Question 1

What is the paradox of death and meaning?&#10;A) Death makes no sense and yet does make sense.&#10;B) Death both grants and withdraws meaning from our lives.&#10;C) Meaning both dies and doesn't die.&#10;D) There is no paradox of death and meaning.

Accepted Answer

The paradox of death and meaning refers to the idea that death can both grant and withdraw meaning from our lives. On one hand, the knowledge that our time on earth is limited can give our actions and experiences greater significance. On the other hand, the finality of death can make it feel as though our lives ultimately have no meaning. This creates a paradox in which the same event can have two conflicting effects on our sense of purpose and significance.

Question 2

When Heidegger says death is our &#34;ownmost&#34; possibility, what does this mean?&#10;A) We own death, it doesn't own us.&#10;B) Death cannot be evaded.&#10;C) It is our closest possibility, closer to us than anything else.&#10;D) It doesn't mean anything.

Accepted Answer

Heidegger argues that death is our "ownmost" possibility because it is the one possibility that is always close to us and cannot be escaped. He believes that death is not simply an event that happens to us, but is intimately connected to our existence as beings-in-the-world. Therefore, it is the possibility that is most our own, and one that we must confront in order to truly understand our existence.

Question 3

Why might death sap meaning from our lives?&#10;A) It ends all of our projects.&#10;B) It eliminates our ability to experience our lives.&#10;C) It cuts us off from our future.&#10;D) All of the above.

Accepted Answer

Death has the potential to sap meaning from our lives in all of the ways listed in the answer choices. It brings an end to all the projects we may have been working on, it eliminates our ability to experience life, and it cuts us off from any future plans or goals we may have had.

Question 4

Why might immortality be worse than death?&#10;A) It would make our lives shapeless.&#10;B) There would be too much to do.&#10;C) It would create an extra urgency to living.&#10;D) All of the above.

Accepted Answer

Immortality could potentially make our lives shapeless because the finite nature of life gives it structure and meaning. Without the pressure of mortality, our lives might lack direction and purpose, leading to a sense of aimlessness.

Question 5

How does Williams answer the objection that we could always do different things over the course of our immortal lives?&#10;A) We can't be just anybody; our lives have particular commitments.&#10;B) We would get lost among all the possibilities of what there is to do.&#10;C) There aren't that many things to do to keep us occupied.&#10;D) Immortality is just too difficult to imagine.

Accepted Answer

Williams argues that our lives have particular commitments and identities that make us who we are. Even if we had an infinite amount of time to explore different activities and possibilities, we would still be bound by our personal history, relationships, and values. We can't just start over and be someone else. This means that immortality would eventually become tedious and meaningless, as we would be unable to escape our own identity and "story."

Deck 21: Death, Mortality, and Meaning