If there is one thing that can destroy any meaning of life, then it is DEATH. You think you are important, can't be missed and "poof", you can be dead the next day and in the worst scenario, even forgotten after a while.
You can imagine, that from the moment homo sapiens became aware of his finitude, he asked the question: "Why am I here?" and was confronted with the answer: "To die eventually".
Man never accepted that answer and was striving for imperishability, immortality, in no time. This striving has deep historical roots. The most famous evidence is perhaps Gilgamesh.
The Epic of Gilgamesh is an epic from ancient Mesopotamia, written c.a. 2100 -1200 B.C. Gilgamesh became the hero par excellence of the ancient world—an adventurous, brave, but tragic figure symbolizing man's vain but endless drive for fame, glory, and immortality.
The denial of death may have been one of the first priorities of man. "The Denial of Death" is also the title of a Pulitzer Prize-winning book, written by Ernest Becker (1924 – 1974), an American cultural anthropologist.
Becker claimed that: "In The Denial of Death I argued that man's innate and all-encompassing fear of death drives him to attempt to transcend death through culturally standardized hero systems and symbols.
In the book, his premise was that human civilization is a defense mechanism against the knowledge of our mortality. Becker argues that a basic duality in human life exists between the physical world of objects and biology, and a symbolic world of human meaning.
Thus, since humanity has a dualistic nature consisting of a physical self and a symbolic self, we can transcend the dilemma of mortality by focusing our attention mainly on our symbolic selves,
that means, on our culturally based self-esteem, which Becker calls "heroism": a "defiant creation of meaning" expressing "the myth of the significance of human life" as compared to other animals.
This counters the personal insignificance and finitude that death represents in the human mind.
Maybe you already have understood: civilization as a defense mechanism against the knowledge of our mortality. a symbolic self. That sounds like the idea of an afterlife or immortalizing yourself in a work of art.
People have sought immortality in all historical periods, right up to the present day. Even Isaac Newton was looking for the Philosopher's Stone, which among other things could heal all illnesses and thus lengthen life indefinitely.
Contemporary research is of course not about immortality, but about research into combating the signs of aging, for example.
What to think about our striving for immortality? Let's think about it. We only give meaning to any existence if we are aware of it or have a memory of it.
This latter leads to a surprising and possibly meaningful insight: if we only give meaning to life if we are aware of it or have some memory of it, then this life is subjectively considered, that is, reasoned from our experience, something without a beginning or an end.
Since we will never experience our own beginning or end and therefore never have any memory of it, subjectively considered we have eternal life, or at least a life without a beginning or an end.
After all, the beginning of our life is shrouded in mist in terms of consciousness, as is its end. In this way, we seem to have always been there and always to be there.
Are we then immortal without realizing it? Of course not. We see people being born and dying around us, although we will never have any memory of it for ourselves.
Objectively life has a beginning and an end, no person has ever returned, but subjectively not. How about that?
Thank you for your attention again...
Main Sources:
MacMillan The Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2nd edition
TABLE OF CONTENT -----------------------------------------------------------------
1 - 100 Philosophers 9 May 2009 Start of
2 - 25+ Women Philosophers 10 May 2009 this blog
3 - 25 Adventures in Thinking 10 May 2009
4 - Modern Theories of Ethics 29 Oct 2009
5 - The Ideal State 24 Febr 2010 / 234
6 - The Mystery of the Brain 3 Sept 2010 / 266
7 - The Utopia of the Free Market 16 Febr 2012 / 383
8. - The Aftermath of Neo-liberalism 5 Sept 2012 / 413
9. - The Art Not to Be an Egoist 6 Nov 2012 / 426
10 - Non-Western Philosophy 29 May 2013 / 477
11 - Why Science is Right 2 Sept 2014 / 534
12 - A Philosopher looks at Atheism 1 Jan 2015 / 557
13 - EVIL, a philosophical investigation 17 Apr 2015 / 580
14 - Existentialism and Free Will 2 Sept 2015 / 586
15 - Spinoza 2 Sept 2016 / 615
16 - The Meaning of Life 13 Febr 2017 / 637
17 - In Search of my Self 6 Sept 2017 / 670
18 - The 20th Century Revisited 3 Apr 2018 / 706
19 - The Pessimist 11 Jan 2020 / 819
20 - The Optimist 9 Febr 2020 / 824
21 - Awakening from a Neoliberal Dream 8 Oct 2020 / 872
22 - A World Full of Patterns 1 Apr 2021 / 912
23 - The Concept of Freedom 8 Jan 2022 / 965
24 - Materialism 7 Sept 2022 / 1011
25 - Historical Materialism 5 Oct 2023 / 1088
26 - The Bonobo and the Atheist 9 Jan 2024 / 1102
27 - Artificial Intelligence 9 Feb 2024 / 1108
28 - Why Am I Here 6 Sept 2024 / 1139
[13:14] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): Thank you Herman
[13:14] Max Chatnoir: Very interesting distinction! Our birth and death only matter to other people.
