Myths About Death - Chidester

Andrea Mojica

Patrick Emmett

The Meaning of Death

February 20, 2018

        According to Chidester, there are human conceptions about death and its significance that have intrigued the human race from early life forms and hominids to contemporary conceptualization. There is longstanding importance underpinning the concept and understanding of death that can be identified and appreciated throughout human history. To begin with, the concept of death impacts significantly on human life to the extent of influencing virtually all aspects of their life. In this respect, death gives the impetus to life by creating a sense and perception of limitation and finality which are important for human introspection for understanding of the urgency and appreciation of living and life. As thus, this awareness of the ultimate finality of death has created and empowered growth and development of the concept of religion through ideas of rebirth, eventual reunification and acknowledgement of a supreme power above human comprehension. Consequently, in this regard, death has been a major shaper of human practices and human culture by influencing the understanding of complex and uncertain aspects of life for which humanity has no control, leading to creation of concepts to explore these uncertainties and beseech higher power to deal more favorably with humanity in life and in the afterlife (Chidester 3). Secondly, understanding death has been a great influence in creating history, shaping it to the present day. Rulers have used the stress of mortality as power with which to enforce compliance and conformity, using death in this regard as a means to power creation and development of society. The concept of death has also been viewed as the foundation of society as humanity has generally formed groups and social settings to create numbers and shared insight on adversities and challenges in the environment leading to need to form groups with which to confront those life threatening adversities together. Such adversities that have influenced coalescing of people to form communities and societies have included hunger, natural features like and disasters, wild animals and human conflicts among others. Finally, the understanding of death has created uniformity and commonality among the human race, leading to well- founded perceptions of understanding of commonality and uniformity as to the nature and destiny of human life. The similarity in fears, destiny and fate of the human nature has been the underlying causative factor for creation of the human race and the global community.

        Understanding death is however not possible without understanding the foundational criterion of the intricacies and complexities of who human beings are. First, human beings are inherently biological and this is the primary categorization based on the obviously discernable fact that humans naturally take animal form in their living on earth. The other fundamental concept on what constitute a holistic human being is the psychological element. Consequently, while humans are naturally biological, the cognitive aspect of their lives that accentuate their ability to think and develop in their environment is their psychological ability. Human beings have consciousness, impulse, drive and instinct which influence consciousness, awareness and will. In addition, social interactions are a crucial dimension which is significant for creation of societies and social networks, shaping social identities and social groups (Chidester 3). This aspect of humanity is the precursor to culture formation among human beings based on the social and environmental predispositions in which they evolve and develop. Finally, the religious component of humans, however diverse in concept and practice, are very significant in defining what it is to be human. In the variety of religion, there are symbolisms, rights and rituals, traditions, beliefs and other exemplifications of religion highlight the religious dimension of humanity and its overt and intrinsic influences. These points of views for understanding what it means to be human point to the fact that human beings are not one dimensional and portend exponential variations. However, there are underlying aspects that run uniform and can be identified in all humanity albeit in different forms and manifestations. This makes it perfectly logical to conclude that humans are first biological animals but with the cognitive ability to discern and conceptualize things. They then have the social needs that lead to social groupings where elements of religion and culture can be inferred in their interactions.