Alright, so it is late at night, I'm a little high, and I don't have anything good to do so I have decided to try my hand at writing an essay on death: Lately I have become more interested in "death". It is a very mysterious and unpredictable thing. To many, death is simple. You live, and then you die. If something can be alive, then it can be dead. Winston Groom put it quite nicely in his book: Forrest Gump in which Mrs. Gump explains to Forrest that "Dyin' ain't nothin but a part of life". But it can be much more than that. Death in humans: Just like all biological entities, the lifespan of a human is not infinite. Being the most mentally advanced species known on earth, humans are the only species who can actually contemplate their own death. This fact has led to the formation of many philosophies. Is death the end? Well we can never know for sure until that happens, but that doesn't mean we can't try and guess. I will go further into religion later in the post. As humans, we can only perceive so much. Sometimes, it can take a while for an idea as tragic as "death" to actualy sink in. We can find a hole, where a loved one, or a pet, or anything that "used" to be there is no longer there. This can often lead to even more negative things such as hardcore drug usage and even suicide. I am nobody to say what is right, but when I think of suicide because of the death of a loved one, I try to think about it like this: If you died, would you want THAT person to kill themselves? Just a thought, but let's move on. The "hole" mentioned earlier can often bring us a lot of pain. Pain that not everybody can handle. Depending on the circumstances, it can take years or even decades to accept that somebody is never coming back. Thats assuming that you EVER come to the sad realization. Some of us like to think that maybe there is a possibility that it won't be the last time that you "experience" the deceased. I say experience, because sometimes a human being can mean so much to another human being that when you are around them, it can be an entirely desirable experience that can dramatically affect your life. So what if you were no longer able to "experience" somebody and be enlightened by their presence? Well, depending on your realtionship with the person, it can be a very negative feeling. This leads me to thoughts of ones' own death. I personally cannot even begin to grasp the thought of my own death. It is impossible to know when, why, where, or even how it will happen, but the truth is: it will happen, and there is no escaping it. Many fictional writers have formulated the idea of an infinite lifespan or "immortality" and have given their thoughts of how humans would react to it through stories like Harry Potter. The character from the story who had obtained immortality was portrayed as "corrupted" and "evil". This furthers the idea that death is inevitable, and even humans believe that escaping it would not necessarily be a positive feat. Necrophobia or thanatophobia is described as the fear of death or dead things. The majority of humans fear their own death, and that is considered natural. A select few others are intrigued by the idea, and explore this rugged field of philosophy. We often look at these people as "twisted" or "pagan", but they really just have a different way of looking at things. John Alan Schwartz wrote and directed the film "Faces of Death" which was released in 1978, and depicts different situations that involve death. The fact that this movie has been banned in 4 different countries since then supports the idea that humans just don't like thinking about the idea. Death in Religion: As stated above, humans have a hard time "coming to grips" with the idea of an absolute "end" to something they hold dear. Some people have complete faith that death is in fact not the end. In fact, there is an entire experience waiting for you when you die known an Afterlife. This is also considered natural human behavior to believe. In fact, it can even be beneficial. Religion, or faith in an afterlife can often help people cope with the loss of a loved one in hopes that they will be with the person again someday. To others, it is only a detour in the bumpy road called "truth" which I will not go into detail about because I didn't create this thread to argue who is right or wrong on the subject. Other religions see death as something sacred. As a matter of fact the word "Sacrifice" literally translates to "To make sacred" in Latin. Evidence of animal sacrifice has been found in almost all ancient cultures. Often times, an animal was the most precious piece of "property" a person could own, and therefore "Sacrificing" it would mean that you were sacrificing something that was extremely important to you. This was usually aimed at appeasing a "god" or "spirit". So what could possibly be more precious then an animal? A human. Human sacrifice was particularly popular among ancient civilizations of South America and Mexico including the Aztecs and the Mayas. A human would be sacrificed in order to bring "good fortune" from the Gods. Examples of circumstances for sacrifice include: A long period of drought, The death of a king, or even the opening of a new temple. Other religions, such as sects of Islam, see death as a way to ultimately dedicate one self to God. The practice of "martyrdom" or sacrificing ones' own life for the interpreted interest of Allah is found in many countries in the Middle East. Most Americans know this by a different name: suicide bombing. Christianty also involves human sacrifice. Christians consider Jesus Christ as a savior because according to the bible, he sacrificed his own life for people to be forgiven for their sins. This story helps portray the idea that death is the ultimate "price". There are many other stories of God and death