How do people deal with their inevitable death?

Judgeneo · 20 Aug 2011 at 23:44

There are some that believe the rate of medical and scientific advancement is now so great. That every person under the age of 30 who keeps themselves in good health, providing no bad accidents such as a car crash or war. Will live for ever.

That, is perhaps a more scary prospect than death.

PermaBanned · 20 Aug 2011 at 23:44

Castiel said:
That Beliefs evolve during your lifetime and experience doesn't meant you do not have any just because you are young.

We are weighing the belief of a 70 year old Evolutionary Biologist against the Experiences of specific people who have lived a life of utter deprivation, pain and hardship as to their relative luck to have lived their respective lives.

So of course Richard Dawkins beliefs have something to do with it.

But as said that's not really a belief, as most anybody who was given the choice between swapping places with somebody who's lived a life of utter deprivation, pain and hardship and swapping places with somebody who was never even born would choose the former in a heartbeat.

PermaBanned · 20 Aug 2011 at 23:47

Judgeneo said:
There are some that believe the rate of medical and scientific advancement is now so great. That every person under the age of 30 who keeps themselves in good health, providing no bad accidents such as a car crash or war. Will live for ever.

That, is perhaps a more scary prospect than death.

For ever is pushing it a lot, very optimistic projections suggest roughly ten times the current expected lifespan, but that doesn't take into account any number of things - not least of which being the continued resistance to antibiotics.

Pate · 20 Aug 2011 at 23:55

I don't think we should be extending life, I'd just like courage and conviction in beliefs to accept it.

As Castiel said, death is part of life.

afraser2k · 20 Aug 2011 at 23:55

kenmare said:
Morbid thread, agreed, but it's playing on my mind last night. Had a terrible dream in which I died. I knew I was dying and lived my last few moments. Absolute desolation, complete nothingness.

Needless to say I woke up very shaken.

Anyway, was just wondering how people approach the subject of their own mortality. Is it something you ever think of? How do you deal with it?

Whilst I'm obviously not keen on the idea of death, it's the process of dying that frightens me. Those last few seconds must be terrible. :/

Sorry again for the morbid thread.

1) We go to heaven and have a fun time with DJ God and his hoes.
2) We can donate organs after we die then it's party time for the worms either way it's a win for someone.

bainbridge · 20 Aug 2011 at 23:56

kenmare said:
Anyway, was just wondering how people approach the subject of their own mortality. Is it something you ever think of? How do you deal with it?

After watching my dear Grandfather fall apart in his old age I vowed that'll never happen to me. He was fine until he hit 80, then over the next 13 years succumbed to the diseases of old age.

I remind myself daily how amazing it is to be alive & healthy & when I start wetting my own pants I'm gonna top myself.

Pate · 20 Aug 2011 at 23:57

afraser2k said:
1) We go to heaven and have a fun time with DJ God and his hoes.
2) We can donate organs after we die then it's party time for the worms either way it's a win for someone.

What happens if you're in this plane.

What you donating then?

Castiel · 21 Aug 2011 at 00:00

PermaBanned said:
But as said that's not really a belief, as most anybody who was given the choice between swapping places with somebody who's lived a life of utter deprivation, pain and hardship and swapping places with somebody who was never even born would choose the former in a heartbeat.

Of course it is a belief, there is no conclusive data to support the statement, it is a belief he has based on his experience and belief structures.

To say everyone would choose life over death is a rather large assumption to make. Assumptions based on your own experience and beliefs and not on those of the people who have suffered such lives.

Obviously there are many people would not take the former choice otherwise there would be no incidence of suicide.

Richard Dawkins believes (based on the quote you posted) that life, no matter how painful or horrific is preferable to never being born, I am saying that not everyone agrees with that, especially those who have lived lives that they have either voluntarily ended or had taken from them and whose beliefs would negate the choice of suicide.

PermaBanned · 21 Aug 2011 at 00:00

kenmare said:
I don't think we should be extending life, I'd just like courage and conviction in beliefs to accept it.

As Castiel said, death is part of life.

We already have. It's inescapable - if we didn't then we'd all be dying at the age of 20, although you'd be incredibly lucky to even get that far.

You can't just say 'okay, this is the point at which we halt human advancement'. It's not going to work.

