What is Death?What is Death?

FeracoFeraco

Search for Human PotentialSearch for Human Potential

9 December 20109 December 2010

• “…“…I’m not scared to die / But I’m a little I’m not scared to die / But I’m a little bit scared of what comes after / Do I get bit scared of what comes after / Do I get the gold chariot? / Do I float through the the gold chariot? / Do I float through the ceiling? / Do I divide and fall apart?”ceiling? / Do I divide and fall apart?”

• Numerous cultures and theologies provide Numerous cultures and theologies provide different explanations for what death different explanations for what death actually isactually is– Why don’t we have a “Unified Theory of Why don’t we have a “Unified Theory of

Death”?Death”?• However, it’s useful to begin with our old However, it’s useful to begin with our old

logic, the Laws of the Excluded Middle and logic, the Laws of the Excluded Middle and NoncontradictionNoncontradiction– Either something lies beyond death – Either something lies beyond death –

regardless of what it is – or nothing doesregardless of what it is – or nothing does– Either P or Not P is true, and P and Not P Either P or Not P is true, and P and Not P

cannot be true simultaneouslycannot be true simultaneously• For the sake of our exploration today, For the sake of our exploration today,

we’ll consider bothwe’ll consider both

The End of the StormThe End of the Storm• Scientifically speaking, death represents Scientifically speaking, death represents

the end of corporeal existencethe end of corporeal existence– ““Corporeal” = “Physical” – “Corpus” Corporeal” = “Physical” – “Corpus” Body Body

CorpseCorpse• It seems like such a simple dealIt seems like such a simple deal

– To a materialist, it is – but to others, not so To a materialist, it is – but to others, not so muchmuch

• If you are a materialist, you don’t believe If you are a materialist, you don’t believe in a division between realms – you think in a division between realms – you think this is itthis is it– This doesn’t mean that a dualist can’t believe This doesn’t mean that a dualist can’t believe

this is it – just that dualism is a prerequisite this is it – just that dualism is a prerequisite belief if one wants to believe in some sort of belief if one wants to believe in some sort of afterlife or reincarnationafterlife or reincarnation

IdealistsIdealists

• As you might expect, a monist doesn’t As you might expect, a monist doesn’t think anything happens after death – or think anything happens after death – or happened before lifehappened before life– Notice this isn’t a debate about when life Notice this isn’t a debate about when life

startsstarts

• This works for idealists (who believe we’re This works for idealists (who believe we’re nothing but mental energy and nothing but mental energy and projections) as well as for materialistsprojections) as well as for materialists

• The idealists, after all, recognize that The idealists, after all, recognize that death “happens” – and so assume it death “happens” – and so assume it represents the fundamental ending of a represents the fundamental ending of a consciousness consciousness

DualistsDualists

• A dualist, on the other hand, A dualist, on the other hand, operates under the principle that operates under the principle that there’s more to us than meets the there’s more to us than meets the eyeeye– Again, you don’t have to believe in an Again, you don’t have to believe in an

afterlife if you’re a dualistafterlife if you’re a dualist

• However, a belief in something after However, a belief in something after death requires you to assume that death requires you to assume that humans are more than sacks of meat humans are more than sacks of meat and bonesand bones

The Shape of the FearThe Shape of the Fear• If you’re a monist, can you fear death?If you’re a monist, can you fear death?• Sure – there’s a push and pull between Sure – there’s a push and pull between

accepting what you see as the natural accepting what you see as the natural necessity of death and facing the necessity of death and facing the overwhelming terror of oblivionoverwhelming terror of oblivion

• Plus, an interesting possibility: What if Plus, an interesting possibility: What if you’re wrong?you’re wrong?

• Is this a good or bad thing?Is this a good or bad thing?– I suppose it dependsI suppose it depends

• If you’re a dualist, should you fear death?If you’re a dualist, should you fear death?– Sure – What if you’re wrong?Sure – What if you’re wrong?– Plus, who’s to say you live well even if you’re a Plus, who’s to say you live well even if you’re a

dualist?dualist?

