Why are humans afraid of death?

S

StrangerInAStrangeLand

SubQuantum Mechanic
Valued Senior Member
Why do they fear not existing? There's nothing to it to fear.

Later Addition : This is intended to be about humans' views, emotions, etc concerning nonexistence. Not the act of dying or the pain of it or whatever. Not whether there is an afterlife or what it might be like.

I thought if I didn't mention death, it would be misunderstood yet thought it should be understood by the Title & OP together.
 
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Not to give humans too much credit but can't they think & realize there's nothing to fear?
 
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I don't think other animals look forward to death either.

If we do fear it more, it's because we have better imaginations.
 
StrangerInAStrangeLa said:
Not to give humans too much credit but can't they think & realize there's nothing to fear?
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That hardly applies to quite a few of us. "Fear" isn't the correct word at all for some - it's the anticipated loss of contact with those that we care for. And for others, it's also not being to accomplish things that they wanted to do.
 
I think people associate death with pain. Unless you have CIPA (Congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis) Then i think the underlying fear is that most of us have a fear of pain coming with death, not necessarily death itself.
 
I agree completely with read onlys sentiments. Death is a very scary thing, fearing dying when you lose all contact with everyone around you who cares about you. Thinking that you no longer will be able to see all their faces and witness all of their kinship.
 
Read-Only said:
That hardly applies to quite a few of us. "Fear" isn't the correct word at all for some - it's the anticipated loss of contact with those that we care for. And for others, it's also not being to accomplish things that they wanted to do.
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I agree with these, And I would like to add a couple of others: There is no concrete evidence to assume fear is absent following Death. Personally, it makes no sense that all perception in any form will evaporate after the Death experience. In a way it defies logic to ponder it as so. Hope Springs Eternal, so to speak. Those who do not have a definite belief had better hope so, at least. Also, considering the time we "exist" within a Human life span, it would appear that this is anything but reality. Reality begins after this. So what is this? Anything you care to describe it to be. I think the mistake many make and have made throughout History is the assumption that all is nothingness forever after Death. Simply, no one knows that as fact.
 
Exeter said:
I agree with these, And I would like to add a couple of others: There is no concrete evidence to assume fear is absent following Death. Personally, it makes no sense that all perception in any form will evaporate after the Death experience. In a way it defies logic to ponder it as so. Hope Springs Eternal, so to speak. Those who do not have a definite belief had better hope so, at least. Also, considering the time we "exist" within a Human life span, it would appear that this is anything but reality. Reality begins after this. So what is this? Anything you care to describe it to be. I think the mistake many make and have made throughout History is the assumption that all is nothingness forever after Death. Simply, no one knows that as fact.
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Right. No one should fear death in a perfect universe.

Fall over and start crying because it's a total lie this post ^.
 
That's not true. My statement come from a recent book I read about a primitive Amazonian tribe. They claim not to fear death, although they will avoid it whenever possible.
 
tnerb said:
And yet by nature we all fear death.
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Hmm? I think perhaps you're using the word "fear" in the wrong way in that sentence. People don't walk around quaking in "fear" of dying ....they just don't want to die. There's a big difference ....think about it.

Baron Max
 
Baron Max said:
Hmm? I think perhaps you're using the word "fear" in the wrong way in that sentence. People don't walk around quaking in "fear" of dying ....they just don't want to die. There's a big difference ....think about it.

Baron Max
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By nature do we not all fear death? By nature, do we not all fear death? Do we not all fear death?

Answer?
 
tnerb said:
By nature do we not all fear death? By nature, do we not all fear death? Do we not all fear death?
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No, we don't.

But even so, who is "we"? Humans only? Or does that include all other animals, too?

Perhaps you'd do better by giving your indepth definition of "fear" ...because I think you've simply used the wrong word for what you're trying to say.

Baron Max
 
Baron Max said:
No, we don't.

But even so, who is "we"? Humans only? Or does that include all other animals, too?

Perhaps you'd do better by giving your indepth definition of "fear" ...because I think you've simply used the wrong word for what you're trying to say.

Baron Max
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No I haven't. Humans fear death, that is a simple explaination.
 
tnerb said:
Right. No one should fear death in a perfect universe.

Fall over and start crying because it's a total lie this post ^.
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Total lie? I must have hit upon something really scary to you. The universe is far from perfect, I know, and everytime I converse on this topic, I recieve the same responses, so I am used to this sort of reply. You are speaking of the fear of death, which is, lets see; DUH! If you think it all stops when you quit breathing, just wait.
 
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