Does the inevitability of death make life meaningless?
There is but one truly serious philosophical problem and that is suicide. Judging whether life is or is not worth living amounts to answering the fundamental question of philosophy. All the rest – whether or not the world has three dimensions, whether the mind has nine or twelve categories – comes afterwards. These are games; one must first answer.— Albert CamusIt’s a great calamity to throw this question out there to someone else, and rely on their answer. “Someone else” is generally made up of people who believe, who hope, who pretend. Rarely by people who think honestly.For example, a common approach is to make up some meaning, perhaps by pretending that “good” has meaning and that “prolonging good” thus makes you meaningful. Many answers here provide further examples. When you found out that Santa probably doesn’t exist, I wonder, did anyone suggest that you make up your own Christmas deity that is responsible for the presents? You could, and it would probably make you happier than the alternative, but is it an honest approach? Certainly not.In the final analysis, you are the only authority, since it is you who decide which answer you will listen to. Why not find your own answer, then? Ponder the question. Go deep, with focus and intent. Leave no stone unturned, and do not settle for muddy answers. It certainly is quite the endeavor, but indeed, one must first answer!Good luck.
If life is meaningless because of the inevitability of death, why live?
Scientifically speaking, “inevitability of death, is the reason for evolution of mankind.”If death wasn’t inevitable you won’t feel anything in life—you won’t do anything in your life. Nothing at all. All feelings originate from the knowledge of fact that everybody has to die, sooner or later. All science, technology and everything you see around yourself is because of the fact that people die and they are replaced by a fresh and evolved crop of human beings. Do you really think that a caveman would have invented wheel or fire for that matter?Consider this: If we were immortal, what would be the need for us to fall in love, have offspring, do something for the better of the society (or do something bad for the society if one is a politician). It is the best thing, which the nature could ever do.Just think about it. If a bad person became the sovereign in your nation like it happens in every country and everybody was immortal. That would have meant that that bad person or the some dimwit evil overlord would have had dominion over you forever. And I am sure nobody would want that.There is another aspect of significant import. Have you thought, what would have happened to the world population? If people were immortal, how would they feed themselves? We already have scarcity of resources and immortality added with increasing population?We can already see some glimpses of what is happening by the excessively prolonged human life. Humans have been able to prolong their life by decades in the past couple of centuries.Nature had made natural calamities, diseases and pestilences for maintaining ecological balance, so that not one single species has everything forever. But, humans have cheated. They have prepared medicines and technology in order to prolong their life and have procreated without foresight.And you can see the outcome: pollution, depreciating forest cover, deteriorating air quality, fertile land is being converted into barren landscapes, malnourished population, food adulteration, natural imbalance, unemployment.If people were immortal, nature would have only one option—the people would be unable to reproduce. Otherwise, our planet would not have been able to last this long.
If death is inevitable when why do we take birth?
Yes death is reality and appears in ones life. Its a must.Actually you have asked a complicayed question which includes another question that why we take birth. Isnt it?I’ll try my best to answer you.Actually, according to shiva and vishnu puran- it was a vaccum in everywhere before creation of the universe, it was just like a dark room with nothing, and passing an hour also in such an empty room is impossible.So, the sada shiva( also called the sanatan meaning completeness), wished himself to divide into infinite pieces, and you, i we all are one of that infinite pieces.It was done so because the sanatan felt loneliness, and wanted some activities around itself. And thus he created us all.Now, wheres the end of this restless endless voyage of life and birth. The end lies in your karmas and intensions.Every soul has a desire to enjoy the creations of the sanatan which includes living life on different planets, and thats why we take birth. To enjoy life and attain spiritual awareness.So, start living a happy life by being satisfied with what you have and stop mourning over things which you dont.Pray god to give you enough to fullfill your requirements only instead of wishing lots of money to spend unneccesary.Be happy and keep happy with your family by giving them love. Dont expect anything in return of your love to your family or else it would be no less than a business in which you keep exchanging the things.Try to get what you wish but dont forget others in doing so.Such practices will energise you with confidence and satisfaction, and help you keeping your mind cool.Keep meditating. And believe in god. That will definitely make your soul out of this cycle of birth and death and ultimately finishing off your individual identity and mixing you back into the sanatan, making you also a sanatan, and thus getting your journey to its destination.
Is death inevitable?
Even supposing that you could somehow attain a kind of physical immortality such that your body continually repaired itself, never reaching a specific point where your heart stopped beating or your brain stopped working, there is still a kind of philosophical objection to the idea that death has been defeated.Consider what an eighty year old might say if you asked them if their 18 year old self were still alive. Well, yes? Maybe? They never died in the intervening six decades, after all! But in another sense, no. However much they might have in common with their younger self and however many memories they might have, the person that they were no longer exists - too much has changed, too much has been learned, too many years have passed. In that sense, the 18 year old is dead.So even if we achieve a kind of immortality that allows us to live a thousand years or more, we will still experience a kind of death - either the centuries will change us enough that we are no longer the same people as before, or else and perhaps worse yet, we will gradually become fossils that no longer change with the passing years, even as we continue to maintain a kind of life.Death is part of a changing universe.
If death takes away everything in the end, then is there a point to anything?
i asked the same question some time ago. but didnt get any definite answer. i dont think there is. but if u believe in rebirths and karma then its all the things we do is for getting merged into the all-mighty in the end. but if it was all about being one again with the all-mighty, then why did 'it' seperate us from itself?? things remain unaswered, wherever u go. uh, this life seems so senseless! the only reason i see of doing anything is to pass the time on earth. better die.
If death is inevitable, why do people still have the will to live? Why do we keep going when nothing will come from what we do?
For the same reason that people have children. It is the circle of life. You were brought into this world by your parents. You were indulged, fed, educated and made capable of taking care of your needs. Then you got married and eventually decided to have children. Partly because you have a debt to repay to your parents for bringing you into this world and a debt to your children now too - for taking on responsibilities of indulging them, taking care of their needs till they are capable to doing so on their own. Death was always inevitable, still is and will always be. The fear of death should not be stopping you from fulfilling what are your moral responsibilities towards your parents, your siblings, your children and to the community around you and also to yourself. Life is too short to while away thinking about the inevitability of death. Life is for living and making each day count, taking joys in the simple pleasures of life, counting one’s blessings and being grateful for what you have and striving towards what you want. Always remember — for the world, you may be one person; but for one person, you may be the world.