Death and the End of Human Life on Earth - Essay Example

Philosophical Proposition Philosophical Proposition All Men are Mortal Philosophical proposition refers to a logical argument which uses the principles of deductive reasoning based on premises in order to arrive at a certain conclusion. It is this conclusion which shows the position of a person regarding the argument. In philosophy, it is a common practice to formulate such propositions since it helps in resolving and answering philosophical questions which might otherwise remain unanswered. This paper argues in favor of the proposition that ‘all men are mortal.’ It does this by relying on two premises: a major and minor premises before reaching at one single conclusion that in deed, human beings are mortal and hence, they must die. In this proposition, my major premise is ‘All mortals die’ while my minor premise is ‘All men are mortal.’ Meanwhile, my conclusion will be ‘All men must die.’ In this syllogism, the main issue of concern is mortality. It seeks to justify the claim that all human beings are destined to death upon the end of their lifetime. For a very long time, philosophers have debated the issue of mortality. However, as a matter of fact, everyone dies. As a natural occurrence, human beings can not do anything about death. Once a time reaches, they eventually die regardless of the actions they take (Sober, E., 2001). The main proposition claims that no single creature can enjoy a perpetual life. Meaning, because they are created, they can be uncreated. This is a common feature of the living organisms which have to undergo a well defined life cycle starting from conception, birth, growth and death. This is because they can not live permanently. Therefore, by saying that all mortals die, it simply means that any living creature can not live forever. Instead, it reaches a point when their mortal lives must come to an end. After all, they are not immortal, but mortal creatures whose lives can come to an end at any given time. As for the minor proposition, it is asserted that all men are mortals. This is a right argument because human beings are part of creatures that do not enjoy a permanent life, but live for a limited duration of time. Since most philosophers subscribe to the Biblical accounts of creation, it is apparent that human beings are part of God’s creatures. This signifies that they are subject to manipulation by their creator. Just like all the other creatures, they are destined to live for a shorter time before their lives eventually come to an end. This is a clear indication that they are mortals. Therefore, their lives are terminated through death. Thus, the proposition that ‘all men are mortals’ is justifiable and it holds water. In the conclusion, it is agreeable that ‘all men must die.’ As already highlighted, the life of a mortal creature comes to an end as a result of death. By saying that human beings are mortal, it is just like confirming that they can actually die. Immortality is a quality attributed to non-living creatures. Since they lack life, they can not cease to exist. However, this does not apply to the human beings who are bestowed by life which can not be enjoyed forever. Instead, it must reach a point when it comes to an end (Sober, E., 2001). This is what is meant by this conclusion. Death is for all mortal creatures. Since human beings are also mortal, they must die at one point in their lives. This is the position held in this paper because it is arguable that once a person is deemed mortal, they can not escape death because it is a must to all. I would like to express my agreement with this proposition. Actually, all immortals must die. To be called a mortal, one is not immortal. In simple terms, it implies that one is not guaranteed a permanent existence in the form in which they are at the present. After living for a considerable amount of time, life comes to an end. This happens even if no one approves to it. As the giver of life, God has a mandate to regulate it. Once a person gets an opportunity to live, a time comes when life is shortened. However, this happens to all the mortals. Whether they are animals or human beings, they must undergo this process. Thus, the preposition is making a genuine claim. In my opinion, I believe that all human beings must die. First, I can explain this using philosophy. Even if death is a metaphysical occurrence which can not be understood by everyone, it does not exclude anybody. It is there for everyone. As a matter of fact, anything with a beginning must obviously have an end. In case of the life of a mortal creature, the end is experienced when death beckons. This happens naturally regardless of when it exactly occurs. This concept can be explained by the principles of Christian ethics that associate death to a normal part of human life. Once a person is born, they live then die. That is not selective, but applicable to all the living and mortal creatures. A mortal creature must die because they are composed of the body and soul. As explained by the moralists, these are important components of human life which might play a very significant role in determining their destiny. As a matter of fact, the soul is a permanent aspect of human life. Meaning, it does not cease to live. However, the body is the part which is subject to death. Therefore, it is right to assert that human beings die because they have bodies which can not enjoy a perpetual life. I think the body is subject to death because it is exposed to lots of evils. The immoral nature of human beings implies that they have some sinful elements in them. In fact, some philosophers argue that every human being is having a venial sin with whom they are born. Those are some of the reasons why human beings face a lot of challenges in life. In supporting my premise, I would as well argue that death might be necessary for human beings because it results from evil. Although it is true that God, who is the overall creature, is perfect, evil still exists on earth. It really torments human beings. Because of it, people do not enjoy peace. It is a major cause of human suffering. Therefore, it justifies the claim that all human beings must die. One of the ways through which human beings suffer is through death. However, such sufferings are justified because they are a clever way through which God is demonstrating that His is concerned about human life. It does not mean that Satan has taken control over the earth. In essence, God is still more powerful than anything else. However, experiences such as death are used by God to tempt His people and challenge them to be steadfast in their faith and should not give in to any form of temptation. All men must die because of their mortal bodies. Unlike the spirit, the body can not live forever. It reaches a point when it dies whether the person likes it or not. According to the Christian doctrines, God is the ultimate giver and taker of life. Once He grants a person an opportunity to live, it is upon Him to decide when to take back the same life. Thus, when a person dies, it is argued that God is harvesting (Sober, E., 2001). This is a clear proof that human life which is itself a gift from God is enjoyed at His discretion. When He decides to terminates it, He does so. No one has authority to do anything about it or question God’s own decisions. As a super natural being, He has a full control over human destiny. A part from philosophy, the concept of death can be explained by the scientists. According to biological research, human beings are living organisms. For that reason, they are born. After their birth, they grow and develop. However, as living organisms, they must die. To the scientists, death is not unusual since it is one of the stages in life. I think it is necessary for human beings to die because it is also a method of regulation human population. As an ecosystem, the earth should be in a position of supporting its carrying capacity. Meaning, it should not be constrained. When there are too much people, the available resources would be over-used. Therefore, as new ones are born, some people have to die in order to create room for them. If this happens, the human generation will have an uninterrupted continuity which will last from generation to generation. Finally, I would like argue in favor of this premise by accepting that human beings must die. As it is written in the Bible, the wages of sins are death. Human beings must therefore die because they had sinned against God. Since it is believed that the human race traces its origin to the Biblical Adam, once Adam and Eve had sinned against God, their sins are naturally transferred to us upon our birth. Because of this, we are naturally sinners. Therefore, as it had been spelt by God that death is the ultimate punishment for sin, human beings have to die. We are all descendants of Adam and Eve who were given the promise of death because of their pervasiveness that they openly demonstrated in the Garden of Eden when they disobeyed God’s orders (Sober, E., 2001). In conclusion, the premise ‘all men are mortal’ is actually true. As discussed in this paper, human beings must die because there are several reasons for this. Death is acknowledged both by the philosophers and scientists who agree that it is what marks the end of human life on earth. It is universally accepted that human beings as God’s creatures have a body and soul. Although they should be working in a harmony, it obviously reaches a point when they separate since, unlike the body, the soul is immortal and transcends into another life. Besides, evil causes human death. With the persistent devilish activities on earth, human beings have been subjected to lots of sufferings such as death. Therefore, the premise is quite true because it gives a clear statement and justified position derived from the major and minor premises. References Sober, E. (2001). Core Questions in Philosophy: A Text with Readings. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall. Read More