The Case Against Death, Linden

Review and notes on The Case Against Death by Ingemar Patrick Linden.

1. The Case Against Death

• Is it bad to die, or is death a good, fitting end after a long life?
• We are scientifically moving towards a point where we can significantly prolong life, although we are certainly not there yet.
• Many people believe that death is fine, or even good.
• Many resist the idea that it is god to be alive and that it is bad to die.
• Is it countercultural to suggest that it is bad to age and die?
• Apologism - an acceptance of death deeply embedded into our culture. Contrast with prolongevism.
• Most important philosophers taught that we should not fear death - Socrates, the Buddha, the Stoics, Montaigne, Epicureans,
• Apologism is dominant in science fiction, cultural art, bioethics,
• Linden argues the Wise Apologist View is false.
• Each individual believe themselves to be wiser than most people.
• We say we subscribe to the Wise View, but we invest much in our youth.
• Belief in an afterlife can be denialism or prolongevitism.
• Fear of decrepitude can explain only some of the attraction of the Wise View.
• Preference adaptation: we avoid frustration by only wanting what we have.
• The wise view is fragile.