In No Particular Order…In No Particular Order…• ““Man is the only animal that contemplates death, Man is the only animal that contemplates death,

and also the only animal that shows any sign of and also the only animal that shows any sign of doubt of its finality.”doubt of its finality.”

William Ernest HockingWilliam Ernest Hocking• The realization of a deep-seated fear – that The realization of a deep-seated fear – that

something we did in life will come back to haunt something we did in life will come back to haunt usus

• The possibility that nothing we do will impact our The possibility that nothing we do will impact our fatefate

• That the end will involve sufferingThat the end will involve suffering• The fact that the end remains unknown to us – a The fact that the end remains unknown to us – a

mysterymystery• The possibility, in turn, that nothing awaits usThe possibility, in turn, that nothing awaits us• Finally, the possibility that your deeply-held Finally, the possibility that your deeply-held

belief about the end is wrong – that something belief about the end is wrong – that something else will happenelse will happen

Plato Approaches DeathPlato Approaches Death• The great philosopher Plato took a physically The great philosopher Plato took a physically

practical approach to the study of death practical approach to the study of death • The philosophical equivalent of the “21 Grams” The philosophical equivalent of the “21 Grams”

experiment, hundreds of years agoexperiment, hundreds of years ago• He argued physical objects don’t just stop He argued physical objects don’t just stop

existingexisting• If you want to “kill” a chair, what do you do?If you want to “kill” a chair, what do you do?• Breaking it up just separates it into its Breaking it up just separates it into its

componentscomponents• Even burning it leaves ashesEven burning it leaves ashes• The chair’s been transformed into something The chair’s been transformed into something

else, but not eradicated from existenceelse, but not eradicated from existence

No Breaking DownNo Breaking Down

• The same thing holds true for a statue – if The same thing holds true for a statue – if it falls over, it breaks into little shards, it falls over, it breaks into little shards, but the stone remainsbut the stone remains

• This, he argues, is how things get This, he argues, is how things get destroyed in our world – they break down destroyed in our world – they break down into components, but they aren’t into components, but they aren’t eradicatederadicated

• Plato, a dualist, then goes on to argue Plato, a dualist, then goes on to argue that since the soul is not substance, it that since the soul is not substance, it cannot be broken down into partscannot be broken down into parts

• Since it can’t be broken down, it cannot Since it can’t be broken down, it cannot be destroyedbe destroyed

StuffStuff• Plato’s thought process may hold true for Plato’s thought process may hold true for

physical things – but is everything in this world physical things – but is everything in this world physical?physical?

• This is the sort of question that makes a This is the sort of question that makes a materialist angry materialist angry

• One would insist that everything is physical, and One would insist that everything is physical, and that it therefore makes no sense for there to be that it therefore makes no sense for there to be this mysterious thing composed of something this mysterious thing composed of something unknowable beyond sensationunknowable beyond sensation

• If you’re not a materialist, however, you If you’re not a materialist, however, you acknowledge that there are a variety of different acknowledge that there are a variety of different “substances” in the world“substances” in the world

• Is the beam from my laser pointer made from the Is the beam from my laser pointer made from the same “stuff” as the grass on the library lawn?same “stuff” as the grass on the library lawn?

Without Its SourceWithout Its Source

• Things do exist that stop existingThings do exist that stop existing• Where does light go when you shut Where does light go when you shut

off its source?off its source?• Possibly nowhere – possibly Possibly nowhere – possibly

everywhereeverywhere• If I play a note on the piano, does it If I play a note on the piano, does it

play forever?play forever?• What if I destroy the piano? Can the What if I destroy the piano? Can the

note live on without its host – its note live on without its host – its source?source?

Questions Upon QuestionsQuestions Upon Questions

• How does Plato know that the soul How does Plato know that the soul isn’t made of something as isn’t made of something as transitory as a musical note – or a transitory as a musical note – or a physical body?physical body?

