Listen to this Podcast with Raymond Tallis (from Philosophy Bites) and discuss the end of life in the context of self identity.
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6 comments:
Trent Aldridge
The end of life seems to be an interesting topic. I perceive that it is an awakening thing for a lot of people. People that have been living their lives and realize that it is coming to an end start to wonder about things. For some people they wonder about what happens after. Also for some they wonder about if what they lived their life for was right.
It seems pretty easy to be hard on oneself. I guess you should be though if you are considering the true value of yourself in your own eyes. When I was younger, before I knew where I came from before I was born and what happens after I die, and I say that as my own personal opinion, I would imagine what it would be like to die. I would close my eyes and look into the black. Then I would imagine the world going on without me and eventually the world not remembering nor caring about me. Knowing I would never see or be with family and I would be terrified. That helped me as I started looking for some divine answers. Not only were the answer comforting I also had to find out if they were divine and true and when I did, in my opinion, I was grateful. Just from having had that experience before I can see how it can be with people when they are coming to the end themselves.
I believe the end of life is a great teacher to people. You discover what is important. I think that you would start to really think about what really you care about and what you should have cared about. I can’t really think about anything else that, to me, would be worse than not having a clear conscience or having regret. There is a saying I have heard that says that when a person is dead and dying on their deathbed they aren’t going to say “I wish I spent more time at the office”. With that I feel that it is important to look at ourselves as soon as possible and do those things that are truly important, because they really are, and for the small affect that in the end we won’t feel like we are lost.
SELF & END OF LIFE
To most people, death, or the thought of dying is traumatic. There are those who go about in life as if it will never come to an end. It is not until a close family member becomes ill, hospitalized and or has a severe accident. Until then, we can see and feel its proximity and come realize we are not eternal. We all know someone who might become terrified when this topic comes about. It is one we want to avoid and neglect the fact that it will ever happen to us.
There was this time in a youth gathering where we discussed this particular topic and the speaker raised the question if we had ever imagined how our funeral would be like? If, for a moment we could think who would come to be with us on our final day? What would people say of you when you’re not here? Will they cry? Will they remember you as a good person? How will you encounter death? Will you be ready to die?
Never in my life had I paused and thought about this. After these brief questions but long reflection, we were invited into a room where the temperature dropped cold, lights dimmed to almost obscured, two candles lighted up and in the center, a coffin. Some of the young adults did not enter the room, they were afraid. We were to enter alone, one-by-one; they asked us to look into the coffin. All of us were silent, forming a single line, waiting our turn. I was trembling as I approached the coffin; it was I alone in the room but had the courage enough to look inside where I saw a reflection of myself. In that obscure scene, even looked closer, wanted to be certain that it was I who I was looking at.
The only other time I had looked into a coffin was when my dearly grandfather passed away at age 13. Thereafter, I had not the courage to do so. It is those circumstances and pauses in life that makes you evaluate as a human being, identify the person you are and who you want to become. There has been a couple of times where I am at ease, have sighed and said to myself: if I was to die today, I would be ready. Not that I have had suicidal thoughts, rather, I have been in tremendous peace with myself, with others, with my Creator. I believe that all of us are here for an important mission and it is that which we must unfold and reveal. We do not come to this world as nothing; it is that “something” that moves us along to be completed. That “something” is what also gets added to our identity, it defines why we are here for. I am not afraid of dying because to me, death, has been conquered. I am afraid of not conquering life.
JUNUEE CASTRO
PHI 101
Tareney Frank
PHI-101
After listening to the podcast by Raymond Tallis, I came to the conclusion that assisted dying may be necessary in some cases. Each person is an individual and only they can determine what is and what is not a bearable circumstance. Assisted Dying according to Tallis should only be utilized as a last resort and extreme measures need to be taken to ensure the decision to die is not being imposed on the patient or done without just cause. Each patient clearly understands the implications of assisted dying and is provided with the facts to make an informed decision. The end of life in the context of self identity is something everyone should ponder prior to it actually happening to them. Self determination and understanding the capacity to make morally good choices that are right for each person is something we should all think about. Life is something that should be filled with quality not quantity. Just like Tallis mentioned, “We need to add life to our years not years to our life.” The quality of life is something to hold near and dear to our hearts and intense suffering caused by a terminal illness is not a way to live life.
I believe that assisted suicide is totally up to the person that is needing the service. I feel like if you dont wanna be on this earth for whatever reason it's better to go so one can be at peace with there self. The government should not have control on what these people want to do with there life. If you are suffering and in pain and the outcome is death why not die. When I was younger the world was going to end in my mind and I didn't want to be in it. I think everyone has a brief thought of what dealth would be like the only difference is weather you chose to take that step or not. Then there is always the debate on if your going to heaven or hell and of course religion and cultural backround.
After listening to the podcast, I thought that this is not very different from where I grew up at. My mother mentioned to me once that if one chooses to die then they will make sure it happens. Even early on I was raised around the fact that with in my community it was accepted and sad as it may be, it was their wish that family followed through with. Im just looking at the aspect of assisted dying which is to me not much different from what I grew up with.
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