The Philosophy of Death Reader presents a collection of classic readings from across the centuries and the continents. Organised around central metaphysical questions from whether soul is immortal to what can experience death, it brings together pivotal readings from ancient, modern and contemporary philosophers.
The twenty-four readings require no background in philosophy. Featuring writings from Vedanta, the ancient Greeks, the Buddhist tradition, Christian eschatology, and recent analytic philosophy, they flow thematically and cover:
- Key metaphysical topics including immortality, rebirth and the after - Scientific perspectives on biology and the brain - Axiological questions surrounding old age, the soul and how to live with mortality
Accompanied throughout by editor's notes, introductory material, and discussion questions, this cross-cultural reader draws themes together, encourages further study and introduces a broad range of philosophical thinking about death.
Edited by:
Markar Melkonian (California State University Northridge USA)
Imprint: Bloomsbury Academic
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions:
Height: 234mm,
Width: 156mm,
Weight: 668g
ISBN: 9781350069336
ISBN 10: 1350069337
Pages: 440
Publication Date: 21 February 2019
Audience:
College/higher education
,
Primary
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Preface: What This Book Is (Not) About Acknowledgements General Introduction: What Is the Meaning of Life ? For Discussion or Essays Further Readings on Brains, Death, and Consciousness Part I: Our Immortal Souls Introduction to Part One: Personal Survival and Immortality 1. The Soul Will Not Fade Away (from Phaedo, c. 360 BC) Plato 2. Letter to Menoeceus (third century BC) Epicurus 3. Ten Reasons for Believing in Immortality (1929) John Haynes Holmes 4. Next Stop Goofville (1929) Clarence Darrow 5. Death, Nothingness, and Subjectivity (1994) Thomas W. Clark For Discussion or Essays Further Readings on Personal Survival and Immortality Part II: Rebirth Introduction to Part Two: Survival in a Different Body 6. The Katha Upanishad: Death as a Teacher (fifth cen. B.C.) Anonymous 7. The Questions of King Milinda (first cen. AD?) Anonymous 8. The World Outlook of the People (14th cen.) Madhava Acharya 9. Nirodha, the Cessation of Dukkha (1959) Walpola Rahula For Discussion or Essays Further Readings on Rebirth Part III: Resurrection and the Afterlife Introduction to Part Three: Resurrection and the Afterlife 10. Resurrection of the Same Body (13th century) Aquinas, Thomas 11. Of a Particular Providence and of a Future State (1739-40) David Hume 12. The Soul Survives and Functions after Death (1973) H.H. Price 13. Persons and the Metaphysics of Resurrection (2007) Lynne Rudder Baker For Discussion or Essays Further Readings on Resurrection and the Afterlife Part IV: Problems with Immortality Introduction to Part Four 14. On Mortality and the Soul (c. 50 B.C.) Lucretius 15. The Hunger of Immortality (1913) Miguel de Unamuno 16. The Makropulos Case: Reflections on the Tedium of Immortality (1972) Bernard Williams 17. Immortality without Boredom (2009) Lisa Bortolotti and Yujin Nagasawa 18. Death and Eternal Recurrence (2013) Lars Bergstroem For Discussion or Essays Further Readings on Problems with Immortality and the Eternal Return Part V: Living with Mortality Introduction to Part Five: Living with Mortality 19. Supreme Happiness (Fourth cen. B.C.) Chuang Tzu (Zhuangzi) 20. Death (1986) Thomas Nagel 21. The Collective Afterlife (2013) Samuel Scheffler 22. The Significance of Doomsday (2013) Susan Wolf 23. Death, Failure, and Neoliberal Ideology (2016) Beverley Clack For Discussion or Essays Further Readings on Living with Mortality Readings that appear in this book Index
Markar Melkonian is Lecturer in Philosophy at California State University Northridge, USA.
Reviews for The Philosophy of Death Reader: Cross-Cultural Readings on Immortality and the Afterlife
This new multicultural collection covers all the major themes in the philosophy of death from classical antiquity to the contemporary period. The readings are wisely chosen, and the volume is intelligently laid out with clear and helpful contextual introductions to each section and selection. Highly recommended for individual readers and classroom assignment. * Levon Chorbajian, Professor of Sociology, University of Massachusetts Lowell, USA *