• Then again, if the soul isn’t meant to Then again, if the soul isn’t meant to endure, what’s the point of one?endure, what’s the point of one?

• With death – as with many other With death – as with many other things – human questions lead to things – human questions lead to more questionsmore questions

What’s the Point?What’s the Point?• We often wonder about the meaning of life in the We often wonder about the meaning of life in the

context of the meaning of deathcontext of the meaning of death• If there’s no “beyond,” many wonder, is there If there’s no “beyond,” many wonder, is there

any point to the “here and now”?any point to the “here and now”?• Some would argue that the lack of a “beyond” Some would argue that the lack of a “beyond”

makes the good we perform in this life even more makes the good we perform in this life even more important; if this is all we get, why not make it as important; if this is all we get, why not make it as wonderful for everyone as possible?wonderful for everyone as possible?

• ““I expect to pass through life but once. If I expect to pass through life but once. If therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again.”shall not pass this way again.”

William PennWilliam Penn

So CruelSo Cruel

• Others, however, argue that life Others, however, argue that life must have meaning – and that, if life must have meaning – and that, if life has meaning, it is meaningful has meaning, it is meaningful because of goodnessbecause of goodness

• They submit that in a moral, They submit that in a moral, meaningful universe, goodness meaningful universe, goodness cannot be annihilated – it wouldn’t cannot be annihilated – it wouldn’t check out morallycheck out morally

• What a waste, we think – nothing What a waste, we think – nothing could be so cruelcould be so cruel

Out the WindowOut the Window

• How would our lives in this “plane” (using How would our lives in this “plane” (using the dualist system) change if nothing lies the dualist system) change if nothing lies beyond?beyond?

• Is Penn’s philosophy best?Is Penn’s philosophy best?• Should we throw morality out the window?Should we throw morality out the window?• Does the mystery surrounding death Does the mystery surrounding death

actually help us live better lives?actually help us live better lives?• It depends on your view regarding fear, I It depends on your view regarding fear, I

suppose – is it a positive or negative suppose – is it a positive or negative force?force?

Samsara SpinSamsara Spin• Many theologies and cultures account for some Many theologies and cultures account for some

sort of continued existencesort of continued existence• One wonders if this shared tendency towards a One wonders if this shared tendency towards a

reverence for an “afterlife” is meaningful in and reverence for an “afterlife” is meaningful in and of itself, or if it merely reveals something of itself, or if it merely reveals something interesting about the human character – interesting about the human character – whatever that interesting thing may bewhatever that interesting thing may be

• We have people who claim to have been We have people who claim to have been contacted from beyond, or to have come back contacted from beyond, or to have come back from the brink of deathfrom the brink of death

• In some cases, people insist that they remember In some cases, people insist that they remember previous lives – previous revolutions of the previous lives – previous revolutions of the Samsara cycle, perhapsSamsara cycle, perhaps

Hope in the MysteryHope in the Mystery• In any event, the mystery surrounding death – In any event, the mystery surrounding death –

the sheer enormity of all that we don’t know – the sheer enormity of all that we don’t know – isn’t necessarily a prescription for negative isn’t necessarily a prescription for negative possibilitiespossibilities

• After all, if we don’t know whether we continue After all, if we don’t know whether we continue beyond our corporeal end, we don’t know that we beyond our corporeal end, we don’t know that we can’t continuecan’t continue

• Perhaps that’s part of the meanings of life and Perhaps that’s part of the meanings of life and death: that we have an opportunity to explore death: that we have an opportunity to explore the infinite possibilities of existence – and, in the infinite possibilities of existence – and, in turn, the infinite possibility for discovery, both of turn, the infinite possibility for discovery, both of new answers and new questionsnew answers and new questions

• Remember the arrow lesson: Don’t aim for a Remember the arrow lesson: Don’t aim for a target with the intention of hitting it and target with the intention of hitting it and stopping – always aim toward, through, and stopping – always aim toward, through, and beyondbeyond