Introduction to the Philosophy of the

Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600

Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
Human Person
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268
Email: email@uc-bcf.edu.ph; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph Grade Level/Section: Grade11/12
Module 10 – Philo Subject Teacher: Erwin John E. Resurreccion

MODULE 10:
HUMAN PERSONS AS ORIENTED
TOWARDS IMPENDING DEATH
As we deal with our final lesson in Philosophy, we will be engaging ourselves in the discussion
of the different philosophical speculations on life and death, as well as lessons that we can
learn from those insights. “What is the meaning of life? Is death a threat to life? Is it logical to
fear our death?” These are few of the ultimate questions we will try to answer in this module.

Learning Objectives:
A. distinguish the different perspectives about life and death;
B. determine lessons that can be learned from those perspectives; and
C. recognize the meaning of his/her own life.

THE DANCING COFFIN MEME

On the onset of global lockdown due to coronavirus pandemic, a meme known as “The
Dancing Coffin/Dancing Pallbearers/Coffin Dancers” quickly rose to fame. While it was used
for many hilarious videos and content around the internet, it is significant to note that this
meme is a huge funeral tradition in Ghana. Funeral rites in Ghana are grand and lavish.
Pallbearers are hired by the family members to celebrate the life of their dead loved one. They
carry the dead’s coffin while dancing to the beat of jazz music or African rhythm. In addition,
huge billboards are displayed around the site to notify and attract others to join. It is believed
that more guests make the event more festive. How do you feel about this tradition? Is it right
to hold such event? Do you want your funeral to be as festive as this? What is your own
perspective about death?
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 Introduction to the Philosophy of the
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
Human Person
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268
Email: email@uc-bcf.edu.ph; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph Grade Level/Section: Grade11/12
Module 10 – Philo Subject Teacher: Erwin John E. Resurreccion

You see, different cultures have varying perspectives about death and in return, multiple
practices have been done worldwide in response to death. But what exactly is death? Is it a
complete loss of life or is it a gate towards another life?

Cessation means “to cease” or “to come to an end.” When a person dies, all of the vital
functions in his/her body that sustains life is gone and cannot be brought back. After death,
the body will undergo a state of decomposition; it will be broken down into simple organic
substances which is carried out by microorganisms such bacteria and fungi. It is significant to
note, however, that in the lenses of religion and philosophy, there’s more to death than the
cessation of life and decomposition.

RELIGIOUS BELIEFS ABOUT DEATH

Various cultures across the world consider death as

a path to another life. Hindus and Buddhists believe
that after death, they will be reincarnated to
another life form depending on the quality of their
past life. This is enshrined in their principle called
“samsara” or wheel of life. Through good deeds and
eventual enlightenment, they can achieve
complete liberation from the cycle of life and
suffering, and this is called moksha (by Hindus) or
nirvana (by Buddhists).

The belief of Ancient Egyptians in the afterlife is best

manifested by their mummification practice. They
carefully and meticulously embalm the dead and
wrap it with cloth. Then, they place the mummy on
a stone coffin called “sarcophagus” together with
some of the dead’s possession since they believe that the dead will need these on the afterlife.

Muslims also believe in life after death which they call as “akhirah.” They believe that it is only
Allah who will decide when a person dies. All of the dead will be brought before Allah on the
Day of Judgement (Yawm al-din), and judged based on the quality of their earthly lives. Those
who have performed good deeds than bad will enter “Jannah” (Paradise) while those who
did more bad deeds than good will enter “Jahannam” (Hell).

Christians have similar beliefs when it comes to afterlife by which all people will eventually die
and will face the Judgement Day. God will determine those who will live a blissful life on
heaven and those who will have an eternal suffering on hell.
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 Introduction to the Philosophy of the
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
Human Person
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268
Email: email@uc-bcf.edu.ph; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph Grade Level/Section: Grade11/12
Module 10 – Philo Subject Teacher: Erwin John E. Resurreccion

PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES ABOUT DEATH

Since time immemorial, philosophers have been philosophizing about big questions regarding
death. While they agree on the inevitability and eventuality of death, they have conflicting
perspectives about its essence, value, or importance.

