Death and faith from existentialist point of view

In order to understand the underlying concepts of faith with respect to philosophy, first it is important to understand 'philosophy' adequately. Jaspers was concerned about noting the originality and singularity of philosophy and he frames it as "to elucidate" (erhellen). As per Jaspers, this clarification or elucidation does not come to philosophers through an external agent but it happens by itself during the philosophical process and this happening is an innermost act. (Wildermuth, 2007). Philosophers understand the meaning and philosophy behind actions and things as they seek to explore hitherto mysterious, unexplained happenings and phenomenon.

However, only a few philosophers speak about the death. Even then, the best they can reveal about death is about its awareness. As such, although death is an unavoidable event and that is the only knowledge we have about it. All are aware that they have to face death one day and it will come eventually. It is an inescapable fact, a reality that happens in everyone's life. Martin Heidegger had been grown up in an environment that gives more importance to traditions and religions but he had discarded those with Being and Time. Also, he avoided referencing statements about God in his writings (Peach, 2000).

The article in the form of an essay by Karl Jasper's reflected only his ontological thoughts with respect to his faith in philosophy. Comparing Jaspers essay on philosophy with the ontology that deals with existence by Heidegger, helps explain how to philosophize the concept without deploying the actual philosophy. Whereas the philosophy of Jasper has an open view and deontological thoughts, through another perspective, the frankness in his words challenges the readers by interconnecting with the theoretical concepts of Kant (Wildermuth, 2007).

As per Jasper, the theory of philosophy never fits directly to the subjects dealt in universities and in particular, to "humanities," and there exist quantitative differences. It has become more common and the German universities faced the problem with the more orthodox philosophy, "Neo-Kantianism." Jasper's work Diegeistige Situation der Zeit, that meant a lot to him, had a major impact on the lives of many people when published (The Spiritual Condition of the Age). The question to which Jasper gave much importance was, "What is philosophy?" The first point is dealing with "What is philosophizing?" and the second point is dealing with "How to philosophize?" The questions that appear at the end were actually changed by Jasper to "How" from "What." This change leads to a further question, what does Jasper value as a valid traditional philosophy? When we understand Jasper's words, we capture his intention and the revelation is that human existence by itself plays an important role in philosophizing. Therefore, he stands by his point that all human beings should be conscious of their intentions (of life) and that such meaning has nothing to do with education or academics (Wildermuth, 2007).

The Magnum Opus theory of Heidegger concentrates on another metaphysical subject that means -- 'the study of being', that is a different ontology. This theory never takes account of the evidence, subjects, or any sciences; according to Husserl, it considers only 'phenomenological' methods. Husserl opines that Phenomenology is a construct of philosophy (with a claim that every phenomenon that includes mental thoughts has a link to an object in the outside world). However, Heidegger had tried to reflect it as a method of consciousness from our current state that helps us to understand the state of Being and not the Being itself. He called such existence 'Dasein', and explained it as 'being there' that refers to our actual existence (James, 2012).

Understanding Heideggers's views on death requires deeper understanding. As per his views, death is not about the feelings people ascribe to, instead it is a mere biological happening. The focus of Heidegger is completely of existence after death that is 'yet-to-come' and as explained through Dasein, it is referred as being-in-the-world. Heidegger states that, understanding death as a phenomenon is to understand the Dasein completely. If Dasein is interpreted as a living possibility, then Dasein Being means 'Being-towards-death'. Dasein clearly states that we should face it one day and for what it posits. This process is the main idea behind the analysis of Heidegger. Just to get a better clarification on being, Heidegger differentiates it as inauthentic and authentic. Dasein also seeks to propose that death is a constant event that should occur in the world and is also a 'case' that must occur. There is a general saying which states that "At the end, one has to die but nothing can be done right now." Also, the anonymous happening, the death, has got no connection to the pronoun "I" (Peach, 2000).

As per Heidegger, the analysis presents a better understanding of finitude and it helps in knowing about the existence. Also, he never gives us an explanation for death but presents a phenomenal relationship to it. Though it is thoughtful, it is glooming as well. In addition, his thoughts were criticized for letting no hope of Being (Peach, 2000).

Before understanding the views of Jasper on death, we should understand that our life is full of situations. Also, it is an unavoidable condition of the human existence. The second point is that there are also four 'boundary situations' (that threatens our security and basis of existence) and the most important of them is death. It is important because it ends 'being-in-the-world'. Jaspers gives two meanings to death. They are ceasing of life or a boundary situation. The one such boundary situation is facing his or her own death and it remains personal. It is referred so because Existenz by itself expresses Dasein which is the temporary existence with respect to body and it requires an end. Also, it is the end of only the 'empirical being' and the Existenz never dies. It signifies death and the relation to it. We are aware that the comeback for Dasein is nothing and we need to agree on it. (Peach, 2000).

The end of survival of humans results in the opening of a new dimension of philosophy. This apprehension is just the parallel of humanity and it preserves life and its conditions. The death of individuals and the humanity runs closer and lies tangible with power-hungry and pathological individuals (Wildermuth, 2007).

