Why should we care about dead people?

[Jack Jack]

The title says it all.

Why should we respect a corpse ?
Why should we care about the desires of a person who does not exist anymore ? Why should we honor last wills and such.
Why do we have to sign a donnor card for it to be legal to give our organs when we die? Why are we considered owners of our body after our death? How can someone who no longer exist still have rights ? Or possession?

Why should we care about corpses ? Why do we give burials or cremation ? would it not be more practical to just dump the carcass in the woods or donate it to an University or whatever ?

 

[TheAmazingFlygon]

To show respect and/or to ''accomplish'' a religious ritual. Would it not be practical for me to reduce to slavery all those who opposes me? Yes, it probably would. Would it be ''human''? Probably not. The same goes for your questions. There is also a part of tradition in these acts too.

 

[billymills]

We shouldn't, plain and simple.

Dumping a corpse in the woods probably isn't the best idea. There are probably some decent methods by which we could produce bio-fuel, but I'm not sure because I doubt there are any studies done on the matter.

Donating it to the university is also useful, but I doubt they'd want everyone. That'd be a few too many.

Flygon I have no idea what you are talking about, could you please explain a bit more?

 

[Elevator Music]

Golden rule shit, basically.

You want other people to care about you after you're dead, and the only way to do that is to get people to care about all the people that die before you. You want your rights to be respected even after you're dead so you respect others, etc.

 

[Fishy]

First of all, dumping all dead carcasses in the woods is completely impractical, and a really, really stupid idea? I mean, you can't trust everything will decompose and the earth will make use of the bodies and all will be all right, it would be incredibly detrimental to not only the health of nature, but it would eventually come back to bite us in the ass due to a spread of disease, growth spurts of swarming bacteria, etc. Goddamn.

And, I don't see why (TheAmazingFlygon) you think any form of respect for the dead is tied to religious reasoning, unless you're just talking about funerals and the like (priest involvement being the extent of religious relation, i guess)!

Anyway,

The title says it all.

Why should we respect a corpse ?
Why should we care about the desires of a person who does not exist anymore ? Why should we honor last wills and such.
Why do we have to sign a donnor card for it to be legal to give our organs when we die? Why are we considered owners of our body after our death? How can someone who no longer exist still have rights ? Or possession?

Why should we care about corpses ? Why do we give burials or cremation ? would it not be more practical to just dump the carcass in the woods or donate it to an University or whatever ?

There is no real "reasoning" to respect anything that is dead and gone from this world, other than it's something that humans alike have come to do over time, and thus it's become tradition. That's as basic of reasoning I can manage. Otherwise, most human beings who knew someone who is deceased likely had an emotional relationship with them, and so their feelings for them live on even while their relationship does not. Respecting the wishes of someone who is deceased is perfectly valid, simply because it's a legal process. They create a will, sign it, get it authenticated/approved/whatever happens so that it "must" be carried out as the person has described. "Why" should we do that? Honestly, can you "practically" imagine a world that just totally disregards the dead and does what they please with their remains? Things would turn absolutely barbaric. People would start cannibalising, since who cares if you're eating your friend's dead grandmother? They tossed her out, so you're free to do what you want! You know, if that's your thing..

Why do we have to sign a donor card for it to be legal to give our organs when we die? Why are we considered owners of our body after our death? How can someone who no longer exist still have rights ? Or possession?

Aside from actually being in ownership of our bodies after death, everything else is basically a legal matter. Donating organs has to be regulated to avoid things like selling kidneys and shit on the black market, or again, just doing whatever the fuck you will with them after death. If you haven't signed off on your organs being harvested for medical reasons after your death, then no one has a right to them. Yes, you're dead, but it doesn't give any one living person a higher authority on saying what happens to your body, unless you have signed agreements for yourself, post-life. Everything to do with rights and possession comes down to legal issues, and what you've signed of yourself away after death, and what you have not. Things you have purchased in your name will either be passed on to whomever you've selected to be a recipient or simply tossed out if no otherwise request has been recorded.

I know your question is probably begging to delve "deeper" into the situation, but it's nothing you can simply answer with opinion or fact. Respecting and honoring the dead has been something started aaages ago, ever since someone has first felt the sting of sadness from lost loved ones. Many people die every day that will forever be loved and missed, and those people choose to respect them in their deaths as much as they did in life because although they may not be of this world anymore, the fact that they once were is reason enough.

 

[billymills]

Anyway,

There is no real "reasoning" to respect anything that is dead and gone from this world, other than it's something that humans alike have come to do over time, and thus it's become tradition. That's as basic of reasoning I can manage.