in the bible, but I will not go into detail about them because I am not an expert on Christianity. Death in animals: Though most animals are unable to contemplate their own death, they can still feel the effects of it. There have been recorded cases of Doves dying for no apparent reason after their mate passed away. Also, like the past couple nights since my dog dodger dyed, my other dog Buddy is laying in the spot in the hallway where dodger used to lay. As I am typing this, I can hear him whining, which he does not usually do. Both dogs had known each other since they were around a year old, and Buddy is currently about 7 or 8. So you may not believe that animals feel the effects of death, but humans certainly can. Many people have pets, and we usually hold them very dear to us. Pets can often help younger children learn responsibility, and even build friendships with their pets over the years. It helps to learn compassion. However, for the most part, Parents get their child a pet that they believe will not die until the kid grows up and is better able to deal with the death of the animal. This brings me to my next section. Death in Children Many people consider children to be the most precious things in the world. As my grandmother likes to say "Nothing is worse than the death of a child". Wether or not you agree with that is besides the point. Children are the very image of innocence. As humans, we tend to disapprove of any sort of death, but more passionately the death of the innocent. This brings many people to ask the question "Why do children dye?". Most people know the answer is simply the fact that nobody chooses who dies, but other believe it to be the act of some sort of "evil spirit". Because of the malevolence involved, many people are passionate on the topic and hence we get the reference "killing women and children". People have used the thought as a way of persuasion for centuries, and I will go into that later. Death as a tool As if death wasn't complicated enough, it just became even more complex. We have established that it is natural to fear death, and fear is the most efficient method of control known to man. This means that death can be used by ANYONE for ANYTHING. Murder, is when one person kills another person. Person A has ended Person B. Person B is no longer there. Most likely, Person B was important somebody, and that somebody has lost what was important to them. How this affects person A is a bit different Person A disapproved of something that Person B did, and ended Person B to bring him/herself peace. Person B did something something to Person A that Person A did not like, So Person A ended Person B in order to get revenge Person A killed Person B, but it really could've been Person B-Z, and it didn't matter because Person A wanted to kill somebody because it made him/her happy. Person A had tried to bribe the loved ones of Person B and they did not comply, and therefore person B was killed Person A wanted somebody to fear him/her so he killed Person B to set an example. Person B presented a threat to Person A, or the loved ones of Person A, so Person A acted first and ended Person B. There are many more examples I could go into detail about, but the point is that death can be used as a tool. Real life examples are as follows Situation 1: Dr. George Tiller, a late term abortionist was murdered June 1's by a radical anti abortionist. Situation 2: Adrian Thomas forced Mary Ann Leneghan to smoke crack, crawl on the floor naked, threw boiling water at her, put cigarettes out on her head, smashed her face in with a metal pipe, repeatedly raped and beat her, and eventualy killed her in January, 2006 for apparently "setting him up" Situation 3: Seung-Hui Cho, a student at Virginia Tech gunned down 32 people on the campus on Monday, April 16, 2007. Situtation 4: I was unable to find a new report, but this is basically involves somebody being held for a ransom that was not met Situation 5: 3,017 people died on Tuesday, September 11, 2001 after a planned attack involving hijacked planes crashing into the world trade center was believed to be orchestrated by the terrorist organization "Al-Qaeda" in an effort to obtain the fear of the west. Situation 6: Ronald Johnson killed one of two men trying to rob him while he was with his family in July, 2007 Death in Death As much as I analyze death, it can never be more then a definition. A definition of the end. When I say something is "dead" I mean that it is never coming back. Everybody dies. You, Me, SergeantSarcasm, and even Chuck Norris. As much as we dislike it, it's there, and there is no avoiding it, so sleep tight, and make sure to live every day like you are alive. -Dow
Dude... I often think about death. It usually leads to a minor panic attack. Just sitting (or, in my case, laying in bed at night) thinking about my own death can, and usually does freak me out. Is it the end? Is there something else after death? I like to think so and strongly believe it. Though I still have those moments. Not much more to say. Still digesting your post...
Nice write up, Grats on the high. I dont really think about death that much.. Its too much to worry about at a young age so i kind of just ignore it.
I have experienced episodes like that fastforward, its not nice. The way I look at it, religion was created due to man's mortality and his fear of it. Have you noticed any similarities between different religions? They all contain some form of afterlife. So religion was created to comfort people's fear of death. As you can tell, I'm a atheist and I don't believe in religion or life after death. My philospohy on life and death is that you are lucky to be alive anyway, the chances that it was your egg that was fertilised are slim. Therefore, have as much fun as you can and don't worry too much.
