I understand the natural fear we have of pain and suffering, but why should we fear an eventuality we all understand will come? The universe has existed for billions of years before we arrived, and will continue to exist long after we have gone. Why should we fear a time when we no longer exist? Does this fear not just prevent us from taking actions we understand to be in our best interest in the present?

Discuss

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lucy rice on April 10, 2008, 10:13 PM

We fear death because we fear the abrupt end to things. We like denounments better than a ultimate resolution.

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Jared Perlman on April 13, 2008, 3:33 PM

The fear of death, an inherent part of the human mind. Actually, not just the human mind, but the mind of all living beings. It is so omnipresent that if it is absent, we consider it to be a sign of insanity. The fear of death, as I see it, has many layers. This is because it is, at the simplest level, a biological failsafe. It is to ensure the survival of the species. At this point in time, that doesn’t have much power on its own. Then comes in the natural fear of the unknown. What we don’t know frightens us. People like to know what is going on. It makes us feel safe. Not knowing makes us feel as if we have no control over what is going on. To address that fear, we have things like religion which assure us that only good things wait for us after death. But if we believe that, then why do we STILL fear death? That is where we begin to realize that death represents the loss of all things familiar, things we know, things we love. Loss is something people are automatically adverse to. In truth, the list goes on an on, but I believe you get the point.

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Josie C on April 14, 2008, 8:08 PM

We don’t all fear death. But for those who do, I think the fear comes from recognizing that you have something to lose, something to finish, something unsaid or undone. But ideally we shouldn’t fear death because you are right, its a part of life.

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Timothy Johnston on April 16, 2008, 6:53 PM

Those who don’t fear death are no longer here to reproduce. Kind of a Darwinistic approach to things.

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Brittany D on April 18, 2008, 3:15 PM

we fear death because no one has complete faith in what happens after death.

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