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According to the German philosopher Martin Heidegger,death has two defining characteristics. %`g qV9a
First, it can't be outsourced - nobody can die your death for you. The second raises more -4HI9Czts
questions. Heidegger says death can happen at any point, so it's randon. But with advances in U(i2j)|^I3
genetics, knowing the date of our decease is becoming a real possibility. And is that good? OG ae]O<
Imagine going about your business with your expiry date stamped invisibly on the back of your U;{VL!
hand. You'd probably be spooked by this constant reminder of your mortality. You'd find it Q2k\8i
impossible to live. You'd pass your days in envy of those your age who are destined to live longer. 4I2ppz
Alternatively, you could treat the date-stamp as an end date from which to work back. It would j&#p& `B
make retirement planning and the gubbins of wills and probate smoother. It would allow you to ,sJ{2,]~
take an active part in organising your own funeral. You could even plan your diet: death tomorrow vguqk!eo4
means an awful lot of jam today. And your loved ones would have the benefit of a steady coming-to- sb8SG_ c.
terms with your passing away.
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But Heidegger's point is, even if geneticists, extrapolating from your current condition(s), gave Wc+ e>*
you a reliable date of death, they'd fail to account for chance. Just as teenagers can crash their I@x* >
cars, so pensioners as dit as a fiddle can still fall down the stairs. So what's the lesson? Imagine \w`Il"}
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you're programmed to die tomorrow, and live today as if it were your last. y 6G[-?"/Q
Robert Rowland Smith E%$FX' 8&
