Dying in a great year: paradox or impossibility?
The debate over whether the year of your own death can be a great year pits those who believe every death is agonizing against those pointing to quick, painless deaths.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Can the year you die be a great year?
Death: no one comes back to tell the tale. But that doesn't stop speculation about whether the year of your own death can, despite everything, be a great year. Some argue that most deaths are conscious and agonizing, ruling out any possibility of well-being. Others point to instant deaths in which the body releases chemicals that block pain, allowing even a final thought.
It has even been claimed, without solid scientific backing, that 95% of deaths are conscious. The experience of bleeding to death over 10-30 minutes, or dying from cancer metastasis, leaves no room to call the year a good one. However, a death by crushing or a direct gunshot to the head, if immediate, might involve no suffering. In extreme situations, the body releases testosterone and adrenaline that act as natural painkillers.
In the end, the debate remains open. Without conclusive empirical data, the answer is as subjective as the experience of death itself. One thought remains: if the year of your death cannot be a good one, perhaps it is at least not the worst of the years you have left.
Death: no one comes back to tell the tale. But that doesn't stop speculation about whether the year of your own death can, despite everything, be a great year. Some argue that most deaths are conscious and agonizing, ruling out any possibility of well-being. Others point to instant deaths in which the body releases chemicals that block pain, allowing even a final thought.
It has even been claimed, without solid scientific backing, that 95% of deaths are conscious. The experience of bleeding to death over 10-30 minutes, or dying from cancer metastasis, leaves no room to call the year a good one. However, a death by crushing or a direct gunshot to the head, if immediate, might involve no suffering. In extreme situations, the body releases testosterone and adrenaline that act as natural painkillers.
In the end, the debate remains open. Without conclusive empirical data, the answer is as subjective as the experience of death itself. One thought remains: if the year of your death cannot be a good one, perhaps it is at least not the worst of the years you have left.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (43 replies).
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