,rN7X<s54
According to the German philosopher Martin Heidegger,death has two defining characteristics. [IYs4Y5
First, it can't be outsourced - nobody can die your death for you. The second raises more MRa>@Jn??A
questions. Heidegger says death can happen at any point, so it's randon. But with advances in o 1b#q/
genetics, knowing the date of our decease is becoming a real possibility. And is that good? a(
qw
Imagine going about your business with your expiry date stamped invisibly on the back of your `?>O Y&(
hand. You'd probably be spooked by this constant reminder of your mortality. You'd find it z4<h)hh"k6
impossible to live. You'd pass your days in envy of those your age who are destined to live longer. *7Mr ng
Alternatively, you could treat the date-stamp as an end date from which to work back. It would F%Xq}LMd
make retirement planning and the gubbins of wills and probate smoother. It would allow you to c=K M[s.
take an active part in organising your own funeral. You could even plan your diet: death tomorrow VOiphw `
means an awful lot of jam today. And your loved ones would have the benefit of a steady coming-to- $51#xe
terms with your passing away. >,y
QG+
But Heidegger's point is, even if geneticists, extrapolating from your current condition(s), gave :4A^~+J
you a reliable date of death, they'd fail to account for chance. Just as teenagers can crash their cEN^H
cars, so pensioners as dit as a fiddle can still fall down the stairs. So what's the lesson? Imagine k4|YaGhf
you're programmed to die tomorrow, and live today as if it were your last. q}8R>`Z{
Robert Rowland Smith zL{KK 9Or