Quest for Being The philosophy of Jasper follows the guidance of "quest for being." There is a gap between being a "real being," Jasper matches it with "absolute," and the conditions, intentions and abilities of humankind and that means manifesting everything including the thoughts, dreams, etc. as a universal being. The acceptances or failures of being are an ongoing inquiry that should assert for it. It is a great challenge that enhances the "certainty of being" and it never comes to an end. This presents a further deeper understanding and it states that until existence takes full control of being, it just remains as "possible existence." Also, as per the observations of Jasper, the conditions cannot be changed by philosophizing. And he adds that "philosophies of possible existence is just a quest until it becomes real through philosophical lives" (Wildermuth, 2007).

The documentary film named 2010's Being in the World has five philosophers who discuss Heidegger's philosophy. In the same film, there were four 'craftsmen': a chef of New Orleans, a carpenter of Japan, a guitarist of Flamenco and a Jazz ensemble. The idea of introducing such people in the film was to present Heidegger's thought with real-life stories with 'temporality' faces that show 'anticipatory resoluteness'. It gives a definition and meaning to our lives through our projects, removing ourselves from 'the They' and thereby trying to understand the true ourselves. Altogether, it includes the positives of the philosophies of Heidegger and one's idea of applying it to their lives. But it looks strange for those who wish to enjoy their lives to the maximum. Though this claim does not run for a number of pages but it looks sufficient and is self-evident for the creative persons. So, it is better than a mystifying text that explains philosophies (James, 2012).

Walter Kaufman wrote about Heidegger in the book named Existentialism from Dostoevsky to Sartre in the year 1956. As per the book, "The critics of Heidegger always look at him as one who stops the spreading of knowledge to the public with words framed in different manners that indeed conceal the falsehoods of what he says. But he has also got supporters who tell that there is truth in his beliefs about the existence of man as a temporary event and by adding the concepts of Being. They also mention he overcomes the division between mind and matter and aids thinking by oneself. But his critics report that it is a common mentioning by all philosophers but Heidegger does that in a different manner by refusing the Descartes' rule that we should think as mathematicians in a more clear and distinct manner. His admirers often claim this as a positive new thought" (James, 2012)

There are beliefs among the people that life exists even after death, in one or the other form. It is mostly connected to the religious beliefs or the 'psychic' experiences of a person. People can overcome fear regarding death just with their beliefs. As per Jasper, the Dasein's form of continuation is absurd. He also adds that in such cases 'the terror associated with the state of not being' is gone and 'dying truly' stops at a point. This brings people to a situation where they can seek their true selves. A few issues need to be addressed at this point. Firstly, the belief of Jaspers is false and is not founded till date. His belief was that human beings can lead an immortal life. Also, there is a lack of proper evidence including scientific ones to prove the existence of life after death to support his statement. It is simply a faith and not a fact. Also, Jasper's belief in the concepts of Existenz, Being, and Transcendence also had its basis as just the faith with respect to philosophies. Some of the concepts of Jasper's are presented in an incomprehensible manner that is not, demonstrable or describable. Anyhow, Jasper believed in those concepts to the core and his philosophies are purely based on those concepts. Actually, his beliefs had the same basis as the faith of the individuals who has a strong belief in immortality. The only difference between them is that the case is better argued and more systematically carried over by the Jasper (Peach, 2000).

In the year 1935, a five-lecture series was held on the topic on "Reason and Existenz" (Vernunft und Existenz) at Rijksuniversiteit Groningen. He expanded the philosophies of existence that pertain to the one in 1931, with the idea of encompassing (das Umgreifende). It is debatable whether this inclusion had contributed to the expansion, and it may be an unintended act, or it may simply be ontology of existence. This was actually suggested as a basis of comparison with the previous existence problems. The 'Elucidation of Existence' volume II of Jasper's philosophy, is a very important one. It describes the existence concepts in a broad manner and constitutes it very clearly (Wildermuth, 2007).

As per Jasper, "modes of being of the encompassing" and the existence of human is presented with their "logics of philosophy" that recurs in a timely fashion. It also goes in hand with the different methods used for elucidation. The volume I of philosophy, "World Orientation," has got a higher reach with the belief "Orientation of the Encompassing," that forms the topmost horizon that says determinable and objective things are understandable. (Wildermuth, 2007). As per Russell, Heidegger based his analysis and results on psychological premises, even though they do not appear to be so, and Heidegger denies it himself. But there should be a reason for the denial. Maybe this denial was because his philosophy was based purely on psychology. This psychology as a field has become independent from philosophy in the 20th century when William James and Nietzsche influenced the results of Heidegger significantly by being a psychologist and a philosopher (questioned in Ecce Homo in its final chapter, "Who among philosophers before me has been a psychologist?"). There is no relevance for Heidegger in the fields of ethics, logic, traditional sciences or politics. Instead, he was concerned about the metaphysics, and specifically, that involves questions in ontology. From every possible angle, it looks like these questions are connected to mental and intellectual knowledge of existence that is a subject of mind (known as the psyche). Also, his feelings of anxiety, death, being and fear are psychology-based and work in an interpretive manner without using the modern elements such as scientific methods and its experimentations. This is an important interpretation aspect that is referred to as Hermeneutics and it strongly presents a characterization of Heidegger and other followers of the continent (James, 2012).