Tradition is not justification for anything. Just because it's done doesn't mean it's correct.

Otherwise, most human beings who knew someone who is deceased likely had an emotional relationship with them, and so their feelings for them live on even while their relationship does not. Respecting the wishes of someone who is deceased is perfectly valid, simply because it's a legal process. They create a will, sign it, get it authenticated/approved/whatever happens so that it "must" be carried out as the person has described.

Again, why is this relevant. Just because it's a legal process does not mean it's a reasonable solution.

"Why" should we do that? Honestly, can you "practically" imagine a world that just totally disregards the dead and does what they please with their remains? Things would turn absolutely barbaric. People would start cannibalising, since who cares if you're eating your friend's dead grandmother? They tossed her out, so you're free to do what you want! You know, if that's your thing..

Personally I don't like human flesh, there are far too many diseases I could contract from eating it, and there are plenty of other foods that are more carefully grown. The Mayan culture (I believe it was mayan) was to eat the remains of the dead, meaning there are people who find cannibalism acceptable. If someone has a taste for human flesh, I don't see what the problem is with letting them eat it. I mean it's just going to rot otherwise.

Aside from actually being in ownership of our bodies after death, everything else is basically a legal matter.

Wait, inanimate blobs can have property now?

Donating organs has to be regulated to avoid things like selling kidneys and shit on the black market, or again, just doing whatever the fuck you will with them after death. If you haven't signed off on your organs being harvested for medical reasons after your death, then no one has a right to them.

Again, I don't understand why no one should have a right to them. No one owns them, so shouldn't they simply be up for grabs?

Yes, you're dead, but it doesn't give any one living person a higher authority on saying what happens to your body, unless you have signed agreements for yourself, post-life. Everything to do with rights and possession comes down to legal issues, and what you've signed of yourself away after death, and what you have not. Things you have purchased in your name will either be passed on to whomever you've selected to be a recipient or simply tossed out if no otherwise request has been recorded.

It gives them authority, which is more than you can say since well, you don't exist anymore. A non-existing nothing can not have authority.

Your argument boils down to either 'we do it, therefore we should' or 'the legal system supports it, therefore you should.' Neither of which is an actual reason to respect the dead.

 

[TheAmazingFlygon]

And, I don't see why (TheAmazingFlygon) you think any form of respect for the dead is tied to religious reasoning, unless you're just talking about funerals and the like (priest involvement being the extent of religious relation, i guess)!

Mea Culpa, I wasn't clear enough; I meant to say that sometimes it could be tied to religious rituals and such, but not all the time. Also, I believe it's fair to say that a major part of the time, if not always, we do it partially for respect and partially out of tradition.

Flygon I have no idea what you are talking about, could you please explain a bit more?

I mentioned, in an unclear way perhaps, that we do this in a sign of respect to the dead; to acknowledge his existence in a certain way. There is also a bit of what Elevator Music mentioned. And although we don't have a real reasoning to do so, it would be utterly idiotic to dump bodies in a forest for we emotionally need to show respect to those who were close to us.

 

[Veedrock]

If someone has a taste for human flesh, I don't see what the problem is with letting them eat it. I mean it's just going to rot otherwise.

And how would they obtain it? The hunting of the most dangerous animal? Would we require the dead be sent to a factory for processing? Would we farm people? If people have a taste for it waiting for somebody to die doesn't cut it. There's a hell of a lot wrong with cannibalism that's unrelated to the treatment of the dead (read: its mostly off topic). (woo lets bring up necrophilia while we're at it)


On topic, I'm not the type of person to grieve over the deceased or avoid a related topic because it may be a sensitive issue, I part ways with most things brought in the OP. I think it'd be stupid if possessions I've worked to earn in my lifetime were simply forfeit rather than entitled to my heirs (or whoever I wished them upon). I'll be damned if they're given to the highest bidder or first come first serve, they belonged to me and I should decide what is done with them. If I get killed tomorrow, I apologize that I didn't foresee my death and give them away my things ahead of time. I don't see how a will is any different from any other term of sale/possession. I can obtain a pack of gum under the condition that I pay 50 cents. I can get a free video game under the condition that I trade a few others. My heir can obtain my possessions under the conditions that I'm dead. I'm not seeing why the last thing here shouldn't be upheld.

Our "disposal" methods are pretty much the most efficient way of dealing with the dead, the only part that sucks is bullshit pricings/procedures, but those are grandfathered traditions that can be avoided. There's only so much a university can do with dead bodies, and lol scattering them in woods, seriously? Turning dead bodies into biofuel would certainly be a better use for them (they have no use), but it would hardly be efficient or worth investing in. Already mentioned my qualms with cannibalism. I do agree that organ donorship should be enforced, not optional.

