The philosopy of death in detail

I made a thread similar to this sometime before the boards crashed but I figure since there are new members and all, I figure I'll give this a shot once more to see what people think about the topic.


So we all know that death is an inevitable thing for all things living and breathing on this place we call a planet but everyone has their own ideas about what death is, what death means, and possibly some things that psycologically prevent or cause ones immediate death to come sooner in ones life.


Give your thoughts on this. What do you think of death in terminalogy? What's your thoughts on how people die (suicide, natural, disease, homocide/murder)? How do you think that one could prolong their existance, if at all? Do you believe that everyone is fated at an exact day, time, second that they will die or do you think it could happen at any time? And have you had your own brushes with death before?



My thoughts on death are a tad different from most people I know. I do know that the mentallity of one person can effect their overall health ten fold. I feel that death can be a willed thing, and depending on the mentality of the person and how badly they want to stick around, or leave this world... it could happen.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

To me, death is just part of a cycle. I believe that after I die I will be reincarnated as another human. I think that if you've lead a good life you will be born into better circumstances!
I definately agree with you that mentality has a huge affect on a persons health. A person, if depressed enough can wither away and die. I believe that everyone dies when it is 'their time', whether they die of old age, or get hit by a car. Even though it may seem cruel that innocent young people die randomly, I believe there is a reason behind it all (no I don't know what it is). However, I do not think that the date of your death is predetermined. I think your life is shaped by yourself and how you act.
Am I afraid of death? Yes, but not as much as some people I think. I enjoy my life and I still have lots of things I need to do! So, I won't die yet : )

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by Kiri

My thoughts on death are a tad different from most people I know. I do know that the mentallity of one person can effect their overall health ten fold. I feel that death can be a willed thing, and depending on the mentality of the person and how badly they want to stick around, or leave this world... it could happen.

To paraphrase Kurt Vonnegut, all smokers all subconsciously committing suicide. I believe that's in his book Palm Sunday.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

I think that's kind of a dumb quote. Just because a person smokes doesn't make him or her want to (subconsciously) die. It's an addiction, not something they can help.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

I see your point, but it's too out of context here. Vonnegut was a chain smoker, and it was more of a comment about himself than people in general. What I'm trying to get across is if you're interested in this topic, read the book.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Death? I'm afraid of it. Last summer i ended up depressed and shaking every evening, just because of it. I'm rather neutral about it now.

I can't form an exact thought on it. But I've met a guy with many near death experiences and told me this:

Death, is an angel of God. When you see the light, he's the first one you'll meet in heaven. Death isn't qruel, scary or something as most people see and say about it.

I don't say i believe it but i can't say it can't be true. After all, nobody can tell what's death exactly and what's going to happen after it.

And there are signs that there's life after death. I mean, i've heard many stories about people seeing the light, a dark tunnel, with light at the end of it. They're send back. Their lifes on Earth weren't over yet. That's what has been said.

The reason i'm afraid of death is bacause i'm unsure on many things. Girls, friendship, calling somebody, talking to strangers, deadly deceases (I.E. Cancer), death. I want to be sure on things. Then i can rest. But i possibly won't rest on that death part. Not until i've seen the light myself or when i pass away.

But got some much things to do in my life, like getting a girlfriend and studying Animation and Games. Maybe raise some kids and be a grandfather someday too. Got so much i want to do in my life too! Bungeejumping, traveling, the whole bunch! So, i guess i won't worry about it until time comes!

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

I can't bring myself to believe in the afterlife. I mean, a human soul? What is that? Some magical wisp of smoke that contains all your thoughts and memories?

I've spent a lot of time thinking all of this over, like any other human being. The conclusion that I have come to is that death is like sleep without dreams - just a big blank. That's the best way I know to articulate it. It can seem terrifying, but when you think about it, not having the burden of consciousness would be a welcome thing after so many decades of life. Who wants to live forever, anyway?

I've had religious people tell me that believing in God is easier than believing in nothing, and I guess it's true. I don't think I could bring myself to really believe it though. It would feel completely fake.

FELIPE NO

My dad is in the medical profession and used to work in a hospital, where he saw many people die. He also talked with a lot of people who had near-death experiences, and he said that the things they described seeing and feeling when they were "dead" were so similar that it went way beyond coincidence. One thing they all had in common was that they did not want to come back. That's very comforting to me.

I completely believe in an afterlife, and would even if I didn't believe in God. Also, I've never feared death. The only thing I worry about is whether my family would be able to get along without me. I wouldn't want to leave my kids until they're grown.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by Megalith Beast

To me, death is just part of a cycle. I believe that after I die I will be reincarnated as another human. I think that if you've lead a good life you will be born into better circumstances!
...

I have an opinion similar to yours, I believe that after the death the people will reincarnate but I believe that the objective is to improve itself. it has people that will reincarnate more times that others.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Though I believe in a Heaven and a Hell, I sometimes can't stop thinking if there wasn't a Heaven and a Hell, a small doubt. Maybe that death feels just like sleeping, but you never wake up. I wonder how that feels like, no more thoughts, movement, everything completely blank.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

I really liked what AliceNWonderland said.

