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According to the German philosopher Martin Heidegger,death has two defining characteristics. ,??%["R
First, it can't be outsourced - nobody can die your death for you. The second raises more f}c z_"o4
questions. Heidegger says death can happen at any point, so it's randon. But with advances in -a[] #v9
genetics, knowing the date of our decease is becoming a real possibility. And is that good? {~"6/L
Imagine going about your business with your expiry date stamped invisibly on the back of your kt; |
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hand. You'd probably be spooked by this constant reminder of your mortality. You'd find it bLysUj5[5
impossible to live. You'd pass your days in envy of those your age who are destined to live longer. >9.xFiq<
Alternatively, you could treat the date-stamp as an end date from which to work back. It would Gq/f|43}@O
make retirement planning and the gubbins of wills and probate smoother. It would allow you to V3u[{^^f
take an active part in organising your own funeral. You could even plan your diet: death tomorrow @*gm\sU4
means an awful lot of jam today. And your loved ones would have the benefit of a steady coming-to- ?X.MKNbp
terms with your passing away. Q7 Clr{&
But Heidegger's point is, even if geneticists, extrapolating from your current condition(s), gave p ft6
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you a reliable date of death, they'd fail to account for chance. Just as teenagers can crash their # N.(ZP
cars, so pensioners as dit as a fiddle can still fall down the stairs. So what's the lesson? Imagine Ge> % ?\
you're programmed to die tomorrow, and live today as if it were your last. 
