2022-10-04, 03:50 PM
An ageing philosopher returns to the essential question: ‘What is the point of it all?’
By the time of his death, the US philosopher Herbert Fingarette (1921-2018) had lived what most would consider a full and meaningful life. His marriage to his wife, Leslie, was long and happy. His career as professor of philosophy at the University of California, Santa Barbara was both accomplished and controversial – his book Heavy Drinking (1988), which challenged the popular understanding of alcoholism as a progressive disease, was met with criticism in the medical and academic communities. In a later book, Death: Philosophical Soundings (1999), Fingarette contemplated mortality, bringing him to a conclusion that echoed the Epicureans: in non-existence, there is nothing to fear. But as Being 97 makes evident, grappling with death can be quite different when the thoughts are personal rather than theoretical. Filmed during some of the final months of Fingarette’s life, the elegiac short documentary profiles the late philosopher as he reflects on life, loss, the many challenges of old age, and those lingering questions that might just be unanswerable.
An ageing philosopher returns to the essential question: ‘What is the point of it all?’ | Aeon Videos
Thanks to nbtruthman for pointing me towards this site because I don't remember ever seeing it before. Maybe I have but I'd forgotten. This is a rather poignant glimpse into the ultimate existential question. What is the point of it all ? Herbert Fingerette a famous philosophy professor from the university of California, allows us to see a day in his life at an advanced age, which has now ended (2018) and to hear his most honest and profound thoughts about his predicament.
I would warn anyone who is not in the mood to watch something like this, to pass. I personally found it rather fascinating, not because I derive any satisfaction from seeing someone suffering (effectively) like this, I don't of course, it's a tale of woe. A hopeless and sad reflection on the tragic success materialist philosophy and science has had, 'scouring' away' any smidgen of the 'notion' that death is not the end, for no good reason.
Herbert doesn't want to live because he's ancient and has to suffer all the indignities that old age brings. But he also doesn't want to die either, because even in this state, he thinks it is still preferable to death. But he doesn't know why. And he is kind of surprised that he doesn't know why. The gist of it is...what was the point of it all? This is surely one (at least) of the most commonly expressed laments from people facing death, who sincerely believe it is the end.
I'm not going to try and sell Herbert (retrospectively) a different perspective. My only real question is...where has he been since 1975. Surely, he must have become aware of the opinions of some other academics (who are not actually fools) that death might not be the end of everything after all.
I mean at the very least, even if you don't believe in life after death (or continuing consciousness) no one can deny that death itself seems to be extremely pleasant and that whether they are really there or not, your dead relatives appear to be waiting for you. A big pat on the back to materialists ! They certainly appear to have done a great job on Herbert ! And if that's not the case, why did he feel so hopeless?
(I really hope in fact I'm sure he will have had a wonderful reunion with his dear wife)
By the time of his death, the US philosopher Herbert Fingarette (1921-2018) had lived what most would consider a full and meaningful life. His marriage to his wife, Leslie, was long and happy. His career as professor of philosophy at the University of California, Santa Barbara was both accomplished and controversial – his book Heavy Drinking (1988), which challenged the popular understanding of alcoholism as a progressive disease, was met with criticism in the medical and academic communities. In a later book, Death: Philosophical Soundings (1999), Fingarette contemplated mortality, bringing him to a conclusion that echoed the Epicureans: in non-existence, there is nothing to fear. But as Being 97 makes evident, grappling with death can be quite different when the thoughts are personal rather than theoretical. Filmed during some of the final months of Fingarette’s life, the elegiac short documentary profiles the late philosopher as he reflects on life, loss, the many challenges of old age, and those lingering questions that might just be unanswerable.
An ageing philosopher returns to the essential question: ‘What is the point of it all?’ | Aeon Videos
Thanks to nbtruthman for pointing me towards this site because I don't remember ever seeing it before. Maybe I have but I'd forgotten. This is a rather poignant glimpse into the ultimate existential question. What is the point of it all ? Herbert Fingerette a famous philosophy professor from the university of California, allows us to see a day in his life at an advanced age, which has now ended (2018) and to hear his most honest and profound thoughts about his predicament.
I would warn anyone who is not in the mood to watch something like this, to pass. I personally found it rather fascinating, not because I derive any satisfaction from seeing someone suffering (effectively) like this, I don't of course, it's a tale of woe. A hopeless and sad reflection on the tragic success materialist philosophy and science has had, 'scouring' away' any smidgen of the 'notion' that death is not the end, for no good reason.
Herbert doesn't want to live because he's ancient and has to suffer all the indignities that old age brings. But he also doesn't want to die either, because even in this state, he thinks it is still preferable to death. But he doesn't know why. And he is kind of surprised that he doesn't know why. The gist of it is...what was the point of it all? This is surely one (at least) of the most commonly expressed laments from people facing death, who sincerely believe it is the end.
I'm not going to try and sell Herbert (retrospectively) a different perspective. My only real question is...where has he been since 1975. Surely, he must have become aware of the opinions of some other academics (who are not actually fools) that death might not be the end of everything after all.
I mean at the very least, even if you don't believe in life after death (or continuing consciousness) no one can deny that death itself seems to be extremely pleasant and that whether they are really there or not, your dead relatives appear to be waiting for you. A big pat on the back to materialists ! They certainly appear to have done a great job on Herbert ! And if that's not the case, why did he feel so hopeless?
(I really hope in fact I'm sure he will have had a wonderful reunion with his dear wife)