Death is not a bad thing

[Kim Jong Il]

Death is not a bad thing - that is an impossibility. For the idea of badness presupposes existence. A bad thing must exist. Therefore, since death is the negation of existence (of a type of existence at least, viz. life), death cannot possibly be a bad thing. "When we are, death is not; when death is, we are not," says Epicurus. And who can say existence is preferable to non-existence? Non-existence also has its positive aspects. In a world with so few joys to offer, in a world with so much suffering, "the moment of dying may be similar to that of waking from a heavy nightmare" (quoting Schopenhauer). Finally, we did not exist for an eternity before we were born; why should we be any more disturbed by the eternity of non-existence which follows death?

There is no ground for fearing death, for the fear of death precedes knowledge. It is an irrational fear and there is no ground to fear it. As Schopenhauer explained:

"The fear of death is, in fact, independent of all knowlege, for the animal has it, although it does not know death. Everything that is born already brings this fear into the world."

". . . in any case life must end soon, so that the few years which possibly we have still to exist vanish entirely before the endless time when we shall be no more. Accordingly, to reflection it appears even ludicrous for us to be so very anxious about this span of time, to tremble so much when our own life or another's is endangered. . . . this powerful attachment to life is irrational and blind."

". . . we ought to be just as little disturbed by the fact that we shall not exist as by the fact that we did not exist."

"Violent death also cannot be painful, for, as a rule, even severe wounds are not felt at all till some time afterwords, and are often noticed only from their external symptoms. If they are rapidly fatal, consciousness will vanish before this discovery; if they result in death later, it is the same as with other illnesses. All who have lost consciousness in water, through charcoal fumes, or through hanging, also state, as is well known, that it happened without pain."

"So far, the result for us is that death cannot really be an evil, however much it is feared, but that it often appears as a good thing, as something desired, as a friend. All who have encountered insuperable obstacles to their existence or to their efforts . . . have the return into the womb of nature as the last resource that is often open to them as a matter of course.''

NOTE: This post does not claim that human life is worthless.

[Noodles is gay]

"When we are, death is not; when death is, we are not"

I love that quote...

Anyway though, Death can be a bad thing but it all depends upon what you believe in/what's actually there:

If nothing happens then you're dead, it doesn't matter because you have no thoughts and just don't exist - just a carbon body remains to decompose.

If there is a God/heaven/hell then maybe it's good, maybe it's bad - depends what kinda person you were.


No one knows what 'lies beyond', we can speculate, we can assume but we cannot know.

[Kim Jong Il]

No one knows what 'lies beyond', we can speculate, we can assume but we cannot know.

Yes, this has been bothering me a lot recently. However, I think that the entire concept of afterlife should be treated as the "existence of God" concept -- people who say "prove God doesn't exist" mean by "proof" not scientific knowledge of the objective reality but "proof" about 'God' as isolated from the reality.

Even if we accepted such metaphysical "method" of proving, we still can't have such knowledge of something which doesn't exist (and therefore atheism remains just as logical position as the rejection of belief in Santa Claus). But for a dialectical materialist the study of the reality itself and its general laws suffices as proof against "God" just as it does against any fairy tales. "But you can't know", well okay, if there appears proof in favour of "God's" existence which destroys completely our previous knowledge of the world, then we can of course abandon atheism and the materialist world outlook in general and accept theology and objective idealism.

Anyway, I digress. But i'd still like to see other peoples opinions on this.

[TheUnholyNightbringer]

I don't believe that death doesn't exist. Death, I believe, is a shadow of life - a shadow of a normal object doesn't exist independently, it's the negation of light from behind an object. But you can still see it - the shadow exists because the object exists. Same with death - life exists, so therefore death must exist at some point, if simply to negate the life.

There's also nothing to say that life is infact the negation of death.

I didn't explain this very well. But, my point is, death does infact exist as a shadow, of sorts. Therefore, a fear of it is understandable.

IMHO.

[SkunkIt]

I was thinking about this today. I think I died once when I was small, because a stoned driver hit my mom's car and I flew in the front seat, then someone revived me, but I don't think I remember this.

[Inshane]

I don't fear dying, even though I would like to live a while longer. I fear the death of others. I don't know what to think about what happends after you die. If there would be such a thing as heaven or a place where you can reunite with people you've lost during life I would not be scared. If I knew or believed there would be nothing, and you would not know there wasnt nothing because your soul would not exist anymore, then I would be scared to leave life. For I would leave others behind forever. I cant stop thinking;

If death doesnt exist, why does it feel so present?

