That to philosophize is to learn to

die
Michel de Montaigne
 That to philosophize is to learn to die
Thesis Statement:
“ All wisdom culminates to the one point: to
teach us not to be afraid of death”
- Michel de Montaigne

Method:
Rationalizing
 Outline
I. Natural fear of death
II. How to rid ourselves of this fear
 I. Fear of Death
1. “All the opinions of the world agree on this—
that pleasure is our goal—though they
choose different means to it.”
2. No life = no pleasure
3. Fear of death > fear of pain, sickness or
poverty
4. Death = continual source of torment
II. Is there a way to rid ourselves of this
fear?
• ignorance is bliss

“If it were any enemy we could avoid, I would advise us to

borrow the arms of cowardice. But since that cannot
be, since it catches you just the same, whether you flee
like a coward or act like a man...let us learn to meet it
[death] steadfastly and combat it.”
(p. 59-60)
 Is there a way to rid ourselves of this
fear?
• Solution:
Rationalize death

“Let us rid it of its strangeness, come to know it, get

used to it. Let us have nothing on our minds as
often as death.”
(p. 61)
 Is there a way to rid ourselves of this
fear?
• Objection:
The reality of death, when a man is faced with
it, exceeds the knowledge we have of it. There
is no use “familiarizing yourself with death”

• Counter-argument:
Knowledge, premeditation is STILL an advantage.
 Rationalizing death
• Conquer fear of death = conquer fear of
everything else

• Because to fear it is unreasonable:

 The foolishness of this fear

“Wherefore it is foolish to lament that we shall

not be alive a hundred years from now as it is
to lament that we were not alive a hundred
years ago.”
(p. 64)
 The foolishness of this fear

“Is it reasonable so long to fear a thing so short?

Long life and short life are made all one by
death. For there is no long or short for things
that are no more.”
(p. 64)
 The foolishness of this fear

“How simple-minded it is to condemn a thing

that you have not experienced yourself or
through anyone else.”
(p. 67)
 Death as part of Nature

“...that life and death were matters of

indifference.”
(p. 67)
 Conclusion
• Why is death less feared in war than in our
own homes?
• Why is death more feared by villagers /
“humble folk” than others?
 Conclusion
We have created a whole construct of death in
our minds, we have smothered it with
superstitious trappings. This “exoticism” of
death is what causes us to fear death. Death
itself, without these extra frills, is the most
normal thing in the world.
 Conclusion
“We must strip the mask from things as well as
from persons; when it is off, we shall find
beneath only that same death which a valet or
a mere chambermaid passed through not long
ago without fear.”
(p. 68)