Abstract
In the mid-17th century suicide was still considered to be a serious crime. During the Age of Enlightenment and further the approach to suicide was gradually altered due to the cultural, intellectual and political changes.
Suicide was decriminalized and suiciders were looked upon as unfortunate persons, whilst the mental illness (melancholy, later clinical depression) became the main cause of suicide in the eyes of society. My lecture aims to show that this development already took place in the thoughts of mid-17 century philosopher R.
Burton. Burton, despite the fact that he was still renaissance thinker, approached the phenomenon of suicide in different, more "enlightened" way.
Based on that he developed his own therapeutic method.