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blazeofglory
01-14-2008, 12:27 PM
Man is of course a miserable creature for he knows in advance that he will die, and the death he will come up to after a long time span is faced now. He builds monumental buildings, accumulates masses of possessions, expands his territories, loves, marries, sets up a family and faces a break in the wedlock, educates himself and learns, explores mysteries of the universe, mulls over things, follow religions, runs to temples and churches and do all this and that. While indulging these countless activities, one after another in a series he becomes unmindful of the fact that he will die. None the less the tinge of death is always there, and this torments him immensely. He takes everything easily and unsurprisingly, but when it comes to the question of death he sees it differently, inexplicably and of course inquisitively. He can explain what birth is, and he can analyze it biologically, religiously, sociologically, philosophically and indeed in his explanation there is an air of authenticity and even proof, but speaking of death he remains in a medley of ideas, and at times conflicting ideas. Treatises are written, discussed, pondered respecting death, but little of it is explored or no convincing accounts are found in any statements notwithstanding the fact that innumerable books are written centering on this issue.


I wonder animals know it, have a presentiment of death or foresee it in their day today activities. What strikes me time and again is a question whether or not the lack of the knowledge of death gets them a feeling that is richer than us. The thought of death always harrows us and whatever we do the very thinking of it that we will die, or all what we do are subject to destruction is painful.


Knowledge renders us in both states, in a state of raptures and in a state of ruptures. Raptures for instance come when the knowledge of our promotion is there and ruptures, when we hear it is not so. Even before we get it, the very knowledge of it makes us happy. And what if we rise above both states, or remain apathetic? Maybe in spirituality both states, the state of joys and sorrows are deemed false and fleeting. Or the very knowledge that certain things gives us joys or sorrows is misleading for nothing gives or sets us in a state that transcends time and space. In so long as we are time and space bound we will be hemmed in an endless eddy of worldly wax and wane, ups and downs.


Even small children are blissful, for they are innocent and ignorant. The very idea of death does not distress them. Not to digress from the original question that the ignorance of the coming of death is blissful to animals and that we are accursed or doomed to know the arrival of death are some of the questions that are very germane to us.


There are fears, and innumerable fears in the wilderness, a fear of attacks, and every time they have to evade the attack of their enemies in every step. Aside from this, do they know they will die?

stella
01-15-2008, 03:09 PM
Man is of course a miserable creature for he knows in advance that he will die, and the death he will come up to after a long time span is faced now.
that doesnt make me miserable to think about death exsists so we can appericiate life more.


He builds monumental buildings, accumulates masses of possessions, expands his territories, loves, marries, sets up a family and faces a break in the wedlock, educates himself and learns, explores mysteries of the universe, mulls over things, follow religions, runs to temples and churches and do all this and that. While indulging these countless activities, one after another in a series he becomes unmindful of the fact that he will die.
we all know we are going to die there's no need to obsses about it.





I wonder animals know it, have a presentiment of death or foresee it in their day today activities. What strikes me time and again is a question whether or not the lack of the knowledge of death gets them a feeling that is richer than us.
as i said earlier death is what makes us appreciate life so i guess that would give us the advantage...




do they know they will die?
i dont think they do ,animals live in the moment .....maybe they know shortly before they do....

Patience
01-17-2008, 12:41 PM
Interesting post. I don't think death is a thought to animals. Their mind focuses on food, sleep, mating and survival - as stella has quoted above 'they live the moment'.

Our fear of death and our actions are due to our developed conscience. A child doesn't really have a strong conscience as they are naive to the world and have yet to gain wisdom and knowledge about where we are and the reality of life.

I think a dog, who is exceedingly loyal to their owner will be the closest to noticing death. However, they'll not understand why their owner has disappeared and maybe see it as though they've been 'abandoned'.
Or even a swan, if their partner dies they refuse to eat and die themselves (I think, I haven't read up on this) I wonder if they'll know they'll die?

EDIT: Elephant graveyards.
http://www.animalliberationfront.com/News/2005_11/ElephantGraveyard.htm

http://www.sussex.ac.uk/press_office/media/media513.shtml

Naya Cos
04-19-2008, 08:13 PM
Most 'higher' animals, certainly mamals know death or atleast a sense of helplessness and ill-health. Wounded animals generally go away to a quiet place to rest and die. In urban settings the only dead animals you see are usuall road kills. In nature, death is a not so strange visitor. I believe only humans mentalize it too much and fight it with deliberation.

Virgil
04-19-2008, 10:03 PM
This is an interesting question Blaze. I agree that dying animals have some sense that an end is coming, at least dogs do. I'm familiar with dogs, so perhaps I shouldn't speak for other animals.

One side note. Let me say this about me. There is no evidence that I am mortal. For all I know I may be the exception to the rule. ;)

Tournesol
04-19-2008, 10:46 PM
I grew up with cats, and let me tell you, they also have some cognizance of death.

One in particular, Whiskers [such a sweet, handsome cat!], he was a strong cat, he'd go off for days sometimes and then return.

After some years, he had gotten really ill, even though we took him to the vet. He was very old. One fateful day, he took off into the fields behind our house, and he never came back.
I believe that he knew he was ill, and he didn't want to die around us kids.