Скачать или смотреть A Response to Lucretius' Argument Against the Fear of Death - Abe Witonsky

In an effort to comfort people, the first century BCE poet Lucretius put forth a reason why we shouldn’t fear death. He believed that since we don’t fear the time before we’re born, we shouldn’t fear the time after we die. One way in which commentators have interpreted Lucretius’ argument has to do with the desire to have a longer life. Jeremy Simon has given an objection to Lucretius’ argument, arguing that being born earlier than we actually are born wouldn’t guarantee us more life, whereas extending our lifespan past the time we actually would die would guarantee us more life. I argue that Simon’s objection is inadequate. I then present a better response to Lucretius’ argument that both explains and justifies people’s asymmetrical attitudes towards the time before they’re born and after they die. I argue that being born earlier would not let us have more of the life that matters to us, which is our actual life with our unique relationships, experiences and personality. We would retain all of these, however, if we postponed our death.