Human Persons as Oriented
Towards Their Impending
Death
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.
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.
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.
• According to Martin Heidegger (1889-1976) in his book
Being and Time, Death is :
• (a) certain
• (b) indefinite
• (c) one’s property
• (d) non-relational
• (e) not to be outstripped
Death is certain.
Death is indefinite.
• While death is sure to come, it is however indefinite
as to when it will come.
• Death is impending, meaning to say, it can happen
anytime.
• That is why, we should try to live the best life that
we can for we never know the day of our end
Death is one’s property.
• The death of the person belongs to him.
• Nobody can experience his death except himself.
• There can be no proxies or substitutes for a person
in experiencing death.
Death is non-relational.
• This means that when we die, we die alone.
• We have no choice but to face it on our own.
• Death also removes all our relations
to others.
• In contemplating death, we realize our own
individuality and independence from the world.
Death is not to be outstripped.
• Death cannot be taken away from a person. Even
the person himself cannot remove the possibility of
death in his life.
• One cannot make himself live forever. Even though
we see in fiction movies the idea of immortality,
death, in real life is a definite reality which we
nothing can be done to be outstripped.