A. It is illogical to fear our death

Socrates was the greatest philosopher during his time when he was sentenced to death by
the government because of so-called “corrupting” the minds of young people (which is
teaching the youth how to philosophize and examine everything, even the government itself).
However, he remained calm even at the time of his execution. How? It may come from his
view about death. Socrates believed that death can be two things: a) dreamless sleep, or b)
passage to another life. For him, neither of the two is bad so it is illogical to fear our death.

1. Death is a Dreamless Sleep

If death is a dreamless sleep, then it would be the most
restful, peaceful, and undisturbed sleep we would ever
have. It is important to note, however, that this premise
does not give us a permission to kill or commit suicide.
Socrates argued that our life belongs to a higher being
and should not be harmed intentionally.

2. Death is a Passage to Another Life

Socrates believes that there may be an afterlife. In this
existence, we have no physical bodies. We only have
disembodied minds hanging around with others. For
Socrates, this is good since we do not need to be bothered
by the necessity to take care of our physical bodies. No need to eat, hydrate, nourish, urinate,
defecate, among others. It will be a life of endless philosophical thinking and conversations.

B. Death is nothing to us

Epicurus is best known for his quote “Death is the cessation of sensation.” Meaning, we lose
our sensation or capacity to experience anything, be it good or bad. If you die, you will not
experience any happiness or joy or sadness or suffering since you lost sensations that allow you
to feel those things. You won’t get to experience anything delightful and awesome. Likewise,
you won’t get to feel any awful and painful experiences. Hence, death is neither good or bad.
Death should not be feared. For Epicurus, what matters is not your death, but how you live your
life. You have to start contemplating about your life and strive to make your life better and
more meaningful.

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 Introduction to the Philosophy of the
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
Human Person
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268
Email: email@uc-bcf.edu.ph; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph Grade Level/Section: Grade11/12
Module 10 – Philo Subject Teacher: Erwin John E. Resurreccion

C. It makes sense to fear death because death can be bad, especially if it is premature

Thomas Nagel argues that there is a

reason to mourn or be sad when a life
is cut short. Since humans have an
average lifespan of about 80 years,
someone dying at the age of 20 is a
tragedy, because that person
missed out on 60 possible years of
great times.

For example, suppose that a healthy

young man has a strong desire to
write a best-selling novel and then is
killed at the age of 30 before he had
the opportunity to complete the
novel. His death would prevent him
from enjoying the satisfaction of
achieving his goal.

It’s also logical to fear the death of

someone you hold dear. Aristotle
points out that humans are social
beings and they greatly rely on social
relationships. Some of these
relationships are built on trust, love,
and empathy. Some relationships
provide priceless memories and
invaluable experiences. Some
relationships can cross or transcend
differences and borders. Some
relationships can be lifelong. Thus, it
makes sense to mourn the death of a
family member or a friend. The death
of a love one would give us a deep
sense of loss, especially if that person
had a huge positive impact and
influence to our life.

D. Accept death since it is a part of the life cycle

As much as we know the inevitability of death, it is hard for us to deal with the loss of a loved
one. So Zhuangzhi, a Daoist philosopher, offers an insight about grief and death. He points out
that we should see death on a larger perspective, in the lenses of nature; that death is one of
the changes constantly taking place in this world. We celebrate every other life milestone like
birthday, graduation, or marriage to mark the passage of time and the changes that have
come. Death is just one more change. Why treat it differently? Instead, we should celebrate
the death of a loved one just as we celebrated every other life changes they have
experienced. We should consider their death as a sendoff party for a grand journey. When it’s
time for the people you love to move on, we must honor and remember them.

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 Introduction to the Philosophy of the
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
Human Person
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268
Email: email@uc-bcf.edu.ph; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph Grade Level/Section: Grade11/12
Module 10 – Philo Subject Teacher: Erwin John E. Resurreccion

PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES ABOUT LIFE

We know that at some point, we will eventually die. As we prepare ourselves towards that
inevitable moment, philosophers suggest that we should start contemplating about our own
existence, to philosophize about the ultimate questions regarding life.