[13:14] Max Chatnoir: Or is only marked by them.
[13:15] herman Bergson: Looks like it Max :-)
[13:15] herman Bergson: It is a bit in line with such ideas as "Life in the NOW, the present"
[13:16] herman Bergson: We just are....not beginning or ending only aging
[13:17] herman Bergson: Relates to the ideas, too, like live your life to the full now....as a meaning of life
[13:17] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): that's true I guess
[13:18] herman Bergson: What I find interesting is that dichotomy of physical body / symbolic body
[13:19] herman Bergson: At least Christianity is very negative about the physical body....it is the soul that counts
[13:19] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): the body is just a physical shell
[13:19] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): the consciousness is in the soul
[13:19] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): as I understand the concept
[13:19] herman Bergson: Muslims blow themselves up, their symbolic body gets 72 virgins
[13:19] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): a virgin can be an old man too
[13:20] herman Bergson: :-)
[13:20] Max Chatnoir: Our nonphysical part includes our interactions with other people. So that lives on.
[13:20] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): hmm these suicide bombers :(
[13:20] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): (shudders)
[13:20] herman Bergson: We become memories, Max
[13:21] herman Bergson: or leave some artwork behind
[13:21] herman Bergson: and kids :-)
[13:21] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): i hope i will be a good memory
[13:21] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ㋡
[13:22] herman Bergson: You have to wait for that Beertje :-)
[13:22] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): a long time I hope
[13:22] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): yes!
[13:22] Max Chatnoir: I have one of your pictures in my husband's little cabin on Genome. So that is some you and some him.
[13:22] herman Bergson: working on it myself :-)
[13:23] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): ツ
[13:23] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): but indeed what is it that makes me me?
[13:23] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): well
[13:23] herman Bergson: Who's picture, Max, mine?
[13:24] Max Chatnoir: Beertje's
[13:24] herman Bergson: Ahh..
[13:25] herman Bergson: I have one to in RL even :-)
[13:25] Max Chatnoir: I thought he would have liked it.
[13:25] bergfrau Apfelbaum: i think that the people we love today will always remember us until they too are gone :-)
[13:25] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): famous Beer
[13:26] Max Chatnoir: Nice, Herman!
[13:26] herman Bergson: So, symbolically and subjectively we could experience a kind of immortality.
[13:27] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): unless gene technology can soon prolong our lives
[13:27] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): well see
[13:27] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): well
[13:27] Max Chatnoir: Did you read the last Harry Potter book where he sort of does and goes to a train station and talks to Dumbledore? And he asks " is this real or only in my head". And Dumbledore said "of course it is in your head, but does that make it not real?
[13:27] herman Bergson: Littke chance Bejiita
[13:28] Max Chatnoir: Sorry, sort of dies....
[13:28] herman Bergson: Berkley's idealism, Max :-)
[13:28] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): well logically it should be possible if we can repair what is breaking but i have not checked too much into it, i read about some guy doing some stem cell therapy that supposedly made him younger,
[13:29] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): at least he felt like that
[13:29] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): did not check into it too much but we live in the scientific era
[13:29] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): as said, well see
[13:29] herman Bergson: I'd advise BOTOX, Bejiita :-)
[13:29] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): grins
[13:29] herman Bergson: That works :-)
[13:30] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): being old is not a crime
[13:30] Max Chatnoir: Who knew that botulism would be cosmetic?
[13:30] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): it's poison
[13:30] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): true
[13:31] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): hmm
[13:31] herman Bergson: But all these cosmetic treatments to hide aging...man will at least look immortal, even today
[13:31] bergfrau Apfelbaum: every wrinkle on your face tells a little story. You should be proud of that. Eternal youth. no thanks!
[13:32] Max Chatnoir: I think my sister took it for her headaches.
[13:32] Max Chatnoir: Maybe still does.
