death, as soon as it occurs, cannot be bad for a person.
because there is no longer a person.
death causes suffering, there is no doubt about that.
but we hate
death because we confuse the pain that many feel just before dying. and the grief of those left behind, with
death itself.
when i die, i cease to exist.
if i cease to exist, how can
death be a bad thing for me?
as epicurus wisely says '
death is of no concern to us, for while we live it is not present, and when
death is present, we no longer exist.'
the negative side to
death is a lack of
life.
and lack of
life only matters because of what we can do with it -
life in itself has no value.
therefore,
life is sacred.
we only desire
life above all else, because without
life, there is nothing else.