A Philosophy of Death
Whether it is Gilgamesh’s quest for immortality, Antigone’s defiance, or Achilles (at least initial) concession, an integral theme in one of my classes has been the universality and equality of death. Regardless of your social status, race, ethnicity or any other restrictive category, you will die. It sounds like a terrible and pessimistic philosophy, but if you consider its implications, it can be quite powerful.
No matter what, you share at least one thing with everyone else…something that is inherently very personal and binding. The only hard part is coming to terms with its application on you.
Atul
Apr 23, 06:02 PM
Death is a necessity for life as is recognized by various philosophies. It is a cycle and if nobody died, our earth would be quite crowded.
I know different faiths think different things happen to you once you die, but I have considered an alternative philosophy… What if the deepest wishes in your mind as to what happens upon death are what your mind/soul believes is happening to it once you are “dead”. Perhaps death (to the mind), is an eternal dream, but one of your choice. That wouldn’t be so bad.
Thinking that our souls just disapear and that our consciousness suddenly shuts down, just doesn’t seem to hold water in my mind.
– Atul
Thame
Apr 24, 07:51 AM
“Thinking that our souls just disapear and that our consciousness suddenly shuts down, just doesn’t seem to hold water in my mind.”
I agree. In a strange way, I think dying is going to be really interesting if we somehow maintain our identity.
Zach Blume
May 1, 01:57 PM
“Thinking that our souls just disapear and that our consciousness suddenly shuts down, just doesn’t seem to hold water in my mind.”
Well our own consciousness is just a manifestation, right? Really, its all just automatic reactions—just so many of them that they produce a kind of flock manifest.
I hate being an electrical current.