Human Persons as

Oriented Towards Their

Impending Death
LESSON 15
Mr. Edward B. Noda
 How does the reality of death
define our lives?
🠶 Death is commonly understood as the end of bodily
functions which signals the end of a person’s life.
🠶 It also refers to the separation of the body and
the spirit.
🠶 The body, being material, is bound by laws of time
and space and is subject to growth, death, and
decay.
 How does the reality of death
define our lives?
🠶We are born into human life, we grow and age, and
we eventually die. This paradox defines the
uniqueness of human existence.
 How does the reality of death define
our lives?

🠶We must embrace the fact that death is an integral

part of our life.
🠶Ac ceptance of our temporality ca n give us a c learer
purpose and foc us on our a ctivities.
 How I should live my life before it
finally ends?
🠶Self-determination is the capacity to choose and act
for oneself. A person ca n still exercise freedom in
choosing how to face the reality of death in their
lives.
🠶We c an c hoose to spend our lives doing good
and reasonable things. The person is the
author and protagonist who determines the
development and conclusion of his/ her story.
 How I should live my life before
it finally ends?
🠶What is the end of this life?
1. Terminus which means the full stop or end of a line.
For them, life ends and nothing follows.
2. Telos which means “goal, purpose, or fulfillment”.
Death is not the goal of life

🠶Man is put on this earth to live a meaningful life, to

be virtuous and a chieve excellence
🠶We c an look at two experiences whic h make us
reflect on the meaning of life: happiness and
suffering.
 What makes you
happy?
🠶Ancient Greek philosophy c onsiders happiness as
an a chievement and must be gained by living a
productive and moral life.
🠶Happiness is a “whole-life satisfaction” based on
our
evaluation of our overall life experiences.
🠶Happiness is a state of being and not merely an
emotional experience or a c hosen mental
attitude.
 The goods or sources of
happiness
🠶Noble good is one which is pursued for its own sake; it
is good in itself (Examples: love & friendship)
🠶Useful good is considered good so long as it serves as
a means to an end; its goodness is found only from
what it ca n provide (Example: money)
🠶Pleasurable good is good so long as it provides some
form of pleasure, though it does not have to be
physical (Netflix subscription, Mobile Legends)

Real happiness can be found in more permanent

and meaningful things.
 Why do we
suffer?
🠶Suffering takes pla ce when we patiently
endure unpleasantness, discomfort, and pain
It may c ome from:
1. Physical suffering (discomfort, hunger,
distress, & pain)
2. Mental suffering (depression, anxiety, fear, loneliness
& grief)
🠶Sufferings are necessary, without it, we are unable
to grow and improve.
🠶Remember that difficulties are not without reason
 How do happiness, suffering,
and death give meaning to
your life?
🠶 The pursuit of happiness that we go through
requires
effort to a chieve . Efforts are often
the marked
it
diffic ulties and discouragement.
by
🠶The reality of death means that our existence is
unique and that we will not always get another
c hance to do the things we want in this life.
Therefore, we should not easily give up on the
pursuit of good things.
 How do happiness, suffering,
and death give meaning to
your life?
🠶Reflecting on the reality of death enables us to think
of how we ca n best live a meaningful life.
🠶We ca n strive to leave behind a legacy either in
the form of an inheritance, a reputation, or a
signific ant achievement.
🠶Because of our freedom, how we choose to live
our lives is entirely up to us.
🠶Life is a gift given to each person and it is important
to turn this life into a gift for others as well.