Questions to consider regarding this chapter (answer 1-2; respond to 1-2 of your classmates' posts):
1) is there an instinctual basis for the fear of death? why might it be important to consider that? For example, why might it be useful to know about "magical thinking"?
2) How are we to make sense individually of our own mortality? That I will die? How do we process the consciousness of the certainty of our own dying?
3) What are the major tenets of existentialism? (p. 55)
4) Are the existentialists right that we are totally responsible for our own lives?
5) What do you think about the claim that we are connected to the infinite? Does connecting to the transcendent help us attain some kind of immortality? (p. 56-7)
*** see separate posts on Kierkegaard & on Heidegger ***
6) Are we crazy to fear death? Does it help focus us or is it just irrational, getting in the way of living a good life? (this is a preview question to Chpt 4).
1 & 2) I think that at first in life, it is an instinct to fight death. At a younger age, death seems so far and not even conceivable. For most people, it is not even a thought. However, as we grow older, I believe that death becomes more real and more of a possibility. As we grow older our parents begin to die and we realize that people are not immortal. We still do not want to die, but i think that we realize death eventualy will happen. Then later in life, when we are old and gray, we know that death is surely coming for us; that is is unavoidable. I think it is here that when we look back on our lives and all that we have done for other people and all that we have accomplished, we come to terms with death. We no longer fear it. We have seen what we have done with our lives and are hopefully happy with the way that it has turned out. And knowing that can put us at ease and allow us to no longer fear death and even accept death.
ReplyDeleteTonya, really great post. I agree with your points. I also wanted to add the proposal that as we age, don't you think we also begin to view death as a way to rest? I mean as people get older and have more aches and pains and do not snap back as quick as they used to, don't you think that besides merely coming to terms with death because other people have died in the older age range, the elderly also view death as a means to rest or be comforted from the woes of their aging life?
DeleteTonya I agree that when we are young we feel that death is not conceivable. Until I had multiple deaths within my family it was not even a thought that crossed my mind. Even in dealing with the deaths of my family I never thought of my own death. This class has finally made me consider myself and how I would feel about my own death.
ReplyDelete5. The major concepts of existentialism are 1) the universe has no intrinsic meaning or purpose 2) we are completely free in our actions. Since the universe has no intrinsic value this also means humans have no end goal in life. This leads to the second tenet-humans are completely free. This also means we are completely responsible for our choices. There is no divine or all powerful being we can push blame on.
ReplyDelete6. I don't think we are crazy to fear death. When we constantly think about death and worry about the different ways it could happen, it distracts from our daily life. It is irrational to worry about something that may not be imminent.
I agree Meghan, constantly thinking/worrying about death can definitely distract from our lives, but at the same time I think it could be good to think about every once in a while just to put things into perspective and make sure your priorities are in order because death will be a reality sooner or later.
DeleteI agree that constantly worrying about death and how it could happen distracts us from our daily lives. It is a very irrational way of thinking to constantly be concerned with dying when it is something that nobody has any power over. Worrying about dying won't add any time to your life and it won't make your life more worthwhile.
DeleteI disagree regarding fear's effects on people. While it can stun us into inaction, fear can also drive us into doing better bigger things. And death gives us a reason to hurry on with our lives before it ends.
DeleteMeghan, I agree with you and that it is not crazy to fear death. It is something that everyone will have to experience at some point in their life. As long as we do not irrationally fear death so that we can no longer live our normal life, then it becomes a problem.
Delete1 and 2) I think that for most people, death seems to be a far-off thing for most of their lives and we just try to avoid thinking about it and acknowledging that it could happen to us at any moment. Certain situations can definitely make us more aware of death though, such as a near-accident on the highway, the death of a young person, or a big natural disaster, as we think, "that could have been me." However, even being aware of the ever-present possibility of death does not seem to make people fear death enough that they change their whole lifestyle because of it. I think we may instinctually try to avoid thinking about death out of fear of death, but then again our culture plays a big role in avoiding the thought of death because we are taught to not really talk about it and tiptoe around the subject whenever possible. It is hard to make sense of the fact that we aren't as invincible as we sometimes feel, but I think being more accepting and open to talking about death can help ease the pain once it becomes a reality for ourselves or for our family.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree that culture plays a part in our fear of death. Not only are we taught not to talk about it, but to help avoid discussion of death, death is always shown in a scary way. The whole idea of a grim reaper, a cloaked specter taking you away, is terrifying.
DeleteI don't believe people are crazy to fear death. Death is the end, and after all of our hard work in life and plans and actions we, as a species, do not wish for all of our actins to go to waste. There are few things worse than ending your life with regrets.This may also explain why some people don't fear death, those that do not fear death have made peace with it or feel as if they have done all they needed in life.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to avoidance of death I feel it is not an incredibly unnatural reaction, if we were to spend to much time thinking of death we would live sad negative lives, focused on our impending doom.
