Death

Had to redefine a word in which we challenged the dictionary's definition. This led to my final term paper in my freshmen English class in college.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines death as: a permanent cessation of all vital functions; the end of life. This definition is one of concrete medical value; it defines none of the mystery that keeps us interested in the subject. “It is largely due to the need for transplant organs that death has been so precisely defined.” ("Free Dictionary") As a fact of life, humanity can accept that death is going to happen despite our efforts to outrun it and escape this enviable truth our future holds. Benjamin Franklin said, “nothing is certain, but death and taxes”. We all know that when one’s body is no longer able to sustain life, we die; therefore why would there be so much mystery, folklore, superstition, wonder and fear surrounding death if it were really that simple?

The truth is, the only certainty death holds for us is that it’s going to happen. However, we have no guarantees as to what happens after death. Something that is so definite should be as concrete as its definition, but looking at the surrounding aspects, we can see it is not. “Man naturally fears what he does not understand and can not control.” (“The Psychology of Death”) Therefore we all shroud ourselves in a false sense of security that leaves us thinking we are prepared for the unknown with our beliefs about heaven and hell, reincarnation, the reunification of the soul to Gaia, or what have you. Whether or not you believe in ghosts, spirits or the ‘here after’, most people will admit that by keeping our memories of the dead alive, they never truly leave us. Marcus Tulius Cicero, a roman politician and orator of 106-43 BC, said, “The life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living.” So in the event that one believes in body and soul, does the soul cease to exist as well, or will there always be a part of us preserved that will never die?

 

Reviews

[Wordpress]

I have a question for you, if our consciousness is uploaded into software, but our bodies dies, are we dead?

[kimmy]

Very good work, I have to say this was very interesting and has me thinking :) I lost my mom this year and I like to think that she lives on threw our lives and that she will always be a big part of it even though death did take her. I wonder about heaven and hell as I always think about if there is a heaven or hell which did she go, she was a good person until she drank then she would change.

I am saving this to my library as I would like my grandmas to read this as well. I think she will like this.

[Teenage Romeo]

i had to read this like a couple times to get it but i like this!

[Divinity Sleeps in This]

Wow this was like an essay! Ha not what I expected from Death's account.