Theories Suicide by Emile Durkheim

Theories Suicide by Emile Durkheim The central purpose of the article appears to be a description of human life in terms of the discrepancy between desire and fulfillment. The author appears to imply that, no matter what the status of the individual, his or her desires will always exceed the means to accomplish these. Human life is therefore likely to be a continuous series of disappointments. As a remedy, the author suggests either nationwide poverty or a moral rule of self-limitation that is acceptable to all human beings within society.

In this way, limits are acceptable and desire and fulfillment are experienced within these limits. Problems however arise when society experiences an unusual crisis or upheaval. When the moral limitation or collective poverty is removed, dissatisfaction increases, and the desire to live decreases concomitantly. Question The question is whether the level of potential desire and satisfaction experienced by human beings can be limited. The hypothesis is that this can be done in one of two ways.

The first is via a moral rule universally applied to all of society, and the second by universal poverty within society. It is also however hypothesized that individual wealth may result in jealousy among those who are less well off. This jealousy in turn will result in dissatisfaction with the possibilities of satisfying individual desire. Such jealousy may result in conditions that favor revolt and social upheaval, and ultimately in a crisis situation that destroys possible satisfaction for all individuals.

This, according to the author, results in higher rates of suicide. Information Durkheim does not offer much beyond philosophical conclusions of social phenomena. He compares the human paradigm of satisfaction with that of animals, stating in essence that animals do not commit suicide, because their levels of satisfaction is dependent upon the immediacy of material availability. They are therefore more easily satisfied than human beings, because the latter add elements such as hope and wishing for more than is available.

This discrepancy between what is desired and what is available is then used as evidence for the hypothesis. Inferences The main conclusions may relate to the topic of the chapter, which is suicide. The author appears to indicate the conditions under which there might be an increase in the suicide rate of a society. It might also be inferred that the author is considering suicide from an individual viewpoint: an individual might lose the desire for life if that life becomes a series of disappointments.

Desires are never fulfilled, and therefore death is more desirable than life. As the only desirable result, suicide is therefore chosen instead of continuing with what appears to be only further disappointment. Concept The author's concept is based upon an understanding of how the human psyche operates, in addition to how societies operate collectively. The human psyche desires satisfaction in several areas of life. This satisfaction is based not upon what is immediately available, but rather upon the desire itself, which could be unlimited.

Individual satisfaction can be limited by external social factors, such as a universally accepted moral value, or the material state of other individuals. Assumptions The author assumes that individuals are dissatisfied when all their desires are not met. He also assumes a fundamental difference between human and animal desire and fulfillment. Human beings have the faculty of comparing their own state of well being with what could potentially be acquired. This in turn is based upon what is observed for other individuals.

A discrepancy between one's own acquisitions and that of others could lead to unrealistic hope for future fulfillment and therefore perpetual disappointment. Animals, on the other hand, desire only what is immediately necessary to sustain their lives. Implications If Durkheim's reasoning is to be accepted, one would have to assume that human beings are more or less at the mercy of internal and external forces. From inside, desire and fulfillment drive human action. From outside, a continual bombardment of the perceived success levels of others and moral law rule fulfillment.

It appears that the author does not recognize the human faculty of reason; that desire could be curbed by the knowledge that the means to fulfill.