HUMAN PERSONS AS

ORIENTED TOWARDS THEIR

IMPENDING DEATH
Engr. Efryl Jhon D. Reyes
 HOW DOES THE REALITY OF DEATH
DEFINE OUR LIVES?
✓ DEATH is commonly understood as the end of
bodily functions which signals the end of a person’s
life.
✓ It also refers to the separation of the body and
the spirit.
✓ The body, being material, is bound by laws of time
and space and is subject to growth, death, and
decay.
 HOW DOES THE REALITY OF DEATH
DEFINE OUR LIVES?
✓ We are born into human life, we grow and age, and
we eventually die. This paradox defines the
uniqueness of human existence.
 HOW DOES THE REALITY OF DEATH
DEFINE OUR LIVES?
✓ We must embrace the fact that death is an
integral part of our life.
✓ ACCEPTANCE of our temporality can give us a
clearer purpose and focus on our activities.
HOW I SHOULD LIVE MY LIFE BEFORE
IT FINALLY ENDS?

✓ SELF-DETERMINATION is the capacity to choose

and act for oneself. A person can still exercise
freedom in choosing how to face the reality of
death in their lives.
✓ We can choose to spend our lives doing good
and reasonable things. The person is the
author and protagonist who determines the
development and conclusion of his/ her
story.
 HOW I SHOULD LIVE MY LIFE BEFORE
IT FINALLY ENDS?
WHAT IS THE END OF THIS LIFE?
1. TERMINUS which means the full stop or end of a line.
For them, life ends and nothing follows.
2. TELOS which means “goal, purpose, or fulfillment.”
Death is not the goal of life.

➢ Man is put on this earth to live a meaningful life, to

be virtuous and achieve excellence
➢ We can look at two experiences which make us reflect
on the meaning of life: happiness and suffering.
 WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY?

✓ Ancient Greek philosophy considers happiness as

an achievement and must be gained by living a
productive and moral life.
✓ HAPPINESS is a “whole-life satisfaction”
based on our evaluation of our overall life
experiences.
✓ Happiness is a state of being and not merely an
emotional experience or a chosen mental
attitude.
 THE GOODS OR SOURCES OF
HAPPINESS
✓ NOBLE GOOD is one which is pursued for its own sake;
it is good in itself (Examples: love & friendship)
✓ USEFUL GOOD is considered good so long as it serves
as a means to an end; its goodness is found only from
what it can provide (Example: money)
✓ PLEASURABLE GOOD is good so long as it provides
some form of pleasure, though it does not have to be
physical (Netflix subscription, Mobile Legends)

❖ REAL HAPPINESS CAN BE FOUND IN MORE

PERMANENT AND MEANINGFUL THINGS.
 WHY DO WE SUFFER?
❖ SUFFERING takes place when we patiently
endure unpleasantness, discomfort, and pain
It may come from:
1. PHYSICAL SUFFERING (discomfort, hunger,
distress, & pain)
2. MENTAL SUFFERING (depression, anxiety, fear,
loneliness & grief)
✓ Sufferings are necessary, without it, we are unable
to grow and improve.
✓ Remember that difficulties are not without reason
HOW DO HAPPINESS, SUFFERING,
AND DEATH GIVE MEANING TO
YOUR LIFE?
✓ The pursuit of happiness requires that we go through
the effort to achieve it. Efforts are often marked by
difficulties and discouragement.
✓ The reality of death means that our existence is
unique and that we will not always get another
chance to do the things we want in this life.
Therefore, we should not easily give up on the
pursuit of good things.
 HOW DO HAPPINESS, SUFFERING,
AND DEATH GIVE MEANING TO
YOUR LIFE?
✓ Reflecting on the reality of death enables us to think of
how we can best live a meaningful life.
✓ We can strive to leave behind a legacy either in the
form of an inheritance, a reputation, or a significant
achievement.
✓ Because of our freedom, how we choose to live our
lives is entirely up to us.
✓ Life is a gift given to each person and it is important
to turn this life into a gift for others as well.