28 Mar 08
Originally posted by dottewellWhile I see no problem with the tactic of not thinking about it, one should be careful not to go to far and totally ignore it. One should also not got to the extreme of either denying the possibility or deluding oneself into thinking it wont happen (as is typical of most religious people).
A friend recently asked how an atheist should deal with the prospect of death. I admit I was at a bit of a loss - it is ultimately a very upsetting thought indeed.
Any comments?
I think the unpredictability of it helps us to block it out of our minds, people with terminal illness or other reasons to expect imminent death are often forced to confront it head on, though again this can instead simply lead to increased attempts at self delusion.
Living in Africa, where the effects of HIV has been extreme, I have seen the secondary effects of the fear of death. People when confronted with the possibility that they might have HIV react in different ways, but a very large proportion of them react with self delusion. Including denial that they could have it, denial that it exists, and / or increased religiosity. Interestingly, such denial often accompanies a refusal to take a test as even in the face to outright denial there is a realization that a test could force them to face something they do not want to believe. (I think creationists attacks on science are very similar in that respect.)
Now that various treatments have been shown to significantly prolong the life of those infected with HIV it is no longer seen as such an imminently terminal disease, and peoples reaction to it is changing dramatically.
I, personally, intend to postpone death as long as possible, enjoy my life to the fullest, and leave as good a legacy as I can for my children, relatives and others that I care about.
28 Mar 08
Originally posted by dottewellIt's like saying, "dread of birth". There's nothing to fear if you know where you're going when you die.
A friend recently asked how an atheist should deal with the prospect of death. I admit I was at a bit of a loss - it is ultimately a very upsetting thought indeed.
Any comments?
28 Mar 08
Originally posted by josephwDid nobody see the word "atheist" in the original post?
It's like saying, "dread of birth". There's nothing to fear if you know where you're going when you die.
And from your comment, do you believe in the existence of Hell? If you do then why would someone who knows he is going there not be afraid.
I wont even get into the whole what is a soul thing as that would ruin the thread which was addressed to atheists.
28 Mar 08
As an atheist, I can personally attest to a somewhat benign affinity with death, inasmuch as it seems to me to be the only real guarantee that I have in life. I remember being impressed as a boy in school by something Shakespeare wrote in Hamlet: "Who would fardels bear?, to grunt and sweat under the weary load, but that the fear of something after death, the undiscovered country from who's bourne no traveller returns, puzzles the will, and makes us rather bear those ills we have, than fly to others the we know not of. Thus, conscience doth make cowards of us all, and thus, the native hue of resolution is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought, and enterprises of great pith and moment. With this regard their currents turn awry and lose the name of action.
Before anyone points out possible mistakes in quoting this, I was 13 then and 70 now, and my memory is no longer particularly astute.
28 Mar 08
Originally posted by dottewellPain frightens me; death does not. I try to focus on the flow of the symphony while it lasts, but I don’t avoid thinking about dying. I suspect that (depending on circumstances of course) I’ll be sad to die. The fact that I am going to die leads me to try to live as richly and well as I can now, in what I call the simple bliss of being.
A friend recently asked how an atheist should deal with the prospect of death. I admit I was at a bit of a loss - it is ultimately a very upsetting thought indeed.
Any comments?
In short, my whole philosophy there is a bit of a combination Zorba-Buddha: live passionately; consider the end with serenity. That’s my choice.
Of course, one cannot honestly change what one believes just because one sees death as an undesirable end: we believe what we believe because we think it is true, that we have reasonable grounds to think it true. So in that sense, while the question of how we all view death is interesting--and maybe even mutually helpful--it is irrelevant to whether or not one is an atheist (the reverse, I think, does not hold, however).
28 Mar 08
Originally posted by dottewellI like Walt Whitman's poem, O Me, O Life for this.
A friend recently asked how an atheist should deal with the prospect of death. I admit I was at a bit of a loss - it is ultimately a very upsetting thought indeed.
Any comments?
It's basically an exhortation to live life as well as you can and to offer something to the world - I read it as the way to make meaning of your life, since as an atheist I get no meaning from any external or supernatural sources.
Death scares the crap out of me, but I temper that fear with the knowledge that while I'm alive I do what I can to make my life and other's lives as good as possible.