Alex I agree that it is not crazy for one to fear death. Yes, there are many of people out there who fear it but, probably aren't thinking about it 24-7. However, if there were someone thinking about death 24-7 then maybe that would make them a bit crazy because there is no reason one should think about that constantly. Plus, if you thought about death constantly I feel like you would just like you said live sad and negative lives.
DeleteI feel like we are not crazy for fearing death. Some of us may worry about it more than others but, that is okay. I for one have certainly had the realization that I will die. I would guess I think about my death and the death of those I love about every now and then but, not a lot. I would personally be concerned though if I were thinking about it daily. If you think it's interfering with your life, you might consider therapy or something. But, overall I think you should have thought about death at least sometime in your life because it's going to happen. You can't stop it from happening, so enjoy the time you have with these other people instead of worrying over what WILL happen sooner or later.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree Rachel, some people are different than others when death comes into question. Being concerned about death daily is troublesome and some would view it as strange to think about the end instead of living in the now.
DeleteI agree with you. It is important that although we may fear death, to not let it control our lives. If we are constantly worried about use dying we are not able fully enjoy the time we have on earth.
Delete5) The major tenants of existentialism are that the universe has no intrinsic meaning or purpose and that because we are in such a universe we are free to choose and act. The existential view on the universe is that it is nether being guided nor is it progressing in a purposeful manner. Because of this life has no inherent meaning. Because of this humans are free to choose and act however they please but they alone are responsible for their actions and decisions.
ReplyDelete6) I think that it is pretty crazy to fear death. It is something that nobody has any power over to affect in their life as far as delaying it is concerned. It is irrational to spend life in fear over dying because that is something that is completely out of human control. No matter how much a person fears death or how much they have worried about they will still die when their time comes.
Tyler, the major tenants of existentialism are pretty depressing aren't they? I mean "life has no inherent meaning" is literally the gloomiest thing I have heard in a while. Your take on the fear of death seems to be quite different from the others. You definitely make some valid points about it being out of our control. I guess you're right, worrying won't stop anything.
DeleteI do believe there is an instinctual fear of death because we do not know what comes next, and as human beings that is the one thing we like. Definite answers are our cup of tea. Just guessing what might happen to a person after they die is not the same as going through it. There have been stories of people who have died for a few minutes and saw a light, or felt cold and alone, or those who just thought they were sleeping and there was nothingness. It would be important to consider this because basically all people are the same but there are the little differences between us all, and what we believe will happen to us after we die is one of them. It would be useful to know about "magical thinking" because death is something that cannot be justified by reason and observation. There is always that connection between people that is emotional and it shows when an individual dies.
ReplyDeleteI do not believe we are supposed to make sense of our mortality until we feel it is closer to the time of our death. There are some people who think they are invincible and there are those, like myself, who want to avoid the topic and thinking about my own death. Personal experiences have made me become this way. My ninety year old great aunt keeps telling my mom that she's dying and that she thinks today is going to be the day. But she is a determined woman who will not go down without a fight and even in her age she is scared of death because she doesn't know what is waiting for her. I am a worrier enough already, so the idea of thinking about my own death scares me and makes me wonder when and if this is my last day on earth. But I know I cannot worry about that because it is inevitable and I should live my life to the fullest now than have regrets.
Diane, I agree that as human beings we like to know what is coming and that definite answers are our coup of tea. I also want to say just like you I am a worrier as well. So, therefore also thinking about my own death scares me and makes me wonder when my last day on earth will be and what it will be like. However, like you said you cant worry about too much about death because it will keep you back from living your life to the fullest, which everyone should do.
DeleteDiane and Rachael, like both of you, I worry a lot about the future and death especially, such as what does it feel like, how will I die, and these questions constantly worry me. But then I think of how I have been living my life and in the end, because I have tried to live each day to the fullest that I know I should not worry because as a Catholic, I know I will (hopefully) go to Heaven where I get to meet God Himself.
Delete1.) I think fear of death is both instinctual and learned. Naturally we fear death because we don't know what happens. Humans fear what they can't understand, and what happens to you after you die no one can fully explain, because they haven't experienced it. However, we are also brought up to fear death. We watch as family members die, and we see the sadness of others, so we become afraid. Also in books and movies death is portrayed as a terror, the grim reaper (death) is always shown to be a monster.
ReplyDelete2.) I think many of us deal with our own mortality with faith. We look to a higher power in order to find an answer to what we don't understand. The idea that we will live in some other form allows us process the idea of death.
Robbie, I agree that death is both instinctual and learned. We do fear death and that is no surprise. Those who do not fear I wish I had that because I worry a lot!!! I like how you say, "humans fear what they can't understand", that is the truth! When we do not know what comes next, or what will happen in the future that scares a lot of us which is completely normal.
