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To say that a suicide was caused by depression and that we knew the person was depressed because they claimed to be suicidal is circular. I qualified the term b

• skore 15y ago
  No, that is simply not logical and nobody is arguing it. Again - a claim to have suicidal thoughts is a factor in diagnosing depression. Acting on those thoughts leads to actual suicide. That does not imply that suicidal thoughts were the reason why somebody became depressed. Here is what would be a perfectly circular argument: Somebody commits suicide. Society looks for a reason of that suicide. They figure out that the person was depressed. But why was he depressed? Turns out, he was suicidal. But that's not what is being argued: Somebody is depressed. So much depressed, that the person has suicidal thoughts. The person commits suicide. Society correctly assesses that his depression was the main cause in committing suicide. This is apparent, because it was in depression that suicidal thoughts appeared.