Living with the Dead: On Death, the Dead, and Immortality

The book explores the moral place of the dead in our lives and afterlives, arguing that our lives are saturated by the past intentions and values of the dead and that we offer them a form of modest immortality by fulfilling our obligations to remember them. It examines the scope and limits of our obligations to the dead and argues that tradition offers the dead a form of modest immortality through ritual absorption. It also defends a Jamesian account of a pluralistic self that is consistent with the view that we have obligations to the individual dead.

Format: Hardback
Length: 252 pages
Publication date: 14 April 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This captivating book delves into the profound and intricate relationship between the living and the dead, exploring the moral significance of the departed in our lives and afterlives. The author argues that our lives are intricately woven with the intentions and values of the deceased, and that we offer them a humble form of immortality by fulfilling our obligations to remember them.

In the opening chapter, the author examines the scope and boundaries of our responsibilities towards the dead. While it is commonly accepted that we owe respect to the wishes of the deceased, the author suggests that these obligations are more substantial than commonly recognized. However, in certain circumstances, such as organ donation or wealth inheritance, these obligations may be overridden when they conflict with the vital interests of the living.

By contrast, the author maintains that the obligation to remember, at least collectively, cannot be completely overridden. The author draws on the rich tapestry of tradition to argue that the dead continue to live on insofar as we enact those intentional states with which they most identified. The author employs the Confucian view of ritual to make this point, emphasizing that ritual absorption reincarnates the dead in the actions of the living.

In the final chapter, the author defends a Jamesian account of a pluralistic self that is fully compatible with the view that we have obligations to the individual dead. The author argues that the selves of the dead are pragmatic constructions, shaped by the experiences and relationships of their lives. Living with the Dead is a thought-provoking and deeply engaging book that will appeal to scholars and students interested in the philosophy of death, ethics, and cross-cultural philosophy. It offers a fresh perspective on the complex and multifaceted relationship between the living and the dead, challenging our preconceptions and illuminating new ways of thinking about mortality and the afterlife.

Weight: 648g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032293851