The timeline of mortality

Abstract

In this thesis, I am addressing the past, the present, and the future of the conception of death in philosophy. In the past, the ultimate answers about death had been given by religion. Later, alongside with the process of secularization, Christianity has lost its monopoly on interpreting mortality, and atheistic views arose. Without believing in immortal soul and afterlife, the reflection on death is still necessary. In present, it is even more acute, as there are no ultimate answers anymore. According to Heidegger, we should anticipate our death in order to live authentically. According to Camus, we should accept our mortality in order to revolt against the absurd. In our contemporary society, we rather marginalize the topic of death. I suggest that, in the future, we should reflect more on death and talk about it openly. I offer “The Method of Diotima”, which assumes reacting to our mortality with “tend-and-befriend” response. As an example, I suggest that we should philosophically reflect on female experience by existential analysis of childbirth in the light of mortality. We should also care about others through sharing philosophical reflections on mortality with the broad audience and raising awareness about death.