Afraid to Die?

[noisy doll☆]

what a silly question to ask people who are sitting comfortably at the computer

[helix eternal]

Fearing death and having a conscious will to want to live are two different things. Some people take certain precautions (like: not drinking & driving, not playing with explosives or firearms, not letting a cat drive your car and run it off a cliff, etc.) because things such have a higher probability of causing death.
Fearing death is ridiculous because it is inevitable. It would be like fearing pooping after you eat.
I don't follow religions because I don't want an explanation for life or the promise of an afterlife. I would rather live my life and enjoy it for what it's worth rather than constantly worry about what's going to happen after it's finished.

[N.T.M.]

Originally Posted by noisy doll☆

what a silly question to ask people who are sitting comfortably at the computer

Kinda arbitrary, eh?

Originally Posted by helix eternal

Fearing death is ridiculous because it is inevitable. It would be like fearing pooping after you eat.

I loled. But you speak the truth!

[Ribos]

Originally Posted by N.T.M.

I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a great speller. In fact a lot of things I post I have to check. Nothing to hide.

1.) Good argument, however my opinion actually coincides with this. Although now that I look at it closer I should have been more specific. The fear of death is inherent in people, and when I mentioned that it could be transcended, I meant that you can rest fine with the idea. Now obviously this doesn't negate feelings (fears, etc.) associated with the dying process.

This is not what you said. You said you could overcome the fear of death ("transcend" it, whatever) because you are a higher-functioning rational being. That would indeed imply negating feelings associated with the dying process.

Using a different example, that'd be like saying that "transcending the fear of pain" doesn't negate feelings (fears, etc.) associated with the hurting process.

2.) Clever, but a misinterpretation. You’re confusing not fearing death with showing no regard for your life.

Except it is not a confusion. If you are promised eternal life and happiness and all that jazz after death, and you do not fear death, then you have no reason to prefer life which naturally contains elements of unhappiness. The only reasons you could have for maintaining a regard for your safety are 1) if there was a chance you would not go to Heaven (either by fear of God's punishment or by a doubt of Heaven's existence) or 2) if you, for whatever reason, feared death (which vaguely implies the first part of reason 1).

If you have a problem with this analysis, I recommend you solidly define "fear of death" before telling me that I'm confusing anything.

[THE]

Two different things. But your point is valid.

Which two things?

Originally Posted by N.T.M.

Kinda arbitrary, eh?

what kind of fag does things he decides

go autofellate in a small dark box for 3 years

[kaoss]

I'm scared of dying because of the fear of the unknown. If you haven't heard of it, read up about Pascal's Wager. I'm finding myself on the wrong side of what could happen, mostly out of laziness.

[Electronic PF]

Of course not. I'm much too distracted with all these cool technogadgets and information channels to even think about the subject.

[N.T.M.]

Originally Posted by Ribos

That would indeed imply negating feelings associated with the dying process.

An assumption although I can see how you could infer that. Again I should have been more clear. Allow me to disambiguate its definition as I’m using it. Fear of death: just death itself and not the pain or involuntary responses associated with it. “Are you afraid to die?” Excluding any pain/whatever involved does death itself scare you? That’s the dealio. =P

Originally Posted by Richard Strauss

Which two things?

Not being afraid of death itself and having complete disregard for your life. Paradoxical but plausible.

Originally Posted by Ribos

Except it is not a confusion. If you are promised eternal life and happiness and all that jazz after death, and you do not fear death, then you have no reason to prefer life which naturally contains elements of unhappiness. The only reasons you could have for maintaining a regard for your safety are 1) if there was a chance you would not go to Heaven (either by fear of God's punishment or by a doubt of Heaven's existence) or 2) if you, for whatever reason, feared death (which vaguely implies the first part of reason 1).

You do not fear death because you realize that all accomplishments will be expunged through time and the length of your life is nothing relative to infinity. However if you do believe in heaven, etc. why don’t you just end your life? Because there’s an obligation with that belief.

Originally Posted by Electronic PF

Of course not. I'm much too distracted with all these cool technogadgets and information channels to even think about the subject.

Most people are.

[MUSCLES]

Oh
wow
I cannot believe this is actually going on
This is golden

[Ribos]

Originally Posted by N.T.M.

An assumption although I can see how you could infer that. Again I should have been more clear. Allow me to disambiguate its definition as I’m using it. Fear of death: just death itself and not the pain or involuntary responses associated with it. “Are you afraid to die?” Excluding any pain/whatever involved does death itself scare you? That’s the dealio. =P

If you cannot see what is wrong with this definition, then it is pointless to continue this argument.

[THE]

Not being afraid of death itself and having complete disregard for your life. Paradoxical but plausible.

this has absolutely nothing to do with what i was saying

You do not fear death because you realize that all accomplishments will be expunged through time and the length of your life is nothing relative to infinity. However if you do believe in heaven, etc. why don’t you just end your life? Because there’s an obligation with that belief.

the point is that, if one does not fear death, one would make no effort to avoid dying. You would have no reason to pay attention to traffic signals or walk on the sidewalk instead of the middle of a highway because death is that unimportant to you. Taking any precautionary measures is a fear of death, and not having that fear of death would be a disregard for life.

This is entirely acceptable within your definition of "not fearing death" because it's still completely ambiguous.

If I have an aversion to death at the moment, it's because of my subjective reality, to which "infinity" is not at all relevant.

your dumb, however, is an absolute reality

[deathrazor]

Originally Posted by Theodore Broosevelt

Are you referring to a Johnny Got His Gun sort of thing? Because, yeah, that would suck.

5char

[N.T.M.]

First, I know this is an older thread. I had internet problems and consequently had to abandon this thread. I realize that it's considered poor etiquette to bump older threads, but this should be an exception. Reprimanding me with an infraction would hardly be warranted here.

Originally Posted by A Joseph Smith Sphinx

your dumb, however, is an absolute reality

You've taken what I've said out of context. I didn't intend for this to be some crazy abstract equivocal dealio =P. I can see the points of ambiguity though. I should have been more clear.

[Valex]

Nobody cares anymore

[N.T.M.]

Originally Posted by Valex

Nobody cares anymore

Just wanted to clarify. I figured I was at least entitled to that.

I'll respond if somebody else posts, or I'll let it die.