Death does not discriminate; we will all die one day, but is that so bad? Western societies view death as a harbinger of doom. Often personified as a skeletal figure looming around the corner, waiting to take its victim to the unknown. Better known as the Grim Reaper. Research suggests the way a culture personifies death can representative of our attitudes towards death (Bassett 164). In this case our personification of death reflects the negative attitude to the subject. Should we as a society be afraid of death or should we embrace older philosophies into our society in order to cope with our reality? It’s no secret that death has provoked the minds of great spiritual leaders and philosophers. As great leaders of human history, they do not …show more content…
Currently the human life span is around 150 but with technology on the rise this is becoming more of a possible to double the current life span (Walker). An example of these life expanding technological developments reside in genetic research, steam cells and the cessation of aging at the cellular level (Walker). A co-founder of Oracle, a computer technology agency, has donated 330 million dollars into research for aging and aging related diseases (Sifferlin). On the other hand, within the tale of the Epic of Gilgamesh, an ancient story from the Mesopotamia, a demi-god suffers the loss his friend. From his suffering he seeks to escape that similar fate. Gilgamesh, the demi-god, searches for a means to prevent his fate because he is afraid, “fear of death seized upon me. Therefore I make away over the steppes. The fate of my friend weighs me down” (Chang 11). While his is expressing his fear of death to the divine cup–bearer she parts him with advice, “make merry by day and night, keep each day a feast of rejoicing” (Chang 12). This cup-bear want Gilgamesh to live his life to the fullest by celebrating every movement instead of living in this frantic search to extend his life. How is this story relevant? Gilgamesh is going through is going through the same fear that …show more content…
For the purposes of this paper there will just be a focus on execution from a court of law, the death penalty. The death penalty is practiced within the United States and is considered a sensitive topic among most American because it the execution of life. However, removing the debate and focusing on the person convicted how should they spend their last moments? Should they fear death? Could this punishment less in as a form of sever punishment if the accused was not afraid to die? In ancient Greek there was a famous philosopher named, Socrates. In “Apology”, the accused of multiple crimes against the republic and Socrates was sentence to death. After the trail Socrates was given the opportunity by one of his students, Crito, to flee the city but he refused. Socrates responded as such, “is life worth living with a body that is corrupted and in bad condition” (Chang 185). He is arguing what is the point of running if the body would be in poor condition from being on the run. Then he continues by stating “and is life worth living for us with that part of us corrupted that unjust action harms and just action benefits? Or do we think that part of us, whatever it is, that is concerned with justice and injustice, is inferior to the body” (Chang 185). This is continuous on the focus of health over survival is important
Mortality, the subject of death, has been a curious topic to scholars, writers, and the common man. Each with their own opinion and beliefs. My personal belief is that one should accept mortality for what it is and not go against it.
As a natural phenomena that occurs frequently yet is still not completely understood, death has confounded and, to a certain degree, fascinated all of humanity. Since the dawn of our species, people have tried to rationalize death by means of creating various religions and even attempted to conquer death, leading to great works of literature such as the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Cannibal Spell For King Unis. Considered one of the earliest great pieces of literature, the Epic of Gilgamesh tells an adventurous yet profound tale about the god-like king of Uruk, Gilgamesh, and his quest to find immortality. While his name now lives on through the Epic, Gilgamesh did not attain eternal life as the plant of immortality was stolen from him by a snake.
Socrates reaches a conclusion that defies a common-sense understanding of justice. Nothing about his death sentence “seems” just, but after further consideration, we find that his escape would be as fruitless as his death, and that in some sense, Socrates owes his obedience to whatever orders Athens gives him since he has benefited from his citizenship.
The manifestation of science itself as a disciple over the centuries and its clear fascination with the purpose of life and how we came to be and especially with the concept of immortality are strong resonances of Gilgamesh’s own struggles with life and death. This leads one to believe that Gilgamesh could indirectly be one of the causes of its creation. As Gilgamesh goes through his journey, his linear development can be seen. This is the way characters are developed into the plot of a Western text, hence improvement has a goal, development stops when the goal is reached whereas in an Eastern text it would be a cyclic development, and hence improvement is a never ending journey that has no limits. Gilgamesh himself and the whole epic is essentially about the idea of finding yourself and trying to overcome the realities of death, aging and life. As Western epics are written with linear methodology of problem, struggle, realization, a change of some sort and the glory of that hero idea in mind. When Gilgamesh is distraught at Enkidu’s death he promises that if he does not get to see Utnapishtim he will “roam the wilderness in my [his] grief”, this is ultimately how people of West handle themselves when faced with a situation that is less than pleasing and too morbid too handle in the time of grief.
