Description
Book SynopsisThis collection of seventeen essays deals with the metaphysical, as opposed to the moral, issues pertaining to death. For example, the authors investigate (among other things) the issue of what makes death a bad thing for an individual, if indeed death is a bad thing.
Trade Review"The great variety of viewpoints contained in this book make it a pleasure to read and study, full as it is of intelligent, sometimes brilliant, occasionally infuriating, but always stimulating arguments. It provides the reader with a fairly comprehensive survey of recent developments in the debate on the value of existence and the evil of death-as-non existence and as such it is certainly recommended." --
Canadian Philosophical Reviews"This book immediately becomes the most convenient source for recent writings that confront some of the more abstract aspects of the problem of death. Those possessed by philosophical curiosity but pressed for time must be grateful to Fischer for making these contributions so readily available. By and large, the authors are skillful communicators and, on occasion, advance their theses with playfulness and wit."–
Omega"A balanced collection of 17 contemporary essays on something everyone needs to think about. . . . [Any] reader is bound to learn to think somewhat more clearly about what lies ahead." --
The Key ReporterTable of ContentsContributors; 1. Introduction: death, metaphysics, and morality John Martin Fischer; 2. Death Knocks Woody Allen; 3. Rationality and the fear of death Jeffrie G. Murphy; 4. Death Thomas Nagel; 5. The Makropulos case: reflections on the tedium of immortality Bernard Williams; 6. The evil of death Harry S. Silverstein; 7. How to be dead and not care: a defense of epicurus Stephen E. Rosenbaum; 8. The dead Palle Yourgrau; 9. The misfortunes of the dead George Pitcher; 10. Harm to others Joel Feinberg; 11. Reasons and persons Derek Parfit; 12. Why is death bad? Anthony L. Brueckner and John Martin Fischer; 13. Death and the value of life Jeff McMahan; 14. Annihilation Steven Luper-Foy; 15. Epicurus and annihilation Stephen E. Rosenbaum; 16. Some puzzles about the evil of death Fred Feldman; 17. Well-being and time J. David Velleman; Notes; Bibliography; Index.
