L/O: To consider whether or not death is necessary. PHILOSOPHY TOPIC THE END OF LIFE L/O: To consider whether or not death is necessary.

Discussion Points Are you afraid of death, or dying, or both, or neither? Should funeral be regarded as happy or sad occasions? Can a person who dies young ever have a happy funeral? What would the consequences of prolonging life indefinitely? If someone “dies naturally” does that affect the way their life is seen? What about someone who dies violently, or tragically young? What did Samuel Johnson mean in declaring, “When a man knows he is to be hanged, it concentrates the mind wonderfully”?

Reflection Alley Genetics and Living Forever You are a brilliant scientist working on the human genome project. This month you have discovered a gene that makes old people die. You have isolated the gene, and you could now delete it, so that from now on some people (you, for example), or many people, would not die of old age. Eventually, all people in the world might be able to live for ever. You think about how much sadness death causes. You think about what a world without death would be like. No one else is as brilliant as you, so now you hold the power over death in your test-tube. Should you share this power, or delete it? Use it just for you, or give it to anyone who will pay, or to everyone? You hold the test-tube over the bin for a minute, wondering whether to accept that death is part of life, or finish death for ever. What do you do?

Reflection Alley An experience near to death You are 75 years old. You wake up one winter morning after a long tiring illness, and feel as it everything is strange: the house feels empty, calm. Outside there is no traffic noise, only birdsong. You feel warm, healthy, and the sun shines brightly behind your curtains. You feel better than you have for years. Suddenly a thought comes into your head: “Perhaps I have died!!” That’s when you see a long tunnel with light at the end, and start to hear beautiful musical voices. They sing sweetly to you: “Forgive your enemies. Forgive yourself. Prepare for heaven. Be ready to meet the Source of All Life.” As you feel yourself drawn down the tunnel, a musical voice whispers: “This is death, but today you have a choice. Do you want to go on to the realm of paradise, or back to the world of suffering for a few more years?” What do you choose to do?

Write up one dilemma Dilemma summary: “Reflection Alley”: (Include the different arguments that were raised and the final decision that was made). My Viewpoint: Did you agree with the final decision. Explain your answer

Is death necessary?

The best ones will receive a further run down Reflection Alley. In small groups, create a dilemma about death, similar to ones we have looked at. The best ones will receive a further run down Reflection Alley.

Paper the Walls with Wisdom! People are scared of death because.... My favourite death in the movies is...because... People don’t talk about death because... After death, I think... My idea of heaven is... My idea of hell is... People who believe in reincarnation are... I think “wish fulfilment” explains the idea of afterlife because... There must be more to life than this short 70 years or so because... No one knows what happens after death so... I’m scared of death because... I’m not scared of death because.... I wish people would.... On the topic of death, I’d like to know... My biggest experience of death was... Near-death experiences (tunnels, lights, angels) suggest... If I could get the answer to one question about death, I’d ask... Reincarnation is a good idea because.... I reject reincarnation because.... Another thing I want to say is...

Wall of Wisdom