You have not existed for all of time until you were born. So why are you afraid of non-existence or death?

Question

We have all experienced non existence for all of time until we were born. Logically speaking, we need not fear death since we have already experienced non-existence. We have been nothing, stretching back infinitely into the past. Ain't it so?

I would like your opinions.

Answer 1

out of nowhere comes now here..

no fear here..

i do wonder about non-existence

but not too much because

i dont want to manifest that just yet...

i am kinda attached to this thing we call life..

Answer 2

Because I exist NOW.  

Answer 3

Your assertion that we experience non-existence is an oxymoron.  You cannot experience something if you do not exist.  Existence requires having a set of experiences.  Death is not an existence.  Therefore, you cannot assert whether or not you fear death, since you do not have that knowledge.  And if you do not exist, you cannot experience.  If you do not exist, you cannot possibly fear death.  So once again, in order to feel or fear death, you must first and for most, exist, in order to acquire these feelings and emotions.

But if you wonder why people fear death, each person has his/her own reason, motivated by their particular religious beliefs and cultural values.  Certain Christians, for example, believe that if they commit sins in their physical life and do not repent, they will face tribulations and will go to h**l.  Others fear death because it is the unknown.  You may argue that since it is unknown, you cannot possibly gather that the unknown is horrible.  Nonetheless, uncertainly breeds a set of vulnerability, and many of us do not like this not-knowing.  We prefer to face the familiar, because we already know the appropriate ways to face these situations.   Moreover, before reaching that final threshold of death, many people suffered on their way.  Maybe they were brutally murdered by another person, or by their own body that is slowly killing itself.  And we, as witnesses to their pains and suffering, fear that it could manifest in our life as well.  

Answer 4

If we didn't exist before we existed, then we couldn't have "experienced non-existence", because experiencing anything requires some kind of an existence.   And it's not true that what people fear about death is the prospect of non-existence (even if "once again non-existent"), because most people believe in an aterlife anyway.  So, they fear death for other reasons.  The biological reason for fear of death is that it's a built-in survival instinct, a loathing of the idea of becoming un-alive.

Answer 5

I look forward to it.

Answer 6

I am not afraid of death so it is no problem for me.  

Answer 7

Death isn't the issue, it's the process of dying that is.

Answer 8

Because i've got rather used to life now and i'd hate to lose it.

Answer 9

Right-o. You go to the same place after you die that you were before you were born.....nowhere.

Answer 10

Actually not so much...even from a Scientific-perspective...

1) Whatever brought man to the forefront of reality evolution or whatever those first humans on the face of Earth...we all here sitting at our desks had the potential to exist... in fact if those humans didn't exist..we wouldn't exist by the same logic and the principles of s*x, mating, DNA, etc...

2) So even from this so called 'Atheistic-Objective' worldview parts of our DNA...therefore parts of us have lasted thousands if not millions of years.... if parts of us can exist past the standard 75-80 years here on Earth, before we were physically born to our biological parents...then is it so hard to ask and become worried about pursuing life after the 75-80 year barrier?

3) Science and the current world-view of Atheism would like us to believe they have a comprehensive view of our 'Reality'...when in fact if you consider our present knowledge in relation to the proportion and size of the Universe...we would be lucky to say we have a mere-drop in the Ocean of truth and reality when it comes to Human-Knowledge...careful how you choose to perceive 'Existence'... you may limit and dismiss information about other details on the map before you...

4) Maybe the greatest truth I've found, and possibly the only consistent one is the old addage: The map is never the Territory.

5) That's my take...  

Answer 11

Good question. I have thought about exactly the same thing, but any living creature values its existence. There is no recollection of non-existence, nothing to tell you that death is an okay state to be in, so I think you are scared of the unknown. Somehow though, I have experienced the fear of death waxing and waning. I speculate that if a person is enjoying his/her life to the fullest, the fear of death is greatest.

Answer 12

of course its true unless your a scholar of Buddhism or shikism. Though we may not have had existence we do now and existing is the only way we are aware to take joy from the world we know. Many people do not have a fear of death they have a fear of leaving what they know for either the unknown or nothing. The fear is natural as we have been and so we wish it to remain.

Answer 13

Because I had nothing before I was born. Now I have amassed material possessions. Emotional attachments to friends and families. My favorite shows, movies, music, books and all the things that have helped shape who I am today. I can't let them go. I hope to be able to let them go some day.  

Answer 14

Tell me...what's it like to experience non-existence, or can't you remember?

Answer 15

False. Every person ever born and will be born existed as spiritual entities for undetermined time.

Your assumption is flawed.