Daniel Callahan

In the following viewpoint, Daniel Callahan contends that in a liberal society, individuals have the freedom to do whatever they want so long as their choices do not harm others. However, Callahan believes that the act of suicide does harm others, because it represents a rejection of the bonds that hold people together in the face of life’s adversities. He concludes that while individual suicides should be pitied rather than condemned, suicide in general should not be considered a legitimate way of dealing with pain and suffering. Callahan is a philosopher, cofounder and former president of the medical ethics organization the Hastings Center, and author of many books, including The Troubled Dream of Life: In Search of a Peaceful Death.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. Why does Callahan believe that people...