DeleteI really like your analysis on how our fear of death is developed. I think the 2 aspects (instinctual and leaned) must be considered in tandem, as you have suggested. In fact, I feel that it has to be this way, else what is there?
DeleteAlso, I agree with you in saying that people cope with their own death by faith. It certainly does ease the fear by believing that death is not merely the black abyss ending that everyone fears, but rather a tramsfer into another life form.
I do not think we are crazy to fear death at all. Those who do not fear I definitely would like to know how you cope with that and give me advice on how not to fear it. I think it is normal to be afraid of the end of your life because we only have what the bible tells us about afterlife. We have no idea if we will ever see our family or friends again in heaven which scares me. I am afraid I will never see them again, which is why I try to spend as much time as I can with those I love. I often catch myself thinking about the end of my life and one day on Facebook I saw one of those weird quizzes called "how will you die?" and of course out of curiosity I took the quiz. But no one can predict the future except God so I know I just have to live my life to the fullest.
ReplyDeleteI also do think we are responsible for how we live our lives and that the existentialists are right. No one can tell you how to live your life and what you do with it is up to you. Yes, when we were little, our parents/guardians were there to help guide us in the right direction and we had our teachers and now our professors there as an aid, but in the end, we make our own choices and no one can make them for you.
Emily, I think your views on the fear of death are quite interesting! I always like hearing how spirituality and religious beliefs play a role in different peoples' lives. I too think that we leave it up to God and He will chose what is right in the end. I also agree with you when you said that we are responsible for how we live our lives. No person can tell us how to live but there are those who have shaped us and continue to guide us!
DeleteI think it is insane to not think that there we, as humans, have an instinctual fear of death. In terms of Biology, we all have two distinct systems in our bodies: our sympathetic and parasympathetic systems. These are more commonly referred to as our "fight or flight" instincts and our "rest and digest" instincts respectively. The reason these are relevant is the fact that the fight or flight instinct is one of the most instinctual things we ever experience. The entire reason this instinct exists is to help us avoid death at all costs. What this means is that we are biologically programmed to fear death, so much so that we can't control it, even with out higher brain functions. Philosophically speaking, I still believe that we have a fear of death because death is an unknown. As humans, we always fear what we do not know or cannot comprehend. One of the most common fears is the fear of the dark. People aren't scared of the absence of light but rather what may be hidden in the dark that they can't see. To us, death is the ultimate unknown. Even for the most religious people in the world, death is still an unknown and because of that, we are scared of it.
ReplyDelete2) I feel like the answer to this question varies depending on who is answering it. To me, my mortality is something that I know exists but I choose not to think about it, maybe trying to make it seem not so real. The only thing I have ever known is life and so far that is pretty spectacular. The issue is that death is the end of that spectacular life and that makes it scary in a sense. It is like a great book, you never want to put it down. But the more you read it, the closer you get to the end. Once it is over, its over just like life. So right now, I don't want my story to end, I don't even want to know how many chapters there are. However, at some point, I think we finally start to process the concept of mortality. I can't imagine that it is a quick process by any means, but rather one that takes quite a while. So the question was, "how do we come to terms with our own mortality?" My answer is, I don't know yet, hopefully I will someday.
1) I think it is okay for use to fear death. It is a common fear for everyone because we never know when it is going to happen. We see people die everyday and even have people close to us die. When this happens, we may question our life and think about what would happen if I die? It is important however, that we do not let this define our life. We do not need to be constantly thinking or wondering about this. By doing that it will hold us back from living our life to the fullest.
ReplyDelete2) I think mortality is something that we do think about. Although we think about it, it does not mean we fully understand it. This is a topic that is hard to process because we are living. We want to be able to live our lives out. Relating back to my first answer, we need to live our lives to the fullest. If we are constantly wondering and thinking about our mortality than we are not able to do so because we are too worried. This also might be something we do not fully understand until after we are dead because it is something we haven't experienced or have had the pleasure of talking to someone who has experienced it.
Chelsey, I agree with you. It is completely natural for us to fear death, because it is something that is unknown to everybody. It is something that is explainable when it comes to knowing what comes after death. The unknown can be very intimidating. As long as we do not fear death irrationally, it is okay for us to fear it. Like you said, irrationally fearing death will hinder the way we live our life and we will not be able to live our life to the fullest.
Delete#2 often we do not process our own certainty of death. Going way back to the first class, death is always seen as the enemy, no matter how bad the circumstances are and even if death would be more peaceful than the pain the person is in. People feel that they are being deprived of something fundamental if they die. Thus we just don't think about our own deaths.
ReplyDelete#4 I do not necessarily agree that we are totally responsible for our own lives. I do believe that we have free Will, but also am aware that, in the end, God is in control and divine providence has changed the course of historical events before, thus it must also affect our lives. I am not saying that all things are a direct result of God's playing with us like chess pieces, but He certainly can intervene when and where He chooses. His May not square off well with people of other faiths, but this is how I personally view this.