 

[Fatecrashers]

Respect for the dead is something deeply ingrained within us as humans, it encompasses all cultures and nations, and is something that has existed since the beginning of human civilization. Even cavemen had the practice of burying the dead in a respectful manner with feathers, bone tools and other prized possessions.

Respect for the dead can also be seen in mammals with higher intelligence, such as elephants and chimpanzees, who will often attempt to cover up a dead body and steer clear of its final resting place. Is this merely a survival instinct? Perhaps. But then surely our respect for the dead would have stemmed from this instinct, and I would argue it is a fundamental part of what makes us human, just like our opposable thumbs.

Sure we are far more intelligent now, and some of us may think that devoting time and resources to burying or cremating the deceased is not the best idea. But if we take this utilitarian approach to its logical extreme: Heck, why waste your money on lavish weddings? Birthdays are really just another day right? Holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas only serve to snatch away another day of productivity!

The fact is as human beings we do need some sort of closure, and for people dealing with the loss of a loved one this closure is best realised by following the wishes of the deceased. If the deceased wants to donate his body to science then so be it, if he wants to be buried next to his wife then that's his choice too. I think if we take the cold utilitarian approach of just burning them for biofuel or whatever we would feel on a deep emotional level that this is wrong, we would be losing a part of what makes us human.

The practical approach is suitable for other areas, but not here, the emotional element is just too strong. Would you leave your mother's dead body out in the woods for the wolves without a second thought? Unless all humans become cold, calculating emotionless beings I don't forsee our approach to honouring the dead ever changing.

 

[billymills]

And how would they obtain it? The hunting of the most dangerous animal? Would we require the dead be sent to a factory for processing? Would we farm people? If people have a taste for it waiting for somebody to die doesn't cut it. There's a hell of a lot wrong with cannibalism that's unrelated to the treatment of the dead (hint: its mostly off topic). (woo lets bring up necrophilia while we're at it)

Umm what?

There is a clear difference between simply cleaning up dead people and actually killing out of hunger. Obviously murder would be just as illegal as before, farming people would still be outlawed, but if someone dies in a car accident and you want to eat his brains, by all means go for it (as long as you make sure it's properly prepared).

I'm not going to defend necrophilia as it's not part of my argument. I personally have no problem what people do with inanimate objects, but my argument relates more to using bodies in a efficient manner such as transplants, bio-fuel, or otherwise efficient destruction.

 

[LoveDensity]

Why should we care about the desires of a person who does not exist anymore?

I'll just hit up this one and quick. The other ones are just issues on morality and im def not touching on that seeing arguing on morality gets you nowhere. This is just an issue in a personal level. Caring about the desires of a dead person is just mutual respect for someone who might have had an impact on your life. Respecting their wishes just confirms to yourself that your relationship with this person extends beyond normal means. And also whatever decision you make to care about their desire or not helps tell yourself and other ppl what kind of person you really are.

Whatever you choose to respect their desires or not is up to you and will affect your life experiences little or more.

 

[TheAmazingFlygon]

Also, I would like to quote Guy de Maupassant here:

''It is the lives we encounter that make life worth living.''

Although, this does not directly affect this subject, it does indirectly: we need (not as an social obligation, but as a moral one) to show respect to those who were close to us and influenced us for they are a part of us; they shaped us into the being we are as of now.

 

[Morm]

it's all tradition, plus some people are creeped out by corpses. I currently work around cadavers all day long and give them nicknames. They are dead, they can no longer give a shit what happens to their body and therefore it's up to the living to determine what happens.

The main issue is with living relatives- they usually care about what happens to a body.

 

[Lelouch]

Personally, I don't care about dead people. Corpses are just so much - potentially useful, granted - meat to me.

However, I am in favour of the right to decide what happens to one's property after death however, and property includes one's organs and blood (which one should also be entitled to sell while alive, but that's another thread). After all, you earned and protected your property while alive, and as long as you can find (or pay) someone willing to go to the trouble of arranging execution of your will after death, it should be obeyed - and certainly shouldn't be subject to any ridiculous inheritance taxes. By the by, if one doesn't carry a donor card, that's a pretty clear indicator of his will in that matter to me. "Presumed consent" systems of organ theft don't count, by the way.

If a person doesn't leave a will, it's a less clear cut matter. If the government were to provide a free service to assist one in creating a will (rather than having to pay for it yourself) the government might be entitled to take the assets of those who left no will, to fund that same system.

