A Phliosophical [sic] Dissertation Upon Death: Composed For The Consolation Of The Unhappy. By A Friend To Truth

by Alberto Radicati (Creator)

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90 pages, Hardcover

Published October 27, 2022

Reviews

[armin · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, there is this aristocrat who is deemed as a heretic in his home country of Italy so he leaves for England and he writes on how good and evil are essentially in nature, and if we do not follow her course she is gonna take us out! He lays out this super materialistic vision of death as when the matter in our body is consumed and returns to the perfection of nature while refusing to buy into what he calls fantasies while referring to Eastern theories of reincarnation. He goes over the fear of death and describes how it is unnecessary and wrong.
Radicati is also well aware of how different cultures have different opinions over different issues and does a super elaborate job to bring out examples that he apparently has read from the travelogues. He finally moves on to bring death to the forefront as nothing dramatic and calls for the accessibility of death when life is miserable and desolate; some sort of pro-euthanasia from the 18th century! Not a mainstream reading but absolutely worth it!

[Annheine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book touches on familiar ideas, but its most compelling aspect is its gentle encouragement for readers to unburden themselves to recognize that life and society are ultimately meaningless if not filled with genuine enjoyment. The author uses examples from the animal kingdom, suggesting that animals, in certain moments, break free from the bondage of suffering, choosing death over captivity. It’s remarkable that a book from 1732 expresses these thoughts so openly, even leading to imprisonment for the author and translator. For beginners, it’s a subtle, thought-provoking read that doesn’t shy away from the fundamental questions.

[Shazzan Ahmed · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a work from 1732. It was published in London and written by a man of Italian origin. I read from a version of the text that is freely available online. This book was controversial at the time in England and resulted in the arrest of Radicati and his translator. It was referenced in Simon Critchley's Notes on Suicide, which is how I came to reading it.

The main purpose of the book is to propose the notion that suicide is morally permissible. However, suicide is directly referenced very sparingly in this book, mostly towards the end of the book. A large portion of the book is dedicated to emphasize how morality can differ based on the time and place an individual is living in. An example he uses is homosexuality or as he describes it as the "detestable practice of sodomy", which at the time in 18th Century England was forbidden and a crime. However, it was seemingly tolerated in China. Another example he uses is the practice of Polygamy and how it was a crime in the Europe of his day (still remains a crime). But it was tolerated and in fact recommended by Muslim communities where they were able to enjoy their four wives and multiple concubines. He also makes reference to the practice of Sati, that was prevalent in India at the time.

There is also an interesting example of a five year old child and how, if provided a choice between a dove and a serpent ("finely speckled with beautiful colors"), it would choose the latter, not knowing the venomous nature of the serpent. This, of course, is tied to his point about how the fear of death is not based on experience, since we never experienced death. It is related instead to the social upbringing.

He seems to deny the sense of morality that the common religions of his day were espousing. Instead he is emphasizing a more naturalistic sense of morality or as he describes them "Sacred Laws of Nature." According to nature, it does not matter whether you die by suicide today or die by natural causes years later. In defending suicide, he was directing his attention to both religion and the State as overbearing and obstructing the personal freedom of man to choose his end.

The work would seem rather quaint to modern readers. In fact, if this were published today with modern spelling it would still be controversial I would assume. I think the Gay community and Muslims (an odd couple to tie together!) would find it offensive. Regardless, I would recommend reading this if you are looking for historical literature on Suicide. I will end the review with the final paragraph from the book:
"That a Man, weary or satiated with living may die as he pleases without offending NATURE. Since in dying he makes use of the remedy which she kindly has put into his hands wherewithal he may cure himself of the Evils of this life."