Annihilation the Sense and Significance of Death.

Annihilation explores the sense and significance of death in general, and human death in particular. The first part of the book examines metaphysical questions about the nature of death and what it is that we are seeking to understand, for example, is the death of the brain a necessary and sufficient condition of death? How does the death of a human being relate to the death of a person? The second part of the book considers questions of death¿s badness, focusing on the Epicurean view that the fear of death is irrational because it is something we cannot experience (and why worry about future non-existence when we don¿t concern ourselves about pastnon-existence?). The final chapter considers whether immortality is desirable and whether, via cryonics, brain transplants, data storage, we might cheat death. Theexamination focuses on questions of value rather than on questions of morality and Belshaw¿s general approach throughout is sceptical and deflationary. The book will be of interest to philosophers concerned with the nature and importance of death and it provides a much-needed foundation for discussions of abortion, euthanasia, life supportand suicide.

Cover; Half Title; Title; Copyright; Contents; Preface; 1. Death; 2. Definitions; 3. Human beings; 4. Is it bad to die?; 5. Circumstances and degrees; 6. Posthumous harms; 7. An asymmetry; 8. Numbers; 9. Cheating death; Appendix: Brain death -- history and debate; Notes; Bibliography; Index.

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