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According to the German philosopher Martin Heidegger,death has two defining characteristics. (.Q.S[<Y
First, it can't be outsourced - nobody can die your death for you. The second raises more w<}kY|A"=-
questions. Heidegger says death can happen at any point, so it's randon. But with advances in |T!ivd1G
genetics, knowing the date of our decease is becoming a real possibility. And is that good? ECq(i(
Imagine going about your business with your expiry date stamped invisibly on the back of your /{h@A~<96
hand. You'd probably be spooked by this constant reminder of your mortality. You'd find it /1A3
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impossible to live. You'd pass your days in envy of those your age who are destined to live longer. PtP{_9%Dz
Alternatively, you could treat the date-stamp as an end date from which to work back. It would i|5.DhK}
make retirement planning and the gubbins of wills and probate smoother. It would allow you to {p -q&k&R|
take an active part in organising your own funeral. You could even plan your diet: death tomorrow J@$h'YUF
means an awful lot of jam today. And your loved ones would have the benefit of a steady coming-to- - qv*%O@
terms with your passing away. BCy#
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But Heidegger's point is, even if geneticists, extrapolating from your current condition(s), gave \v|nRn,`-
you a reliable date of death, they'd fail to account for chance. Just as teenagers can crash their gl k-: #
cars, so pensioners as dit as a fiddle can still fall down the stairs. So what's the lesson? Imagine y; oPg4
you're programmed to die tomorrow, and live today as if it were your last. fGK=lT$
Robert Rowland Smith `v;9!ReZ V
