Death, The Neutral Inevitability.

Death, possibly the topic most feared, revered, discussed and ignored on the subject of life. Few people tend to appreciate the weight carried by ones view of death. It can break friendships, cause family to stop talking to one another, incite violent events such as a fight, wars or even taking one’s own life. However, it can also bring people together, cause enemies to see eye to eye for the first time, create understanding or cause one to bring life into this world. This is generally because, how one views death often determines the path they choose in life. What religion they choose to believe, or not believe, or were born in to and how that view causes them to view death, ultimately comes from the finite life we know we have and that looming notion of its end becomes something we must put in perspective. Some claim acceptance, yet do nothing but avoid actual reflection of “life and death”, supposed faith/and supposed lack of faith for these people often become a crutch that allows the avoidance. I will gladly go a step further on this and say that belief in that of otherworldly existence in and of itself is a complete avoidance of truly contemplating death and the inevitability of it, what it means, how it shapes, or has shaped you. Any notion of eternal life defies death and is to disrespect this life that will end for all of us I believe, which in part is a problem I do have with Heidegger’s philosophy on this matter. Similar to issues I have had with Kierkegaard. I agree with their points, angers, views on how people disregard various aspects of life with complacent behavior only to engage an aspect of that themselves, that being faith in a God and heaven. My larger issue is that of heaven more-so than a “God”. In class, I stated that I believed Heidegger’s view point on “why do things exist?” was a more personal point than that of Camus’ question of “does life have meaning?”, and I stand by that. Does life have meaning can be altered by “why do things exist?”. In fact, most discussions I have come across of this nature, people find that answer of themselves based on why they believe things exist. I do not believe I have ever seen the opposite to be said however. My point being, I do not believe “does life have meaning” effects “why do things exist”, I believe it is instead a symptom, or rather, an after effect of one coming to terms with what they believe as to the point of “why do things exist”. I believe that is the deeper personal question and point, as that has been the driving force behind most, if not, everyone’s view of “does life have meaning” of the many discussions I have had or read of. I believe that life has absolute meaning, because we exist for no reason of omnipotence, only from a “cold” calculative reasoning of events.

While I don’t want to die, like most people, I do respect death and appreciate the greatness that is life I am able to experience every moment I am aware because I have not and cannot experience death. I also appreciate the existential test of eternal recurrence from Nietzsche in this situation as deep contemplation of deaths inevitably leads to deep contemplation of life, and I do not have any aspects of my life I would be ashamed or regret living again. I believe that while I have made many mistakes, had choices where clearly option 2 was better than my option 1, I am proud of the person I am today as a result of those choices. So again, while I do not want to die, I know that I have done well with my life and would not die feeling as though I had wasted the life I have had. I believe my dasein would complete.