Daniel Kahneman opted for assisted suicide in Switzerland

Personal reactions to Kahneman’s decision

• Many admire that he could “go out on his own terms,” seeing it as consistent with a life spent studying decision‑making and peak‑end effects.
• Others find it unsettling that a non‑terminal 90‑year‑old chose death mainly to avoid decline, reading it as “giving up” or driven by fear or ego.
• Some note he explicitly did not want his choice to become a public statement, and see wide debate as ignoring that wish.

Autonomy, will to live, and age

• Several argue the instinct to survive stays strong even in hardship, but hope, meaningful activities, and relationships (especially children/grandchildren) are key determinants.
• Others fear burdening family more than death itself and see voluntary exit as an altruistic choice.
• There is pushback against any implied duty to die “for others” or to avoid being inconvenient.

Dementia, identity, and advance directives

• Dementia and Alzheimer’s are described as uniquely horrifying: personality changes, aggression, paranoia, total dependency, and repeated trauma for caregivers.
• Some caregivers say they would prefer assisted death themselves rather than put relatives through what they endured.
• A recurring dilemma: does a competent “past self” have the right to bind a future demented self who might seem content or at least not want to die?
• Suggested tools: living wills, advance medical directives, and clear criteria (e.g., repeated cognitive test failures), though people dispute whether they should authorize euthanasia.

Ethics & risks of assisted dying

• Supporters emphasize “my body, my choice,” especially for incurable, painful, or degenerative conditions; forcing continued existence in torment is likened to torture.
• Opponents warn of slippery slopes: from terminal illness to mental illness, disability, poverty, or old age; they cite controversial cases in Canada, Oregon, and historical eugenics.
• Concerns include: profit incentives (insurers, states saving money), family inheritance pressure, subtle “why don’t you consider MAID?” suggestions, and weak oversight.
• Others counter that societies already draw life‑and‑death lines (war, criminal law, withdrawal of care) without “killing frenzies,” and that fear of abuse shouldn’t justify blanket bans.

Family, burden, and how we are remembered

• Some deeply value being remembered as competent and kind, not as a demented “monster,” and see leaving while still lucid as protecting both dignity and loved ones.
• Others insist love includes caring through decline; calling people in late‑stage dementia or disability “better off dead” is seen as cruel and ableist.
• There’s tension between honoring personal autonomy and guarding against social narratives that make vulnerable people feel morally obliged to disappear.

Alternatives & cultural / medical practices

• Hospice is discussed as a semi‑covert form of assisted dying via escalating morphine and withdrawal of interventions.
• Religious and philosophical views diverge: some see suffering as spiritually meaningful; others reject any obligation to endure it.
• Non‑Western and historical practices (e.g., Jain sallekhana, traditional abandonment, or ritual fasting) are raised as different cultural framings of chosen death.