This question has always been a great mystery to me. When you think about it, it makes sense that as our body’s age, the cells in our body’s age and eventually something in our body breaks down and goes wrong, for example; heart disease, immune system breaks down, cancer etc.
However, I never looked at the actual cause of death but more the concept. If there is one certainty in life among all animals, it is death, regardless of whom or what you are; you’re going to die, but why? Why do we live in a world where everything is finite, where everything has an end? Suppose it didn’t, suppose that humans and animals just kept on living, what would happen? One thing I am certain of is that the planet would be extremely over populated, but is that why we have to die?I often think that there is a deeper meaning to death or maybe to life, which gives us the chance to experience some pretty magical things during our time here. Although there are many people who are afraid of dying and maybe don’t want to die, I think the curse of death is maybe one of our greatest gifts as it is the only thing which allows us to really live.
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I think that if we did not die humanity would enter a massive state of procrastination. If life doesn't end, then why would someone do a certain task at a certain time when it can always be done later. Progress would be virtually eliminated. Progress is partly needed in order to adapt the human species to the ever changing environment. Earth and nature, always changing in themselves constantly change the environment we live in. If people did not progress, humanity would find itself stuck in a period of time it is not adapted to. If people did not die, culture could also be frozen in time as a certain culture can exist without it's supporters disappearing. When new people would be born that same culture would be simply pushed onto them. Basically humanity would become frozen eventually finding itself in an environment it can't survive in.
ReplyDeleteI think this is a good point that Jack brought up. I really agree with the last line the the curse of death is the only thing that allows us to live. I see this as true because if we knew we were going to be here forever, there would be no point or motivation to do anything. I agree with the reply above that the world would enter a massive procrastination. Why put off til tomorrow what you can do today? Well is there are indefinite tomorrows, why not put off til tomorrow what could get done today?
ReplyDeleteThis concept is one I find really interesting. Recently, my best friend went to a funeral and heard this really amazing outlook on death and what happens in the afterlife. The priest compared it to how when a baby is in the womb, it's the only world it knows. When it comes out, it cries because it's obvious it didn't want to leave its warm and comfortable environment. Since living life as a human on earth is the only world we've ever known, we're obviously scared of what comes after. It could be greater and better, though, as living outside of the womb is probably much better than living in the womb. Life seems really amazing now, like the womb probably felt to us when we were inhabitants. It just keeps me wondering... what's next?
ReplyDeleteI think at some point it may be possible for humans to avoid dying. If we continue to have medical advancements, then at the least, our lifespans are going to raise significantly. Maybe through methods like stem cells, we will be able to continue replacing organs as they wear out, and live indefinitely.
ReplyDeleteDeath of organisms is actually caused by a protein, which scientists have located and identified. They have attempted to eliminate this genetic code in lab mice, and by doing so they increased the life span of the mouse by 30%. They have hypothesized that if they were to eliminate this protein in humans, we would be able to live for somewhere between 200 and 400 years of age. This would of course most likely destroy the planet through over population. Also if people were to live longer it wouldn't be as if we are adults for longer. Just as our lifestyles have changed in the past, our lifestyles would change in this event. 12 and 13 used to be the marrying ages of those people who lived to be about 30 to 40. Now we are getting married around 30 to 40 and living to be 80 to 90 years old. If we lived to be 200, we would most probably be kids for about the first 50 years and then adults for the remainder. In other words, age would be relative.
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