Human Death: The Fear Of The Expected

- Heralyn Delos Santos

"If I take death into my life, acknowledge it, and face it squarely.
I will free myself from the anxiety of life - and only then I will be free to
become myself."
- Martin Heidegger

Have you ever wondered what happens once you die? If there’s really a
new world or a new life waiting to begin right after yours end? The theory
of death and other myths your faith brought you to believe;
reincarnation, climbing up the gates of heaven or burning your way down
to hell, or simply just disappearing the moment your heart stops beating.

The concept of death has a use for the living, while death itself has no use
for anything. All we can say about death is that it is either real or it is not
real. If it is real, then the end of one's life is a simple termination.

How does our faith affect how we see and accept death? Our religious and
cultural backgrounds explain our faith. We all see death differently. Some
may see death as the end, while some, the beginning. The idea of our own
death naturally comes during times of danger. People who constantly feel
the fear and anxiety of death only do what is natural for humans as a
response to threats, internally and externally.

As harsh as it seems, one must consider one’s own death even once. Some
may have difficulties accepting it. What happens after death cannot be
explained by science nor faith. It has long been debated for centuries, yet
no one can defy neither. You may think that heaven or hell awaits once
you’re dead, or that you’ll become a God. Maybe even believe that you’ll
turn into an unconscious being or an entirely different person. This is the
desire for immortality that may come with greed.

The most “logical” idea of death is just the end. Death is inevitable, certain,
indefinite, and non-relational; cutting all relationships with everyone. You
disappear and leave everything and everyone behind.
The existentialist approach to living indeed give our own life meaning and
purpose, causing certain responsibilities and objectives which affect how
we live or perceive life to become the source of our greatest anxiety. The
luxury and clout of being alive would oftentimes make you wish for
immortality. Enjoying your own life hinders you from accepting death.

Not fearing and ignorance are completely different. As death can be an eye
opener to the beautiful and important things in life, accepting death in
accordance with responsibility and respect is crucial if we want to live a
meaningful life before the end.

The Philosophy on Human Death begins with the death of Socrates, but he
goes to his death with equanimity - without fear. And the key thing is that
philosophy can allow you to overcome the fear of death without requiring a
belief in the afterlife, a sort of longing for immortality.

Philosopher Martin Heidegger’s views on death teaches us that accepting

death is the key to live an authentic life.
He considers metaphysics to be the source of anxiety of death. Death
cannot be outstripped. Human beings protect themselves from death
because of it.
"One should understand that although the way of the world really is
"inexistence", it is unknowable or incomprehensible to us."

Inexistence is not against reality and it is possible through death. The most
certain possibility of existence is death. If we know what will certainly
come, our anxiety will slowly disappear. As long as we fear death, we will
be far from living an authentic life. Living a meaningful life is key to a
meaningful death.