The revelation has emerged that Daniel Kahneman, an Israeli-born American psychologist and Nobel Economics Prize winner, ended his life by using the method of assisted suicide in a clinic in Switzerland on March 27, 2024. But what is assisted suicide? How does it differ from euthanasia?

In an article written by Jason Zweig, a columnist for the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), it was mentioned that Kahneman shared this decision only with his family and a few close friends. He reportedly sent an email to his loved ones on March 26, 2024, detailing his decision and informing them that he was heading to Switzerland to end his life in a clinic using the method of assisted suicide. The article mentioned that in the email, Kahneman expressed the following words: “This is a farewell letter I am sending to my family. I am going to Switzerland and my life will end on March 27. Since my youth, I have believed that the difficulties and challenges in the final years of life are unnecessary, and now I am putting this belief into action.” The article also stated that Kahneman “decided to end his life while his health was relatively good and before his condition worsened,” and that he did not want this decision to become a public issue. Friends noted that this decision was consistent with Kahneman’s research.

Israeli-born American psychologist Kahneman, the author of the book “Thinking, Fast and Slow,” passed away at the age of 90 on March 27, 2024. His mental and physical health was in good condition compared to others his age. He had won the Nobel Economics Prize in 2002 for his pioneering work in cognitive psychology and behavioral economics.

WHAT IS ASSISTED SUICIDE?

Assisted suicide is a form of euthanasia. Euthanasia is a method usually sought by patients with untreatable conditions to alleviate their suffering with the intervention of physicians. In assisted suicide, patients take the prescribed medications themselves under medical supervision to end their lives. The most commonly practiced country for this method is Switzerland.