To have no desire of coming back from death. Maybe there really is a place for the dead to go. Another life. Something so beautiful that you would never want to come back to Earth again. That kind of thinking really makes you feel content inside.

I remember I used to think alot about it. I came to the conclusion that once we died that that was it. We were dead. Without conscience, just dead. An empty void so black as to look surreal. Our bodies become lifeless and motionless and we disappear into oblivion never to think or feel again. This was very disheartening to me...I felt a kind of incompleteness with this answer. Maybe even fear. Who would want an existence like that? If it can even be called an existence that is...

No, I've decided that if I were to think of death, that it should be in such a way that would feel only 'right'. Because that's what it all comes down to right? I can't possibly care to mind death so much, it will always be there with me, might as well make the best of it.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

I tend to go off of the belief that there's only one way to find out what really happens when you die and such I don't plan on finding out anytime soon. I used to be inclined to think people just blanked out permanently but I've had some doubt to that over the last 5 years or so. Something to do with the nature of ghosts which I do believe in but I'm not sure exactly what their nature is. The more scientific side of me tends to think of it as something like psychic recordings left in a place but the fact that they can sometimes change and react to changes in the enviroment throws a bit of a wrench in that. Because if it's the case of leaving a bit of yourself behind you have to wonder what all else you take with you when you buy it.


AS for your will to live and general attitude effecting how long you live I'd say that's a definate. When people give up and they're sick or wounde they have a bad habit of slipping away even from survivable things and some people either do to raw stubborness or jsut fondness for life hang on and keep alive long after they should have been dead. Just a bit of good old fashioned mind over matter I suppose.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

I think that belief in afterlife is just the human brain's inability to truly comprehend the nature of unconsciousness.

We obviously cannot remember moments of not being conscious (save for dreams) so the idea of being permanently unconscious is unimaginable simply because we haven't actually "experienced" it - and it is impossible to do so - we simply account for the fact that it exists.

Unlike other experiences there's nothing from which to derive the potential feeling of such a state, or lack thereof.

Because of this the human mind cannot accept death; we always look at death as the end of a long period and the beginning of a new one; simply because we only know being conscious.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by Eleo

Because of this the human mind cannot accept death; we always look at death as the end of a long period and the beginning of a new one; simply because we only know being conscious.

I'd like to add to this if that's alright. I like this point. Yeah the conscious thoughts of a human can't exactly interpret wanting an "end" which most people believe that death is. So the mind automatically concieves something past that so they can feel easy about it, and that's perfectly fine to think of.


I must say though, everyone's opinions about their philosophies on death are interesting. It just shows how unique things are with so many thoughts and opinions about things that are questioned daily.

How ya doing, buddy?

I don't believe in reincarnation, and I don't believe in a Jewish/Christian/Islam heaven or hell. They all seem silly to me now, I'm not sure why. I used to have confidence that I'd be going to heaven since I used to be Christian and all, but that passed once my faith in Christian theology passed.

I think there are basically two possibilities at this point. Either we die and there is nothing, we no longer exist. Or we have some part of us that goes to some place that we can't imagine. I lean slightly toward going to some place, considering all the unknowns that still exist for us. We still don't know why we are on a planet in a universe that's billions of times larger, there's got to be something out there... I would think...

FELIPE NO

My own personal viewpoint of death had changed over time, and right now, I looked to death as a time when we have done what we were fated to do. As such, we had no more purpose, and thus we will die.

After which we become something else, which has a different purpose.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

I think in Constantine they used the example of "cigarettes are suicide". Then again, that wasn't the greatest movie of all time.

I think it's a toss-up between free will and being at the right place at the right time.

Smoking, diet, getting hit by a car, or natural death... it just happens. Maybe after that something happens, but obviously nothing that intertwines with people today.

What I mean is, you could die and then be reincarnated as your daugther and son-in-laws next born child, but nobody would even know it.

Also, being human is just one in a billion different types of reincarnation. We could reincarnate on a completely different planet as a different species, and that would be the new US.

Then again, maybe we just die. I personally don't believe that because for every action there is another action, and so on and so forth. I think atheists tend to forget that.

/end rant

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Yup. Atheists: first ones to ignore logic.

This is a sarcastic post. Please be upset.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by AliceNWondrland

My dad is in the medical profession and used to work in a hospital, where he saw many people die. He also talked with a lot of people who had near-death experiences, and he said that the things they described seeing and feeling when they were "dead" were so similar that it went way beyond coincidence. One thing they all had in common was that they did not want to come back. That's very comforting to me.

I remember an argument trying to debunk the coincidences of NDEs as nothing more then what happens when the brain starts to die. They compared it to some kind of "beginning to the purging of consciousness".

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.