PermaBanned · 21 Aug 2011 at 00:07

Castiel said:
Of course it is a belief, there is no conclusive data to support the statement, it is a belief he has based on his experience and belief structures.

To say everyone would choose life over death is a rather large assumption to make. Assumptions based on your own experience and beliefs and not on those of the people who have suffered such lives.

Obviously there are many people would not take the former choice otherwise there would be no incidence of suicide.

Richard Dawkins believes (based on the quote you posted) that life, no matter how painful or horrific is preferable to never being born, I am saying that not everyone agrees with that, especially those who have lived lives that they have either voluntarily ended or had taken from them and whose beliefs would negate the choice of suicide.

I understand what you're saying, but there is no law of physics that says that some people have to live in suffering and misery. They do, but there's no logical reason for them to. Perhaps this would be more fruitful with the actual quote:

Pate · 21 Aug 2011 at 00:07

Well, though everyday is sacred, I've had enough of the previous one. Had a look in the cupboards and found this:

So that's me finished for the day. Reckon this will stop the dreams for tonight.

Tastes like rubbish, but I guess that's true for all medicine.

Castiel · 21 Aug 2011 at 00:08

PermaBanned said:
We already have. It's inescapable - if we didn't then we'd all be dying at the age of 20, although you'd be incredibly lucky to even get that far.

You can't just say 'okay, this is the point at which we halt human advancement'. It's not going to work.

Human lifespans were never limited to 20. We have always had the potential to grow to 70-80 years old, it is only the average age that has risen significantly due to better health care, medicine and so on, not the age at which Humans can reach unimpeded by disease, injury or other exterior factor.

Castiel · 21 Aug 2011 at 00:09

PermaBanned said:
I understand what you're saying, but there is no law of physics that says that some people have to live in suffering and misery. They do, but there's no logical reason for them to.

There is no law of physics that states we have to live at all.

Besides in that piece Dawkins is talking about Mankind, not about individuals so you misquoted him in the context of this thread.

sigma · 21 Aug 2011 at 00:18

Rather than being afraid of death we should be happy that we are alive.

Think of the amount of events that took place for you to be born. You're parents met, their parents met, and so forth, it goes back for so long, it's incredible to think how we are all sat here talking on a forum at the same time.

afraser2k · 21 Aug 2011 at 00:18

kenmare said:
What happens if you're in this plane.

What you donating then?

Donation to the worm party?

PermaBanned · 21 Aug 2011 at 00:19

Castiel said:
Human lifespans were never limited to 20. We have always had the potential to grow to 70-80 years old, it is only the average age that has risen significantly due to better health care, medicine and so on, not the age at which Humans can reach unimpeded by disease, injury or other exterior factor.

It's the next logical step, however. As i say, what right have we to halt human progress just because we feel like it?

Castiel said:
There is no law of physics that states we have to live at all.

Which is why we're lucky. Just because some of us lucky ones are narrow minded, spoil the experience for countless others and don't understand the basic underlying responsibility we have to care for one another doesn't mean that any of us aren't astronomically lucky.

sigma · 21 Aug 2011 at 00:20

Castiel said:
Human lifespans were never limited to 20. We have always had the potential to grow to 70-80 years old, it is only the average age that has risen significantly due to better health care, medicine and so on, not the age at which Humans can reach unimpeded by disease, injury or other exterior factor.

I'm sure I remember Dr Mikau (spelling? the futurist guy) saying that humans could live for 150 years+.

PermaBanned · 21 Aug 2011 at 00:20

Castiel said:
Besides in that piece Dawkins is talking about Mankind, not about individuals so you misquoted him in the context of this thread.

Ninja edit? :cool:

Anyway, you must not have watched it properly, or at least all the way to the end, as i believe he even said that he was referring to individuals

[FnG]magnolia · 21 Aug 2011 at 00:23

Death?

Castiel · 21 Aug 2011 at 00:26

PermaBanned said:
Ninja edit?

Anyway, you must not have watched it properly, or at least all the way to the end, as i believe he even said that he was referring to individuals

Then he is wrong. Not everyone shares his view that the world in which they personally live is a wonderful, amazing place. He is judging it from his perspective and not theirs.