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According to the German philosopher Martin Heidegger,death has two defining characteristics. 'BY{]{SL
First, it can't be outsourced - nobody can die your death for you. The second raises more x8H%88!j*
questions. Heidegger says death can happen at any point, so it's randon. But with advances in g wM~W
genetics, knowing the date of our decease is becoming a real possibility. And is that good? %n<u- {`
Imagine going about your business with your expiry date stamped invisibly on the back of your 6*3J3Lc_<
hand. You'd probably be spooked by this constant reminder of your mortality. You'd find it Q2[@yRY/z
impossible to live. You'd pass your days in envy of those your age who are destined to live longer. Q
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Alternatively, you could treat the date-stamp as an end date from which to work back. It would W\xM$#)m
make retirement planning and the gubbins of wills and probate smoother. It would allow you to So &c\Ff
take an active part in organising your own funeral. You could even plan your diet: death tomorrow $6\-8zN k
means an awful lot of jam today. And your loved ones would have the benefit of a steady coming-to- Ul@ Jg
terms with your passing away. +3B^e%`NPm
But Heidegger's point is, even if geneticists, extrapolating from your current condition(s), gave 6- H81y 3
you a reliable date of death, they'd fail to account for chance. Just as teenagers can crash their d4@\5<
cars, so pensioners as dit as a fiddle can still fall down the stairs. So what's the lesson? Imagine *LnY}#
you're programmed to die tomorrow, and live today as if it were your last. oN
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Robert Rowland Smith B^'Uh+Y