There are disputes going on about the philosophy of life. Some philosophers argue that life is
purposeful. Life has a meaning. Others say that life is simply absurd and meaningless. Why?
Let’s find out as we uncover the different philosophical speculations on the nature of life.

A. Essentialism

Philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle, introduced the idea that

humans are imbued with essence, an inherent purpose. Essence refers
to a set of properties that are important for something to be what it is.
For example, a knife without a blade won’t be considered as a knife.
The blade is the essential property of the knife because it gives the knife
its defining function such as cutting or slicing. Same thing applies for
humans. In this line of thinking, it is the essence or purpose that gives
our life meaning, and to live a good life is to adhere by it. If you are
born with a purpose, then how would you know it? Some essentialists
use William Paley’s teleological argument or the “argument of design” to offer a way of
knowing our purpose. According to this argument, it is the creator who gives purpose to the
object he designed and created, like a watch to a watchmaker or shoes to a shoemaker.

Nothing sprung to existence without any purpose. Everything is carefully designed to perform
a certain function. If we will apply this line of thinking to human existence, it makes sense to
know who created us and to ask our creator our own purpose in life. In the lens of monotheistic
faith such as Christianity, God is our creator. Hence, we must inquire our own purpose or
meaning of our own existence to God or believe that God will eventually reveal our purpose
later as we live or own life.
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 Introduction to the Philosophy of the
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
Human Person
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268
Email: email@uc-bcf.edu.ph; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph Grade Level/Section: Grade11/12
Module 10 – Philo Subject Teacher: Erwin John E. Resurreccion

B. Existentialism

In contrast to essentialism, philosophers like Friedrich Nietzsche, Soren Kierkegaard, Albert

Camus, and Jean-Paul Sartre argue that life has no meaning. No one is born with
predetermined purpose. We live by the context of absurdity in which we search for meaning
in a meaningless world. This line of thinking became a framework for a radical school of
thought which we call as “existentialism.”

“
”

Existentialists think that “existence precedes essence” – that we do not have any inherent
purpose so we have to create it on our own. We are free to choose a path that we will follow
in life. If our life is empty, we are free to fill it with meaning. It is us who will decide our own life’s
essence. After all, as Sartre points out, “we are condemned to be free.”

It’s significant to note, however, than in a meaningless world, there is a terrifying abundance
of freedom. If we are condemned to be free, then we are prone to use our freedom improperly
and misguidedly. Sartre believes that we are responsible for everything that we do. Hence, we
have to be careful on our choice of actions. We have to make sure that our decisions won’t
cause harm and misery to ourselves and to others.

In addition, Sartre believes that we have to use our

freedom to live authentically and to avoid what he calls
as “bad faith”. When we have bad faith, we believe that
what we see or feel should be the way that it is; that
things will happen the way we expected and there are
no other options or possibilities. Bad faith can be seen in
ugly relationships. Some couples force themselves to
believe that they can be happy together even though
right from the start, they know that they are not
compatible. To be more specific, let’s suppose that a
lady entertains a suitor and she wants that guy to like her
for her good personality. What the lady doesn’t realize is
the possibility of that guy to like her only for her looks but
not her character. Despite the grim possibility, she chose
to stay in a relationship with him. Bad faith will lead them
to throw the blame on each other when really, it’s their
own doing. Sartre and other existentialists want to
remind us to be true to ourselves, to be wise in using our
freedom, and to make the right decisions.

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 Introduction to the Philosophy of the
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
Human Person
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268
Email: email@uc-bcf.edu.ph; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph Grade Level/Section: Grade11/12
Module 10 – Philo Subject Teacher: Erwin John E. Resurreccion

C. The Absurdity and Beauty of Life

“Sawa na ako sa buhay! Parang

wala nang nangyayari! Paulit-ulit
na lang na ganito!” Some of us
may been fed up with our lives
since the coronavirus pandemic.
We wake up, we eat, we do
household chores, we study or do
our work, we do other stuff, and
we sleep. It feels like we do the
same agonizing routine every
day and then nothing seems to
happen – that everything you do
is futile. If you feel like your life has
been a waste and you are about
to give up, always remember the
lesson we can learn from the
story of Sisyphus.

