats and variations).
Glen Finney