Should we be afraid of Death?

[Mindful]

In his influential paper of 1970, tersely entitled Death, the great philosopher Thomas Nagel asks the question: if death is the permanent end of our existence, is it an evil? Either it is an evil because it deprives us of life, or it is a mere blank because there is no subject left to experience the loss. Thus, if death is an evil, this is not in virtue of any positive attributes that it has, but in virtue of what it deprives us from, namely, life. For Nagel, the bare experience of life is intrinsically valuable, regardless of the balance of its good and bad elements.

The longer one is alive, the more one ‘accumulates' life. In contrast, death cannot be accumulated—it is not, as Nagel puts it, ‘an evil of which Shakespeare has so far received a larger portion than Proust'. Most people would not consider the temporary suspension of life as an evil, nor would they regard the long period of time before they were born as an evil. Therefore, if death is an evil, this is not because it involves a period of non-existence, but because it deprives us of life.

Should We Be Afraid of Death?

 

[Luddly Neddite]

I doubt most people are afraid of death.

Its dying that worries us.

For myself, no, I'm not afraid of death, or of being dead. I believe it is nothing more than a long dreamless sleep and I won't know anything anyway.

Much worse is being a survivor.

 

[Mikeoxenormous]

In his influential paper of 1970, tersely entitled Death, the great philosopher Thomas Nagel asks the question: if death is the permanent end of our existence, is it an evil? Either it is an evil because it deprives us of life, or it is a mere blank because there is no subject left to experience the loss. Thus, if death is an evil, this is not in virtue of any positive attributes that it has, but in virtue of what it deprives us from, namely, life. For Nagel, the bare experience of life is intrinsically valuable, regardless of the balance of its good and bad elements.

The longer one is alive, the more one ‘accumulates' life. In contrast, death cannot be accumulated—it is not, as Nagel puts it, ‘an evil of which Shakespeare has so far received a larger portion than Proust'. Most people would not consider the temporary suspension of life as an evil, nor would they regard the long period of time before they were born as an evil. Therefore, if death is an evil, this is not because it involves a period of non-existence, but because it deprives us of life.

Should We Be Afraid of Death?

As long as you are at peace with God and yourself, why should you be afraid? Those that have no place to go, but be worm food, they need to fear.....

 

[Tax Man]

As a person making myself bigger to feed lots of worms and having been dead before only to be revived some time later I can say death is nothing. It is simply the end of birth.

 

[Mindful]

In his influential paper of 1970, tersely entitled Death, the great philosopher Thomas Nagel asks the question: if death is the permanent end of our existence, is it an evil? Either it is an evil because it deprives us of life, or it is a mere blank because there is no subject left to experience the loss. Thus, if death is an evil, this is not in virtue of any positive attributes that it has, but in virtue of what it deprives us from, namely, life. For Nagel, the bare experience of life is intrinsically valuable, regardless of the balance of its good and bad elements.

The longer one is alive, the more one ‘accumulates' life. In contrast, death cannot be accumulated—it is not, as Nagel puts it, ‘an evil of which Shakespeare has so far received a larger portion than Proust'. Most people would not consider the temporary suspension of life as an evil, nor would they regard the long period of time before they were born as an evil. Therefore, if death is an evil, this is not because it involves a period of non-existence, but because it deprives us of life.

Should We Be Afraid of Death?

As long as you are at peace with God and yourself, why should you be afraid? Those that have no place to go, but be worm food, they need to fear.....

The fear us not having control over it.

As we live our lives labouring under the delusion that we do have control over our lives.

 

[Mikeoxenormous]

In his influential paper of 1970, tersely entitled Death, the great philosopher Thomas Nagel asks the question: if death is the permanent end of our existence, is it an evil? Either it is an evil because it deprives us of life, or it is a mere blank because there is no subject left to experience the loss. Thus, if death is an evil, this is not in virtue of any positive attributes that it has, but in virtue of what it deprives us from, namely, life. For Nagel, the bare experience of life is intrinsically valuable, regardless of the balance of its good and bad elements.

The longer one is alive, the more one ‘accumulates' life. In contrast, death cannot be accumulated—it is not, as Nagel puts it, ‘an evil of which Shakespeare has so far received a larger portion than Proust'. Most people would not consider the temporary suspension of life as an evil, nor would they regard the long period of time before they were born as an evil. Therefore, if death is an evil, this is not because it involves a period of non-existence, but because it deprives us of life.

Should We Be Afraid of Death?

As long as you are at peace with God and yourself, why should you be afraid? Those that have no place to go, but be worm food, they need to fear.....

The fear us not having control over it.

As we live our lives labouring under the delusion that we do have control over our lives.

When it is my time to leave this planet, there is nothing I can do to alter that event. God wills it, and I am at peace with it...

 

[Mindful]

In his influential paper of 1970, tersely entitled Death, the great philosopher Thomas Nagel asks the question: if death is the permanent end of our existence, is it an evil? Either it is an evil because it deprives us of life, or it is a mere blank because there is no subject left to experience the loss. Thus, if death is an evil, this is not in virtue of any positive attributes that it has, but in virtue of what it deprives us from, namely, life. For Nagel, the bare experience of life is intrinsically valuable, regardless of the balance of its good and bad elements.

The longer one is alive, the more one ‘accumulates' life. In contrast, death cannot be accumulated—it is not, as Nagel puts it, ‘an evil of which Shakespeare has so far received a larger portion than Proust'. Most people would not consider the temporary suspension of life as an evil, nor would they regard the long period of time before they were born as an evil. Therefore, if death is an evil, this is not because it involves a period of non-existence, but because it deprives us of life.