[PrettyInPink_DeadInRed]

i think that when you die your brought to relive your most happy memory over and over again but each time you live it you feel its the first time its happened. personly i cant wait

[RXP]

The moment of death exists, the anticipation of death exists but indeed death doesn't exsist. But all this presupposes you know anything about death and what happens after. I believe death is death, but there are other beliefs out there as well.

[Paint_It_Black]

You use somewhat complex language to try and disprove a basic truth of life. Why not try taking an entire bottle of aspirin then seeing how you feel? It would be fascinating to see you post in that condition.

And theunholynightbringer is right.

[4eh]

Death is not a bad thing - that is an impossibility. For the idea of badness presupposes existence. A bad thing must exist. Therefore, since death is the negation of existence (of a type of existence at least, viz. life), death cannot possibly be a bad thing. "When we are, death is not; when death is, we are not," says Epicurus. And who can say existence is preferable to non-existence? Non-existence also has its positive aspects. In a world with so few joys to offer, in a world with so much suffering, "the moment of dying may be similar to that of waking from a heavy nightmare" (quoting Schopenhauer). Finally, we did not exist for an eternity before we were born; why should we be any more disturbed by the eternity of non-existence which follows death?

There is no ground for fearing death, for the fear of death precedes knowledge. It is an irrational fear and there is no ground to fear it. As Schopenhauer explained:

"The fear of death is, in fact, independent of all knowlege, for the animal has it, although it does not know death. Everything that is born already brings this fear into the world."

". . . in any case life must end soon, so that the few years which possibly we have still to exist vanish entirely before the endless time when we shall be no more. Accordingly, to reflection it appears even ludicrous for us to be so very anxious about this span of time, to tremble so much when our own life or another's is endangered. . . . this powerful attachment to life is irrational and blind."

". . . we ought to be just as little disturbed by the fact that we shall not exist as by the fact that we did not exist."

"Violent death also cannot be painful, for, as a rule, even severe wounds are not felt at all till some time afterwords, and are often noticed only from their external symptoms. If they are rapidly fatal, consciousness will vanish before this discovery; if they result in death later, it is the same as with other illnesses. All who have lost consciousness in water, through charcoal fumes, or through hanging, also state, as is well known, that it happened without pain."

"So far, the result for us is that death cannot really be an evil, however much it is feared, but that it often appears as a good thing, as something desired, as a friend. All who have encountered insuperable obstacles to their existence or to their efforts . . . have the return into the womb of nature as the last resource that is often open to them as a matter of course.''

NOTE: This post does not claim that human life is worthless.

kind of goth thoughts, like "death is just a door to another world" or smth. like that. or maybe that's not goth's, maybe it's kind of Bible. don't know.

i can say that, day after day we're all become older. our valuable things changes. i would like to see you in 60-70, and i don't think you would tell things like that, cause at the age of 15-25 (or near that) people use their lifes, and don't care about them, we start to value our life only when we become old. that's a fact.

[Frozen flames]

"In heaven all the interesting people are missing."
-Nietzsche


I like Nietzsche`s philosophy but I don`t belive in heaven or hell.
so there`s nothing in death to be afraid of, except if it`s a painful death.

..but, I do like the idea that we are born in this world over and over again..
tho I know it`s merely metaphysical dreaming.
it`s nice anyhow..

[«_ºßäߥ_Ðëvilº_»]

I have Necrophobia - Phobia of death / Dying
:(

[TheUnholyNightbringer]

And I lie so composedly
Now, in my bed,
(Knowing her love)
That you fancy me dead —
And I rest so contentedly
Now in my bed,
(With her love at my breast)
That you fancy me dead —
That you shudder to look at me,
Thinking me dead: —

But my heart it is brighter
Than all of the many
Stars in the sky,
For it sparkles with Annie —
It glows with the light
Of the love of my Annie —
With the thought of the light
Of the eyes of my Annie.

I hate people that come into a debate and post lyrics. Lyrics mean nothing. Make a proper point or don't post.

[TheUnholyNightbringer]

So explain that. Don't just randomly post words.

You're a stalker.

[TheUnholyNightbringer]

Damn. I'm like, shaken up now.

Does anyone have a cool flannel?

[Radi0_havana52]

http://www.sillyjokes.co.uk/images/party/decorations/halloween/grim-reaper-wall-grabber.jpg
Death is beautiful thing. I can't wait for my visit from death.

[Inshane]

Death is beautiful thing.

yes, death is just the greatest thing in the world.

[Mota Boy]

I do not fear death; I only fear dying.