Death is a very unique event at the end of life that no one can do for us. Death has been a topic of debate in religion and philosophy since the beginning of human existence. Death is an eternal severance, a deep darkness, a heavy silence, that turns everything into nothingness. Humans fundamentally feel existential anxiety in the face of this inevitable death, and dream of a hope to overcome death.
The understanding of death varies from ‘death as the severance of life’ seen by natural science to ‘death as eternal immortality’ claimed by religion. Feuerbach (1804-1872), a materialist, emphasized the meaning of ‘natural death’, which involves living healthily in this life, reaching the end of one’s life, hopefully in old age, and recognized the importance of the unique life of this world and urged people to actively live their lives for meaningful causes.
However, natural death, which derives its significance only from its relevance to worldly life, has limitations in understanding death as a limiting situation that we face, regardless of age, even though it is a representative symbol expressing the world view of natural science and modernity. Even if natural death in old age is ideal, it is actually difficult for a dying person to reconcile with the unfamiliar death that is approaching.
Existential philosopher Jaspers (1883-1969) argues that death, as a fundamental and limiting situation of the human condition, contains significant meaning that goes beyond the biological end, which is to understand and clarify human existence. Death is something that humans can never overcome and is, in itself, inaccessible to experience and comprehension.
Death represents an 'absolute ignorance' and 'absolute silence,' being something that cannot be described or contemplated. The moment death comes meaningfully is not at the moment of biological death, but at the moment of encountering death as a limiting situation that awakens the possible abyss of existence. This attitude is neither a stoic calmness that does not fear death nor a denial of the world that overcomes the emptiness of death through a life beyond. Instead, the true meaning of death is revealed in the attitude of willingly shouldering and enduring the weight of pain that comes from being aware of one's own death and the end of one's existence.
Heidegger (1889-1976) defines human existence as 'being towards death.' Death signifies the 'absence of being' where everything becomes nothing, and only when humans proactively approach death do they come to make meaningful commitments regarding their existence. Humans fundamentally worry about their own existential possibility, and this worry is founded on the presence of death. What humans ultimately and terminally bear is the possibility of death. When faced with the possibility of death, humans can finally exist as their true selves. Humans are not beings who come to an end with death at every moment; instead, they are beings who are driven towards the end from the moment they are born. Death does not signify only the end of life or a rupture in life; rather, it is a fundamental element that allows one to view life holistically and comprehensibly, thus enriching life with greater meaning.
The moment when death approaches meaningfully is not the moment of biological death, but the moment when we existentially encounter death as a limiting situation that awakens the possible abyss of existence. This attitude is neither a Stoic calm that does not fear death, nor a denial that overcomes the futility of death with life on the other side. Instead, the true meaning of death is revealed in the attitude of being aware of one’s own death and willingly bearing and enduring the weight of the pain of one’s own existence ending.
Human beings do not face death at every moment, but are born to die. Death does not signify a disconnection from life, but instead it allows us to view life holistically and comprehensively, making it more meaningful through its limitations.
