Legal Definitions - self-murder

Self-murder is an archaic legal and social term that refers to the act of intentionally taking one's own life. Historically, this term was used to describe what is now more commonly known as suicide, often carrying connotations of criminality, sin, or moral failing. While the term "self-murder" is rarely used in contemporary legal or medical contexts, it reflects a past societal view where ending one's own life was often condemned and sometimes even subject to legal penalties, such as forfeiture of property.

• Example 1 (Historical Legal Context): Imagine a legal treatise from the 17th century discussing the consequences for individuals who ended their own lives. The text would likely refer to this act as "self-murder," outlining how the deceased's property might be forfeited to the Crown, or how their burial might be denied Christian rites, reflecting the severe legal and social condemnation of the time.

  Explanation: This example illustrates "self-murder" in its historical legal context, where the act was viewed as a crime against the state or God, leading to specific legal repercussions for the individual and their family, such as the loss of their estate.

• Example 2 (Literary or Philosophical Discussion): A philosopher in the 19th century might write an essay debating the morality of an individual's right to choose their own death. In such a discussion, they might use the term "self-murder" to frame the act from a perspective that questions its ethical permissibility, contrasting it with arguments for personal autonomy.

  Explanation: Here, "self-murder" is used in a philosophical context to denote the deliberate act of ending one's life, highlighting the moral and ethical debates surrounding such a choice, particularly from a historical viewpoint that often condemned it.

• Example 3 (Historical Medical Records): Consider a historical asylum record from the early 20th century describing a patient who died by their own hand. The medical notes might use the term "self-murder" to document the cause of death, reflecting the prevailing medical and societal understanding of the time, which often lacked the nuanced mental health framework we have today.

  Explanation: This example shows "self-murder" being used in a historical medical context to describe the intentional termination of one's life, illustrating how the term was once part of official documentation before the widespread adoption of "suicide" and a more compassionate understanding of mental health.