Th Myth of Sisyphus is a Greek

legend about a Corinthian king
named “Sisyphus” who tricked
the Olympian gods and escaped
death multiple times. Upon his
arrest, Sisyphus was condemned
by the gods to roll a rock to the
top of a mountain every day,
only for it to roll back down for
him to repeat all over again.

Albert Camus, an Algerian existentialist, used Sisyphus’ myth as a metaphor for the individual’s
persistent struggle against the essential absurdity of life. He argues that just like Sisyphus, we
must learn to accept this reality and move on. We have to embrace this seemingly perpetual
struggle and accept its meaninglessness. When you accept the emptiness of life, you would
come to realize its beauty – that you have the power to create your own journey from its
meaninglessness. If you are not happy at what you do, learn to love it or if not, find other things
that you enjoy as long as it will not cause any harm. Become an engineer and build a home
for your family. Become a doctor and save lives. Be a good parent and create a beautiful
childhood for your kids. Indulge yourself in arts. Be an amazing best friend. Volunteer your time
promoting a cause you care about. Do whatever it is that you want for as long as it is good
and you make meaning out of it.

You must never give in to circumstantial disappointments or try to escape from the failures,
rather accept failures the same way we accept our achievements. There are times that you
will be able to push your rock at the top. There will be times that life will cause it to roll down.
You will experience moments of joy and pain, of happiness and grief, and of pleasure and
suffering, but do not lose yourself along the way. Build your wisdom out of these experiences.
And most importantly, no matter how much you lose in our quest, you must never back down
till you fulfill our own potential. Rest if you must but never quit!

Page 7 of 8
 Introduction to the Philosophy of the
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
Human Person
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268
Email: email@uc-bcf.edu.ph; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph Grade Level/Section: Grade11/12
Module 10 – Philo Subject Teacher: Erwin John E. Resurreccion

D. Life is better with Philosophy

Socrates noticed that we hardly give ourselves time to think reasonably and logically about
our lives and how to live them. Our mind is often dragged by the popular opinion or “doxa”
as the Greeks called it. Critically thinking about your life is important because at the end, what
you feel about it is all that matters. We are often carried away by doxa and lead towards a
life which is not worth living. These popular opinions aim to shape our future without looking
into our capability, desires, and passion and edges to failed careers, relationships, and life
eventually. This sort of unknowingly forced determinism questions our free will as an individual
which is simply an effect of the cause, the cause which is — ‘you are not thinking’. The answer
to all this can be funneled to just one thought — Know Yourself. Subject your own thoughts
and ideas to examination, rather than acting on impulse. Knowing yourself will help to
strengthen your knowledge and won’t allow you to get pulled by feelings so easily. Thinking
about one’s real self and leaving all influential elements to divert and distract is the only thing
required to know about yourself and work towards what you really want. Thinking is the key for
you to know your way of life in order to live like that. Examine yourself and exit the rat race you
are stuck in. Engage in philosophical speculation about yourself. Never stop questioning and
never stop striving for the truth. Continue to live working to be better, to know more, and to
revise your position based on new evidence. Your life will eventually become worthy enough
with no regrets even at the face of the death. Live your life with Philosophy!

References:
• Sioco, M.P. & Vinzons, I. (2016) Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person: Vibal Group
• Atim, B. C. (2019). Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person: Diwa Learning Systems Inc.
• Dogra, A. (2019). “An unexamined life is not worth living”. Medium.com. Retrieved from:
https://medium.com/@aniketdogra/an-unexamined-life-is-not-worth-living-85a603516dbe
• Crashcourse. (2017). What Is a Good Life?: Crash Course Philosophy #46. Retrieved from:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ra1Dmz-5HjU

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