The nature of death

2. the nature of death 6.12.06 �Exactly what do we mean when we say that man is mortal? Obviously it�s not a compliment.� -- Woody Allen

3. 3 branches of philosophy metaphysics: study of the nature of reality what exists? what is it, really? epistemology: study of the nature of knowledge how do we know? what do we know? axiology: study of the nature of value what is good? bad? right? wrong? meaningful? meaningless? beautiful? sublime? of course, there are more branches than these (e.g. phil of language, social-political phil, phil of law) what exists? objects, properties, relations, facts, states, processes, events, propositions what is it, really? objects = x; properties = x; facts = x; etc. how do we know? perception, memory, testimony, reasoning, intuition/commonsense what do we know? S knows that p iff S has a justified true (defeater-less) belief that p. (We can ignore the defeater-less bit for now.) IMPORTANT: note the following 3 corresponding distinctions: what a thing is (concept) vs. how we know an instance of that thing (criteria) vs. how we should regard and treat that thing (moral worth/status)of course, there are more branches than these (e.g. phil of language, social-political phil, phil of law) what exists? objects, properties, relations, facts, states, processes, events, propositions what is it, really? objects = x; properties = x; facts = x; etc. how do we know? perception, memory, testimony, reasoning, intuition/commonsense what do we know? S knows that p iff S has a justified true (defeater-less) belief that p. (We can ignore the defeater-less bit for now.) IMPORTANT: note the following 3 corresponding distinctions: what a thing is (concept) vs. how we know an instance of that thing (criteria) vs. how we should regard and treat that thing (moral worth/status)

4. death, dying, being dead dying: a process one is still alive; typically involves conscious episodes, or experiences being dead: a state (or property) one is not alive; an �experiential blank� death: an event intervenes between dying and being dead; it takes place at the end of dying and at the beginning of being dead; an �experiential blank�

5. definition/analysis these aren�t definitions a definition is an analysis example: bachelor for more details, see the Handout on Analysis an event E is the death of S if and only if E is the permanent and irreversible cessation of relevant aspects of life note: different accounts/approaches take different aspects to be the relevant ones �if and only if� means the same thing as �=def�. it is also sometimes written as �iff�. see the handout on analysis for more details. NECESSARY (�only if�) VS. SUFFICIENT (�if�) CONDITIONS. COUNTEREXAMPLES & THOUGHT EXPERIMENTS (like the ones with which we began class).�if and only if� means the same thing as �=def�. it is also sometimes written as �iff�. see the handout on analysis for more details. NECESSARY (�only if�) VS. SUFFICIENT (�if�) CONDITIONS. COUNTEREXAMPLES & THOUGHT EXPERIMENTS (like the ones with which we began class).

6. death 3 basic approaches/accounts biological: what is it to be a living organism? a. traditional criterion (heart & lungs) b. brain-death criterion the whole brain, or just those parts which support cognition moral: when is it justifiable to regard and treat someone as being dead? metaphysical: what is required for a person to persist through time? note that these are not analyses of death, or being dead; rather, they are ways of justifying particular views of death. not also that they are not incompatible: we should leave open the possibility for a conjunctive or disjunctive approach/account. QUESTION: should we seek a unitary account of death (applicable to all beings) or a human-specific account? if the former, do these approaches face the charge of anthropocentrism?note that these are not analyses of death, or being dead; rather, they are ways of justifying particular views of death. not also that they are not incompatible: we should leave open the possibility for a conjunctive or disjunctive approach/account. QUESTION: should we seek a unitary account of death (applicable to all beings) or a human-specific account? if the former, do these approaches face the charge of anthropocentrism?

7. 3 questions about death is it rational to fear death? yes, no, sometimes is death bad? yes, no, sometimes what is the relation between death and the meaning of life? death makes meaning impossible death makes meaning possible there is no relation at all of course, there are more questions than these (e.g., what is the legal significance of death?) note that one can answer �yes� in a variety of ways � e.g., by introducing qualifications/clarifications/subtleties. the same goes for �no� and �sometimes�. of course, there are more questions than these (e.g., what is the legal significance of death?) note that one can answer �yes� in a variety of ways � e.g., by introducing qualifications/clarifications/subtleties. the same goes for �no� and �sometimes�.

8. for tomorrow read (MD) Murphy, �Rationality and the Fear of Death� (recommended, not required) (CP) Epicurus, �The Pursuit of Pleasure� (MD) Nagel, �Death� (MD) Rosenbaum, �How to Be Dead and Not Care