Shifting Gears #5: What If Shifting Gears #5: What If This Storm Ends?This Storm Ends?

FeracoFeracoMyth to Science FictionMyth to Science Fiction

23 April 201023 April 2010

What is Death?What is Death? What is Death?What is Death? Monism and Dualism IIMonism and Dualism II Why Fear Death?Why Fear Death? How Should We Greet Death?How Should We Greet Death? Plato’s Take on the Soul (and Death)Plato’s Take on the Soul (and Death) The Moral Argument Against AnnihilationThe Moral Argument Against Annihilation What If There’s Nothing Beyond This?What If There’s Nothing Beyond This? Is There Hope for Existence After Death?Is There Hope for Existence After Death? Our Own ValhallasOur Own Valhallas

What is Death?What is Death? 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

logiclogic Not Cherry or Stacey or Amy and their Not Cherry or Stacey or Amy and their

midterms – merely the Law of the Excluded midterms – merely the Law of the Excluded Middle and the Law of NoncontradictionMiddle and the Law of Noncontradiction

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 cannot be Either P or Not P is true, and P and Not P cannot be

true simultaneouslytrue 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 in a If you are a materialist, you don’t believe in a division between realms – you think division between realms – you think thisthis is it is it

This doesn’t mean that a dualist This doesn’t mean that a dualist can’tcan’t believe 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

MonistsMonists 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 Again, you don’t have to believe in an afterlife if you’re a dualistan afterlife 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 Sure – What if you’reyou’re wrong? wrong? Plus, who’s to say you live well even if Plus, who’s to say you live well even if

you’re a dualist?you’re a dualist?

We Fear, In No Particular We Fear, In No Particular Order…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 The possibility that nothingnothing we do will impact our 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 The possibility, in turn, that nothingnothing awaits us 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

The Questions…The Questions… If you’re wrong about death, were If you’re wrong about death, were

you wrong about life?you wrong about life? How should one greet death?How should one greet death? Really, the flip side to that question Really, the flip side to that question

is “How do we greet life?”is “How do we greet life?” Do we tread more or less carefully, Do we tread more or less carefully,

depending on how we feel about the depending on how we feel about the end?end?

Should we?Should we?

The ApproachThe Approach You can approach death fearfully You can approach death fearfully

(understandably so)(understandably so) You can approach death calmlyYou can approach death calmly After all, all of us dieAfter all, all of us die For that matter, none of us even know it’s For that matter, none of us even know it’s

an unpleasant experiencean unpleasant experience You can even take the Epicurian approachYou can even take the Epicurian approach ““Death, the most dreaded of evils, is Death, the most dreaded of evils, is

therefore of no concern to us; for while we therefore of no concern to us; for while we exist, death is not present, and when exist, death is not present, and when death is present, we no longer exist.”death is present, we no longer exist.”

EpicurusEpicurus

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

physically practical approach to the physically practical approach to the study of death study of death

The philosophical equivalent of the The philosophical equivalent of the “21 Grams” experiment, hundreds of “21 Grams” experiment, hundreds of years agoyears ago

The ArgumentThe Argument He argued physical objects don’t just stop existingHe argued physical objects don’t just stop existing 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 componentsBreaking it up just separates it into its components Even burning it leaves ashes – the chair’s been Even burning it leaves ashes – the chair’s been

transformed into something else, but not eradicated transformed into something else, but not eradicated from existencefrom existence

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

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

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

Since it can’t be broken down, it cannot be destroyedSince it can’t be broken down, it cannot be destroyed

Idealist ObjectionIdealist Objection 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 One would insist that everything isis physical, and 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?

Stopping ExistenceStopping Existence 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?

Linking the SoulLinking the Soul 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, endure, what’s the point of onewhat’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

The Moral Argument Against The Moral Argument Against AnnihilationAnnihilation 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

Nothing Could Be So CruelNothing Could Be So 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 becausebecause of goodness 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

What If There’s Nothing After What If There’s Nothing After This?This? 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?

Is There Hope For Existence Is There Hope For Existence Beyond Death?Beyond Death? 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’tcan’t continue continue

Perhaps that’s part of the meanings of life Perhaps that’s part of the meanings of life andand 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 lessons of last week: Don’t aim Remember the lessons of last week: Don’t aim for a target with the intention of hitting it and for a target with the intention of hitting it and stopping – always aim toward, through, and stopping – always aim toward, through, and beyondbeyond

Now It’s Your Turn!Now It’s Your Turn! You’ve already discussed choice, You’ve already discussed choice,

morality, happiness, and the soul.morality, happiness, and the soul. Today, I’d like you to articulate your Today, I’d like you to articulate your

personal philosophy regarding death personal philosophy regarding death – what death means, what you – what death means, what you believe happens when we die, etc.believe happens when we die, etc.

Good luck!Good luck!