Throughout the history of man, various philosophies have lived on, died, and have been passed on through the proceeding generations that eventually lead up to the free thinkers of today's world. Such philosophies can include anything from existentialism to absolute absurdism. Throughout the analysis, there are several points to go over. Such points include how we got here, whether or not we are completely free in life, who or what shapes us, and (the most controversial of all) what happens to us when we die. Aside from those ideas that will be shortly expressed, there are a plethora of philosophers to be discussed, but only three major thinkers to analyze in terms of thought and belief. In this very analysis, I will present answers to the questions above that reflect upon what I believe in, and how that affects the analysis of other thinkers. Such beliefs include the concept of how we got here to begin with.
To commence, there are several different concepts that I hold true to be beliefs. Such beliefs lie as to how we as people got here in the first place. The question that is often proposed relates to how we got here, and I often say it dates back to the story of Adam and Eve. In the book of Genesis within the Bible (more accurately, the Torah), God created the heavens and the earth within seven days. On the first day, the universe was created, and the earth was without form, and void. On the second day, God gave light to the world. On the third day, God divided the heavens and the earth. On the third day, God allowed for the land of Earth to appear, thus making it visible. On the fourth day, the primary action that God had taken was separating night and day as a means of preparation for an inhabitable world. On the fifth ...
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...ytale for people afraid of the dark'." Cambridge News. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 May 2014. .
O'Neill, Ian. "Hawking: Surprise! There is no Heaven." . Discovery News, 17 May 2011. Web. 4 May 2014. .
Attenborough, Richard. The words of Gandhi. New York, N.Y.: Newmarket Press, 1982. Print.
Guroian, Vigen. Life's living toward dying: a theological and medical-ethical study. Grand Rapids, Mich.: W.B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., 1996. Print.
Musser, Donald W.. A new handbook of Christian theologians. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1996. Print.
Lisin, Dimitri. "PHILOSOPHER OF FREEDOM." Philosopher of Freedom. N.p., 1 Jan. 1995. Web. 5 May 2014. .
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.
Foner not only focuses on the dimensions of freedom, he also focuses on the second and third theme as well. The second theme covers the social conditions which makes freedom possibl...
Frankfurt, H.G., (2003). Freedom of the will and the concept of a person. In G. Watson, ed. Free Will, 2nd ed., New York: Oxford University Press, pp.322-336.
Puchalski, C. M., Dorff, D. E., Hebbar, B. N., & Hendi, Y. (2012). Religion, spirituality, and end of life care. RELIGION, SPRITUALITY, AND END OF LIFE CARE. Retrieved from http://www.uptodate.com/contents/religion-spirituality-and-end-of-life-care?source=search_result&search=Religion%2C+spirituality%2C+and+end+of+life+care&selectedTitle=1%7E146#
Which decisions about dying are morally acceptable to concernd Christians, and which ones go beyond morally acceptable limits? Which medical practices and public policies allow for more humane treatment for those who are dying and which ones open the door to abuse and the violation of human dignity? Proposals in various states to legalize physician-assisted death [3] point to renewed interest in these old questions. ELCA members, congregations, and institutions need to address these questions through prayer and careful reflection.
The flow and organization of the topics are structured chronologically and easy for readers to have a clear depiction of the progression of the book. He explains and elaborates his ideas and assumptions on struggles with morality, through real voices of patients and his own personal encounter. The first few topics were lighthearted, more on procedural terms such as the demographics of care in the United States and India and the evolution of care. This heightens to themes that are close to one’s heart as he uncovers the relationship amongst medicine, patient, and the family. It also deliberates on the concerns after medicine becomes impotent and society is ill-equipped for the aging population, which highlight the decisions and conversations one should or might have pertaining to death. He makes
John L McIntosh. (2003) . Handbook of Death and Dying. Volume 1: The Presence of Death. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Reference.
The afterlife can be described as the belief that an essential part of an individual's identity or the stream of any consciousness continues to show after the death of the physical body. In African culture and religion, life does not end with death, but it continues in another realm. The concepts of "life" and "death" are not mutually unique concepts, and there are no clear dividing lines between the two. Death does not end the life or change the personality of that individual, but it does cause a change in its conditions. This is expressed in the concept of the term ancestors. Ancestors are people who have died but who continue to live in the community and communicate with their families in reference to many African cultures. Death is usually
Kübler-Ross, Elisabeth. On Death and Dying: What the Dying Have to Teach Doctors, Nurses, Clergy and Their Own Families. London: Routledge, 2009. Print.
Life and death represent a dyad; their definitions inherently depend on one another. Simply defined, death is the cessation of life. Similarly, life can be defined as not death; however, not everything not alive is dead. Boniolo and Di Fiore explain this dyadic relationship well, and other authors have cited this interdependency to better define life and death.1-6 The academic literature contains multiple definitions for both terms depending on which discipline or interest group attempts the definition. Nair-Collins provides a thorough discourse on this diversity in terms of death, differentiating between “biological death, death of the person, death of the moral agent, death of the moral patient, legal death, and the commonsense notion of death.”2(p.667,668,675) Through the dyadic relationship, similar groupings could be arrived at for defining life. Whether or not one accepts Nair-Collins’ categories, at least some differentiation of this type is necessary given the complexity of these concepts. I propose a simplified categorization of the definitions of life and death: (1)scientific/biological, (2)medic...
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.
We can define freedom in a positive or a negative manner. The former would be related to self-realization and being free from internal obstacles, while the latter definition concentrates on being free from external constraints, that is no one interfere with our freedom, at least not arbitrarily, since we need some rules to live in a society. In this essay, I will assume a negative concept. Philosophic value may be split into two types of value. Non-independent value, which is specific instrumental value. If something has non-independent value, it is valuable in re...
Freedom is a human value that has inspired many poets, politicians, spiritual leaders, and philosophers for centuries. Poets have rhapsodized about freedom for centuries. Politicians present the utopian view that a perfect society would be one where we all live in freedom, and spiritual leaders teach that life is a spiritual journey leading the soul to unite with God, thus achieving ultimate freedom and happiness. In addition, we have the philosophers who perceive freedom as an inseparable part of our nature, and spend their lives questioning the concept of freedom and attempting to understand it (Transformative Dialogue, n.d.).
I was very excited to take Death and Dying as a college level course. Firstly, because I have always had a huge interest in death, but it coincides with a fear surrounding it. I love the opportunity to write this paper because I can delve into my own experiences and beliefs around death and dying and perhaps really establish a clear personal perspective and how I can relate to others in a professional setting.
One thing that we often hear is that “death is just a part of life.” So often in our day and age do we hear people utter these words. However, death is far more significant and impactful than some would allege. True death is not merely a time when we cease to exist; it is an entombment, a mindset in which we are dead to this world. Throughout our lives, it is true that we can all be dead in one way or another, but it does not have to be that way. When we have our eyes opened to what death actually is, it is far easier to grasp what the true meaning of life is, and to embrace it. Often, we will come across individuals who are enveloped in death and others who are immersed in true life. The shadow of death and entombment lies upon some, encompassing