Perhaps one of the main reasons the Epic of Gilgamesh is so popular and has lasted such a long time, is because it offers insight into the human concerns of people four thousand years ago, many of which are still relevant today. Some of these human concerns found in the book that are still applicable today include: the fear and concerns people have in relation to death, overwhelming desires to be immortal, and the impact a friendship has on a person’s life. It does not take a great deal of insight into The Epic of Gilgamesh for a person to locate these themes in the story, and even less introspection to relate to them.
Most people view death as an evil force set out against all of humanity. In fact, in our present culture, the personification of death, the grim reaper, is one ...
The effects Death Punishment causes to society is not one side answer as humans feelings are important, people have the right to have them, to express them; however, when the life of an individual is the topi...
In the dialogue, Crito, Socrates justified his decision to accept his death penalty. His decision was praised as principled and just. However, such a view was one of the greatest myths in the history of philosophy. Contrary to the accepted ideas, I wish to show that Socrates’ argument was erroneous, the crucial error being his failure to distinguish between substantial and procedural justice. In fact, the whole of the Crito refers to some deeper problems of the philosophy of law and morality.
Death, and people's perception of it are a major part of many philosophies. It could be argued that the questions surrounding death and the afterlife form the basis of many philosophic concepts. To some philosophers, not only is the concept of death itself important, but also how people perceive it, and why they perceive it the way they do. Epicurus's claim that the soul is mortal, is an excellent explanation for why we should not fear death.
Death and Immortality in The Epic of Gilgamesh The search for immortality has been a major concern for many men and women all throughout history. True love and immortality in life would be a dream come true to many. To spend time with a special someone, the person one feels closest to, and never have to say good-bye would greatly appeal to most people. But when death steps into the picture, even with all the pain and devastation, one starts to re-evaluate themselves. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh explores the possibility of immortality following the saddening death of his friend and brother, Enkidu.
In, Gilgamesh, the quest for immortality is important in order for Gilgamesh to cheat death, after his one and only best friend’s quick fatal fall to illness. Gilgamesh being two-thirds God and one-third human has many great obstacles to overcome, especially with the Gods. The search for immortality and overall self may be a great accomplishment for Gilgamesh to overcome.
The stories of the hunt for immortality gathered in the Epic of Gilgamesh depict the conflict felt in ancient Sumer. As urbanization swept Mesopotamia, the social status shifted from a nomadic hunting society to that of a static agricultural gathering society. In the midst of this ancient "renaissance", man found his relationship with the sacred uncertain and precarious. The Epic portrays the strife created between ontological nostalgia for a simpler time and the dawn of civilization breaking in the Near East. In this Epic, Gilgamesh is seen trying to achieve immortality through the methods of both the old and the new. His journeys through the sacred and the profane in many ways characterize the confusion arising from the unstable social climate. Therefore, the society, by writing the story of Gilgamesh, guarantees not only his immortality, but the immortality of the new order being established.
The concept of human mortality and how it is dealt with is dependent upon one’s society or culture. For it is the society that has great impact on the individual’s beliefs. Hence, it is also possible for other cultures to influence the people of a different culture on such comprehensions. The primary and traditional way men and women have made dying a less depressing and disturbing idea is though religion. Various religions offer the comforting conception of death as a begining for another life or perhaps a continuation for the former.
The subject of death and dying can cause many controversies for health care providers. Not only can it cause legal issues for them, but it also brings about many ethical issues as well. Nearly every health care professional has experienced a situation dealing with death or dying. This tends to be a tough topic for many people, so health care professionals should take caution when handling these matters. Healthcare professionals not only deal with patient issues but also those of the family. Some of the controversies of death and dying many include; stages of death and dying, quality of life issues, use of medications and advanced directives.
Death is something that causes fear in many peoples lives. People will typically try to avoid the conversation of death at all cost. The word itself tends to freak people out. The thought of death is far beyond any living person’s grasp. When people that are living think about the concept of death, their minds go to many different places. Death is a thing that causes pain in peoples lives, but can also be a blessing.