This past June, The New York Times had an interesting column on 'Philosophy
as an Art of Dying'.
The column goes into the issue of paradoxical situations that arise where
philosophers (and ordinary folks) are sometimes faced with.
Philosophies, principles, politics and religion on one side, and the realism
of certain death (like execution, self-immolation, mob fury, etc) on the
other. How exactly do people approach the finality of death and holding on
to their beliefs
principles in those final moments..
The author gives some great examples from Socrates, and Hypatia, to Sir
Thomas More, the Tudor Statesman.
India too has her own sets of philosophers, activists and leaders who
are/were willing to lay down their lives for a cause.
And then, I came upon this interesting piece of news from the Times of India
about Anna Hazare's fasting and his views of death (and philosophy). Here's
a small portion is quoted below:
Hours later, Hazare told his supporters: I told him then that I would
decide by 10pm after listening to my conscience. My conscience asked me why
are you afraid of dying. You had earlier said that you are not afraid of
dying, then why are you scared of dying now.
I have decided not to take any medicine. I would ask Dr Trehan and others
not to mistake me in this regard.
Please do not mistake me for (not taking the medicine), he
said
What do netters think?
--Ram
__
Below is the NYT column
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/12/philosophy-as-an-art-of-dying/
June 12, 2011, *5:35 pm*
Philosophy as an Art of Dying By COSTICA
BRADATANhttp://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/author/costica-bradatan/
The Stone http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/category/the-stone/ is a
forum for contemporary philosophers on issues both timely and timeless.
Tags:
death http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/tag/death/, death
sentenceshttp://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/tag/death-sentences/,
Hypatia http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/tag/hypatia/, Jan
Patočkahttp://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/tag/jan-patocka/,
martyrdom http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/tag/martyrdom/,
Philosophyhttp://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/tag/philosophy/,
Plato http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/tag/plato/,
Socrateshttp://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/tag/socrates/,
Thomas More http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/tag/thomas-more/,
Tunisiahttp://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/tag/tunisia/
It happens rarely, but when it does it causes a commotion of great
proportions; it attracts the attention of all, becomes a popular topic for
discussion and debate in marketplaces and taverns. It drives people to take
sides, quarrel and fight, which for things philosophical is quite
remarkable. It happened to Socrates, Hypatia, Thomas More, Giordano Bruno,
Jan Patočka, and a few others. Due to an irrevocable death sentence,
imminent mob execution or torture to death, these philosophers found
themselves in the most paradoxical of situations: lovers of logic and
rational argumentation, silenced by brute force; professional makers of
discourses, banned from using the word; masters of debate and contradiction,
able to argue no more. What was left of these philosophers then? Just their
silence, their sheer physical presence. The only means of expression left to
them, their own bodies — and dying bodies at that.
Tell me how you deal with your fear of annihilation, and I will tell you
about your philosophy.
The situation has its irony. It is an old custom among philosophers of
various stripes and persuasions to display a certain contempt toward the
body. Traditionally, in Western philosophy at least, the body has been with
few exceptions seen as inferior to the mind, spirit or soul — the realm of
“the flesh,” the domain of the incomprehensible, of blind instincts and
unclean impulses. And so here are the condemned philosophers: speechless,
with only their dying bodies to express themselves. One may quip that the
body has finally got its chance to take its revenge on the philosophers.
But how have they arrived there in the first place? It so happens that some
philosophers entertain and profess certain ideas that compel them to lead a
certain way of life. Sometimes, however, their way of life leads them to a
situation where they have to choose between remaining faithful to their
ideas or renouncing them altogether. The former translates into “dying for
idea,” whereas the latter usually involves not only a denunciation of that
philosopher’s lifestyle, but also, implicitly, an invalidation of the
philosophical views that inspired that way of life. This seems to be the
toughest of choices. In simpler terms, it boils down to the following
dilemma: if you decide to remain faithful to your views, you will be no
more. Your own death will be your last opportunity to put your ideas into
practice. On the other hand, if you choose to “betray” your ideas (and
perhaps yourself as well), you remain alive, but with no
