Fear of Death
According to Epicurus in his Letter to Menoceus, he argues that death causes no harm for the one who dies. Although many fear death, Epicurus says we shouldn't fear it and that one's death isn't a bad thing to oneself.
Epicurus notes that some people think that death is bad not because it's painful when it occurs, but it causes pain to the living, affecting them the most. He then argues that fearing the pain of death is absurd because the living shouldn't be worried about death and when it occurs because it hasn't happened yet; it hasn't yet arrived.
I disagree on his statement of saying the living should not fear death just because it hasn't yet arrived. As humans, we're always curious about things, especially things we don't know or understand. we don't like knowing not what's going to happen, especially when it involves death. No one knows exactly what happens after death. We don't have solid facts and evidence if we live onto the afterlife, immortality, or if our life ends completely, meaning there is no afterlife at all. We fear it so much because we don't know what'll happen to us when we die. I don't believe you can convince someone to not fear something they don't know, especially when the end result is literally the end of their life. Many will still fear death because it is hard for some people to get past the fact that we will no longer be alive. The living will always somehow fear death because of curiosity.
Epicurus notes that some people think that death is bad not because it's painful when it occurs, but it causes pain to the living, affecting them the most. He then argues that fearing the pain of death is absurd because the living shouldn't be worried about death and when it occurs because it hasn't happened yet; it hasn't yet arrived.
I disagree on his statement of saying the living should not fear death just because it hasn't yet arrived. As humans, we're always curious about things, especially things we don't know or understand. we don't like knowing not what's going to happen, especially when it involves death. No one knows exactly what happens after death. We don't have solid facts and evidence if we live onto the afterlife, immortality, or if our life ends completely, meaning there is no afterlife at all. We fear it so much because we don't know what'll happen to us when we die. I don't believe you can convince someone to not fear something they don't know, especially when the end result is literally the end of their life. Many will still fear death because it is hard for some people to get past the fact that we will no longer be alive. The living will always somehow fear death because of curiosity.
I understand why you disagree with Epicurus' claims because we are curious of what happens after we die since there isn't evidence as to what occurs. I agree that the fear of death stems from the fear of the unknown. However I believe that Epicurus is trying to say that we shouldn't fear and obsess over death because we are alive right now. Therefore instead of focusing on death in the future we should focus on the life we are living right now. If we spend our time focusing on death we are wasting the already limited time we have on Earth. But yes there will always be that fear of what will happen to us that we have when thinking about death.
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