Should We Be Afraid of Death?

As long as you are at peace with God and yourself, why should you be afraid? Those that have no place to go, but be worm food, they need to fear.....

The fear us not having control over it.

As we live our lives labouring under the delusion that we do have control over our lives.

When it is my time to leave this planet, there is nothing I can do to alter that event. God wills it, and I am at peace with it...

That's the thing. Some of us have not reached that stage.

 

[Bonzi]

Death in an of itself is actually born of evil if the scriptures are rights.
If not for sin, there would be no death.

From a secular view, death is entirely natural. I think people fear death mostly because it is unknown. No one knows and never will know to tell others what is on the other side

 

[Mindful]

Do we transcend death?

At Least 500 of Your Genes are MORE Active AFTER Death

 

[OnePercenter]

In his influential paper of 1970, tersely entitled Death, the great philosopher Thomas Nagel asks the question: if death is the permanent end of our existence, is it an evil? Either it is an evil because it deprives us of life, or it is a mere blank because there is no subject left to experience the loss. Thus, if death is an evil, this is not in virtue of any positive attributes that it has, but in virtue of what it deprives us from, namely, life. For Nagel, the bare experience of life is intrinsically valuable, regardless of the balance of its good and bad elements.

The longer one is alive, the more one ‘accumulates' life. In contrast, death cannot be accumulated—it is not, as Nagel puts it, ‘an evil of which Shakespeare has so far received a larger portion than Proust'. Most people would not consider the temporary suspension of life as an evil, nor would they regard the long period of time before they were born as an evil. Therefore, if death is an evil, this is not because it involves a period of non-existence, but because it deprives us of life.

Should We Be Afraid of Death?

As long as you are at peace with God and yourself, why should you be afraid? Those that have no place to go, but be worm food, they need to fear.....

The fear us not having control over it.

As we live our lives labouring under the delusion that we do have control over our lives.

When it is my time to leave this planet, there is nothing I can do to alter that event. God wills it, and I am at peace with it...

God wills your heart to stop beating? Really?

 

[Votto]

In his influential paper of 1970, tersely entitled Death, the great philosopher Thomas Nagel asks the question: if death is the permanent end of our existence, is it an evil? Either it is an evil because it deprives us of life, or it is a mere blank because there is no subject left to experience the loss. Thus, if death is an evil, this is not in virtue of any positive attributes that it has, but in virtue of what it deprives us from, namely, life. For Nagel, the bare experience of life is intrinsically valuable, regardless of the balance of its good and bad elements.

The longer one is alive, the more one ‘accumulates' life. In contrast, death cannot be accumulated—it is not, as Nagel puts it, ‘an evil of which Shakespeare has so far received a larger portion than Proust'. Most people would not consider the temporary suspension of life as an evil, nor would they regard the long period of time before they were born as an evil. Therefore, if death is an evil, this is not because it involves a period of non-existence, but because it deprives us of life.

Should We Be Afraid of Death?

Wait...wut?

Who said anything about dying?

 

[2lit2politic]

I don't think it's death itself that people fear. Most fear the deterioration of the body and mind or the painful moments that come before death. People fear being forgotten. But once you're dead, you can't really feel much at that point. It's more the fear of never being able to see your loved ones or not leaving any trace of yourself behind on Earth to be remembered by once you're gone.

 

[task0778]

Do we transcend death?

At Least 500 of Your Genes are MORE Active AFTER Death

There are those who believe in life after death. Almost every religion does, I can't think of a single religion that believes you're born, you live, and you die and that's it. And then there are some who believe in reincarnation; they say your physical body dies but your soul doesn't, and after a period of time you reincarnate into a new life in a new body. True? Don't know, but personally I favor the idea of afterlife.

 

[Tilly]

It will just be like it was before we were born.
And that wasn’t so bad, was it?

 

[task0778]

It will just be like it was before we were born.
And that wasn’t so bad, was it?

Elaborate please. Not sure where you're going with this.

 

[harmonica]

if christians have no fear of death, and heaven so great---why do they always pray to stay alive during disasters/etc?
or pray for their children/mothers/fathers/etc to stay alive if they are dying?
etc

 

[harmonica]

death is evil??!!?!!
the human body can live only so long----just like animal bodies--blood/tissue/bones/etc

 

[task0778]

if christians have no fear of death, and heaven so great---why do they always pray to stay alive during disasters/etc?
or pray for their children/mothers/fathers/etc to stay alive if they are dying?
etc

Nobody wants to lose a loved one, that's true of everyone. And I'm not sure it's been established that Christians have no fear of death, it's not like we know in advance that we made the grade to get into heaven.

 

[Tilly]

It will just be like it was before we were born.
And that wasn’t so bad, was it?

Elaborate please. Not sure where you're going with this.

I mean we weren’t self aware before we were conceived, and that’s how it will be when we are dead - imho.

 

[task0778]

It will just be like it was before we were born.
And that wasn’t so bad, was it?

Elaborate please. Not sure where you're going with this.

I mean we weren’t self aware before we were conceived, and that’s how it will be when we are dead - imho.

If one believes that we all have an immortal soul, then it does exist prior to our conception and continues to exist after our physical death. Not sure we can know for certain if our soul is or is not self aware, some people believe our soul has already picked out the life we are about to live before we are born.