Death and its discontents
When is someone dead? Option 1: Cardio-Respiratory Option 2: Whole Brain Option 3: Higher Brain Irreversible
Is There life after death? Near Death Experiences (NDEs) Grief apparitions Dying visions Ghosts Mediums Accounts of past lives
Socrates’ Argument that we should not fear death P1: Either death is nothingness or death is going to paradise P2: If it’s nothingness, that’s not bad P3: If it’s Paradise, that’s not bad ---------------------------------- C: So, Death can’t be bad
Suppose that there is no life after death Suppose that there is no life after death. In that case, should we fear death? Is it a bad thing?
The Classic argument that we should not fear death and it cannot hurt us
Nagel's argument that death is a bad thing Death means the end of a possible future for me; a future that I might enjoy very much. That just plain sucks.
Who Wants to Live Forever? We all live forever Only I live forever, but I keep aging. Only I liver forever, but I stop aging physically at 25
Terror Management Theory The Unconscious – Most of our thoughts and emotions are not conscious, but they control what we do When we are unware of the unconscious it has a powerful hold over us If we are aware of our unconscious, it has less control over us We are all – EVERY SINGLE HUMAN – terrified of our own death, unconsciously So, if we are unaware of our unconscious fear of death, then that fear has powerful control over how we act
Meaning and Death Anxiety Human beings are all powerfully affected by unconscious death anxiety (anxiety = fear or anticipation of a future danger) So Humans create meaningful world-views in order to calm their death anxiety Human beings MUST maintain faith in a meaningful world view Humans must see themselves as objects of value within that world-view What if I am challenged by someone who is threat to my world-view?
When World-Views Collide? What if I am challenged by someone who is threat to my world-view? I might …. Dismiss them Convert them Assimilate some of their ways/views Destroy them
Memento Mori
The Capuchin Crypt