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According to the German philosopher Martin Heidegger,death has two defining characteristics. !w:pb7+G
First, it can't be outsourced - nobody can die your death for you. The second raises more 9]^N Alno
questions. Heidegger says death can happen at any point, so it's randon. But with advances in \kC'y9k
genetics, knowing the date of our decease is becoming a real possibility. And is that good? F)=*G a
Imagine going about your business with your expiry date stamped invisibly on the back of your 5_4 =(?<
hand. You'd probably be spooked by this constant reminder of your mortality. You'd find it 7$Pf
impossible to live. You'd pass your days in envy of those your age who are destined to live longer. [&:dPd1_
Alternatively, you could treat the date-stamp as an end date from which to work back. It would Poxo
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make retirement planning and the gubbins of wills and probate smoother. It would allow you to ZEG~e k=jM
take an active part in organising your own funeral. You could even plan your diet: death tomorrow ~f?brQ ?
means an awful lot of jam today. And your loved ones would have the benefit of a steady coming-to- NdM \RD_R
terms with your passing away. SBamg
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But Heidegger's point is, even if geneticists, extrapolating from your current condition(s), gave ZtX \E+mC
you a reliable date of death, they'd fail to account for chance. Just as teenagers can crash their 5O:4-} hz
cars, so pensioners as dit as a fiddle can still fall down the stairs. So what's the lesson? Imagine 71,GrUV:
you're programmed to die tomorrow, and live today as if it were your last. O2oF\E_6
Robert Rowland Smith lrK?&a9AB
