The problem of suicide in Montesquieu

Authors

  • Luigi Delia Université de Genève Équipe « Herméneutique des Lumières »

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6092/issn.2421-4124/5858

Keywords:

Montesquieu, suicide, law, physical causes, moral causes

Abstract

Often reduced to the Persian letter 74, which advocates the liberalisation of the law to suicide, the thought of Montesquieu on voluntary death is in fact complex and contrasting. Browsing the main passages that Montesquieu devotes to this question at high risk of censure, it will explore the guidelines he adopts to determine the different causes of suicide in the light of the different cultural contexts. In this way, instead of asking us if Montesquieu manages to settle a doctrinal controversy, this paper examines his scientific method which consists in seeking the meaning of voluntary death within the Persian, Roman and English civilization.

Published

2015-12-22

How to Cite

Delia, L. (2015). The problem of suicide in Montesquieu. Montesquieu.It, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.6092/issn.2421-4124/5858

Issue

Section

Articles