Humans only fear death because it seems impossible to have an afterlife while at the same time it seems impossible to not be able to think, to imagine; at all. Humans fear the unknown. Death is unknown. My opinion? I honestly never think about death. I know it will happen, and that's that. I put no further thought into it.
I don't fear my own death as much as the death of the people in my life that I care about. After my death I won't even be aware that I've died, but if someone I love dies(parents, grandparents, girlfriend, sisters) I will have to feel the horrible loss and emptiness that comes along with death. I sometimes selfishly hope that I go first.
What is "life" to begin with? The philisophical issues with the theory of whole brain emulation (Commonly known as Theseus's Paradox) makes me wonder if i'm alive at all, or am I dying and being replaced every 1 Planck time by a different person, like the thought experiment proposed by Donald Davidson, "Swampman". With biological immortality being more mythical than scientific, and technological immortality suffering from the problem of copying vs moving (copying the mind doesn't benefit the mover, only their electronic copy, and serial sectioning would kill the elective, which would defeat the purpose of attempting to be immortal), immortality seems a futile goal. But you know. Live forever or die trying.
AI? Awesome. I think about that too. Most of the matter in our bodies is completely replaced as we age. You are nearly an entirely different collection a matter than you were 10 years ago. So what is consciousness anyway? Do all forms of life have it to at least some degree? Is a plant conscious? How about a cell? Depending on your definition of conscious life, the argument could be made that the AI Brute's in Campaign are alive, not organic, but still living out some sort of consciousness. As you start up a level they are born, they don't know how they got there or by whom they were created, but they have a sense of purpose. They have a complex virtual brain that allows them to react to their environment in countless ways, depending on what they are experiencing. After we beat the level or turn of the system they are dead, having absolutely no memory of ever existing at all. Can there be a line in the sand that, when crossed, gives life to Artificial Intelligence? Have we already crossed that line? If in 2,500 years we are able to create a human like synthetic, completely indistinguishable from a human being in every way, is that being alive? Didn't mean to turn this into an AI debate but, ScarecrowXavier had to bring up the "What is life?" question.
I've never really contemplated my own death before. They way I think about it is this: There's no way to prepare for death, more than likely I won't be aware of where and when it's going to happen, and there's nothing that I can do after death, (unless their is actually something after death, which I don't lean either one way on that point) so thinking about death is only wasting the time that I have right now. It's interesting to think about death, but doing so can be compared to writing a hate letter you're never going to send; doing it can make you feel better for the moment, but it serves no real purpose, because doing so won't change anything.
Interesting theory on death. I for one do not really loo at death as serious as this for it's occurence is natural. I was in a car accident 3... 4 years ago. Women ran a red light and slammed into passenger (me) at 60mph. (In front of a church I might add) Based on what was told to me later, when I was pulled from the wrekage, my heart wasn't beating. Luckily I was shocked in the ambulance and my heart rate came back. But unfortunately, in the emergency helicopter to the hospital, I went flat. Once again, shocked and I came back.. barely. And once more in the emergency room I had to be shocked again due to my heart stopping. Doctor said it's a miracle i'm alive. I don't mean to ramble, weather you believe or agree with this or not. But from what I remmeber of this time. I remember it... and I smile, as if death were the most incredible feeling you could ever have. Seems strange I know... But it's there.
Heh. It's kind of funny. I often feel like I'm in a dream and will wake up when I know I'm awake. The whole thing is kinda weird. makisupa007, your post reminds me of a quote from Damian Isla (Bungie's Lead AI Programmer) on the Bungie Podcast. Not entirely relevant but your post just reminded me of that.
The thing is, i am an atheist, but im kinda scared that if im an atheist, tht basicly means were all doomed to die and just see black for eternity EXPLANATION: if there is no such thing as god, the explanation of death becomes rather scientific, when you die, your body shuts down, meaning theres no senses in your body, you cant think, you cant see, you cant move, you cant do ****. All there is is blackness. so, are we doomed to an eternity of darkness? or is there such thing as a soul that goes on?
Out of destruction there is creation. We live for death, so others may live. So the others live to die for another other. One point of living is dying. Everyday is another day closer to death. If this scares you its normal. But we all die. It happens. We shouldn't fear it. It will happen to all of us. All living things die. So to be alive you must die. If you dont die, you where never truly alive. Realy, humans shouldnt contemplate death. It will happen; just like the wind blows, or the leaves fall. Stop worrying about anything and just do what ever you want. Dont let people get in your way. You only got so much time left.