Abstract
Water is necessary for life, but throughout many cultures and societies, it has also been symbolic of death. Many ancient philosophers, including the Stoics Seneca and Epictetus, portray death in terms of a sea voyage. Life is but a temporary harbor from the ocean of eternity – and into this ocean, we all must someday sail. The analogy between death and the ocean is impactful. Death, after all, is among the most terrifying things humans must face. Death is at once inevitable, uncertain, and unpredictable: that we will die is obvious. But we do not know when we will die. We also typically have very little control over our deaths. The ocean is similarly unknown and outside our control. We no more control the waves than we control our own mortality. Since we must all face the ocean of death sooner or later, finding a way to face the fear of death is essential. In this paper, I analyze the ancient Stoic imagery associated with the ocean as the passage from life. While this imagery illustrates how death is unpredictable and terrifying, I argue that it also provides one of ancient philosophy’s most effective consolations against the fear of death. It teaches us how to face what is unknown with courage and to make the most of our time in the harbor of life. By working through the Stoic imagery, I show how we can live a meaningful life despite the inevitable consequence of our mortality.
Presenters
Anna ChristensenAssistant Professor of Philosophy, History, Anthropology, Religious Studies, & Philosophy (HARP), Central College, Iowa, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Death, Stoic, Mortality, Meaning of Life, Philosophy