[13:32] herman Bergson: Well, there is one problem that crossed my mind....
[13:32] Second Life: Jιммy Sɳσω (JimmyChambers) is now known as Jιммy.
[13:32] herman Bergson: Suppose man becomes immortal...what will happen to this planet?
[13:33] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): full of old man
[13:33] herman Bergson: full is full at a certain moment in time, I'd say
[13:33] Max Chatnoir: Yes, you can live forever but you have to be celibate. :-)
[13:34] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): full of virgins:)))
[13:34] Max Chatnoir: What a thought!
[13:34] herman Bergson: Well, at least the population may not grow
[13:34] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): more than the 79 in heaven
[13:34] herman Bergson: And being immortal....what is the meaning of staying alive forever....how do you see your future?
[13:36] herman Bergson: And why would you want to stay alive forever?
[13:36] herman Bergson: Is it motivated by fear of death?
[13:36] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): forever is very long.....
[13:36] Max Chatnoir: Yes and spend most of my time cleaning up the house?
[13:36] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): well a bright nice one I hope although we now have multiple maniacs threatening to blow up all life on the planet with a global nuclear war
[13:36] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): that won't happen i hope for sure
[13:36] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): (shudders)
[13:37] Max Chatnoir: I hope so too, but relying on rationality isn't always, well, reliable.
[13:37] herman Bergson: Another one....what would be the meaning of war when everyone is immortal?
[13:37] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): those guys aren't rational at all for sure so...
[13:37] herman Bergson: You can not kill your opponent....oh my....
[13:38] CONNIE Eichel: it could be a nightmare
[13:38] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): what is the maening of war anyway?
[13:38] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): well you would still die if hit by a bomb, you just would not age
[13:38] Max Chatnoir: But you can knock off pieces? That would be truly gruesome!
[13:38] herman Bergson: I am getting to that belief myself too, CONNIE :-)
[13:39] herman Bergson: immortal is immortal, Bejiita, bombs or not
[13:39] CONNIE Eichel: full mode hehe
[13:39] Max Chatnoir: I think we're smart enough to find a solution, but we have to get serious.
[13:40] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): i think of genetically immortal, not explosion-proof
[13:40] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): that's a different thing
[13:40] herman Bergson: The more you think about it, the more bizar it becomes to see immortality as something that gives our life meaning
[13:40] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): then ud need to replace the skin and skeleton with pansar armor
[13:40] Max Chatnoir: no death, no evolution
[13:41] CONNIE Eichel: immortal, but not invulnerable... another nightmare
[13:41] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): genetic modification?
[13:41] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): hmm
[13:41] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): well it's complicated and deep
[13:42] herman Bergson: OK, gonna look for an alternative next Tuesday :-)
[13:43] Max Chatnoir: On Science Friday last week, there was something about introducing a heat shock protein gene into corals to unbleach them.
[13:43] herman Bergson: I have a feeling that physical immortality won't work in the long run
[13:44] herman Bergson: I hope it works, Max
[13:44] Max Chatnoir: I agree, Herman. Immortality is not the answer.
[13:44] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): speaking of nuclear war and genetic modification , i just got an AI-generated image sent to me about the new fusion of Trump and Putin named Trumpin
[13:44] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): the leader of the new United States of Russia
[13:44] Max Chatnoir: TrumPut
[13:44] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): leader
[13:44] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): (shudders again)
[13:45] herman Bergson: We are digressing
[13:45] Max Chatnoir: Yes, a truly dreadful apparition.
[13:45] herman Bergson: So, let me thank you all again
[13:45] Max Chatnoir: We are, Herman. Sorry!
[13:45] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): https://www.facebook.com/messenger_media/?attachment_id=459955583862727&message_id=mid.$gAAnA4XFYuzKYYVWuQWSMBBh5Ik3E&thread_id=2745349292210994
[13:45] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): here it is
[13:45] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): timing and coincidence?
[13:45] herman Bergson: Class dismissed...:-)
[13:45] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): from my Facebook friends
[13:45] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): well
[13:45] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ㋡
[13:45] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): sti hope for the best
[13:45] Max Chatnoir: Not available....
[13:46] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): some cards anyone?
[13:46] herman Bergson: Content is not available, Bejiita
[13:46] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): aaa might be that only the ones in my group can see it
[13:46] bergfrau Apfelbaum: thank you Herman and class:-))
[13:46] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): thank you Herman, very interesting again
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