However, you don't go draft a new will the day you get engaged or your child is born. Perhaps there is some merit to leaving it to them by default, too.

 

[MrIndigo]

The title says it all.

Why should we respect a corpse ?
Why should we care about the desires of a person who does not exist anymore ? Why should we honor last wills and such.
Why do we have to sign a donnor card for it to be legal to give our organs when we die? Why are we considered owners of our body after our death? How can someone who no longer exist still have rights ? Or possession?

Why should we care about corpses ? Why do we give burials or cremation ? would it not be more practical to just dump the carcass in the woods or donate it to an University or whatever ?

1) I don't really know what you mean.
2) Technically, in a legal sense, their Will takes effect at the moment of their death, i.e. when they're still alive. The fact that it takes a while to actually administer their will is irrelevant. People who are dead don't have rights. Also, you are never considered the owner of your body, in life or death.
3) Religious freedom; answers most of the rest of the questions.

 

[Sy123]

The title says it all.

Why should we respect a corpse ?
Why should we care about the desires of a person who does not exist anymore ? Why should we honor last wills and such.
Why do we have to sign a donnor card for it to be legal to give our organs when we die? Why are we considered owners of our body after our death? How can someone who no longer exist still have rights ? Or possession?

Why should we care about corpses ? Why do we give burials or cremation ? would it not be more practical to just dump the carcass in the woods or donate it to an University or whatever ?

This seems like another thread where someone rants on about some problem he/she has that no one else does.
We should respect a corpse, because it is the symbol. That someone living, breathing was there. And because, people love each other. Whether dead or alive, true love, means love.
Are you saying when you die, you would like to ripped open by some random guy you dont know. Chucked in the forest, and stepped on? Even if you didnt ask for it?
In most developed countries, 1 person dies every 3 minutes. And even moreso in undeveloped countries. This will eventually create a bigger problem than garbage. Bury them, where they are at peace and decompose easier. Its also better for children, you dont want them to see dead bodies everywhere on their first camping trip either.
There are also religious affairs, that must be considered. Some people have a different faith than you, whatever you follow isnt what everyone else follows

 

[BinarySolo]

Jack Jack, have you actually had someone close to you die? Could you honestly say you would rather have someone you loved thrown into a forest rather than buried respectfully? The reason we bury bodies, apart from practical and religious purposes, is as an act of respect and love to the deceased.

 

[gvmgvm40]

...but if someone dies in a car accident and you want to eat his brains, by all means go for it (as long as you make sure it's properly prepared).

Have you ever heard of Kuru or CJD?

About why we respect the dead, I think religious issues mostly. I'm not gonna touch the issue of morality.

However, I would certainly not want my grandfather thrown away or eaten by some freak.

 

[Priori]

It's important to remember here that just because a person is dead does not mean that they don't still have an effect on those who aren't. Funerals obviously serve no purpose to the deceased but often they are important times for the friends and family to express grief and hopefully help them obtain some sort of closure. I was not allowed to attend my grandmother's funeral when I was young but I really wish I had. 'I never had a chance to say goodbye' is the cliche line that applies here.

Also, after a person has passed away they obviously don't need their body anymore but it seems to me like you think the government should have 'dibs'. I see my body as like any other item I own, and when I make my will I will make sure I specifically state what I would like doing with it. I will choose who I would like to take care of funeral arrangements just like I will choose who recieves anything else of my estate. I don't see why anyone should be allowed to just say 'hold on, we need that body' when so far in this thread nobody has actually given a good example of what a human corpse can be used for. Organ transplants are important and really more people should sign up as donors, I already am one, but organs are in no way is the entirity of the corpse; much of a dead human body is either unuseable or impractical to use.

As far as wills go, I see no reason not to respect them. Just because a person is dead when their will is needed doesn't mean that they weren't sentient and capable of entering into a contract when the will was made, and that is the crucial aspect. And anyway, if wills ceased to exist then people would still find ways to make pseudo-wills. 'Hey kids, would you like this house? Just sign this contract that says it's yours but we, your parents, can live in it and do what we like with modifying and decorating the place until we both die and you can't sell it until then. Kthanks.'

 

[Jack Jack]

Golden rule shit, basically.

You want other people to care about you after you're dead, and the only way to do that is to get people to care about all the people that die before you. You want your rights to be respected even after you're dead so you respect others, etc.

Why should I give a shit about what will happen to my body or the world in general after my death? I'll be dead by then man ! Since people should not care about what happen to their body after death, why should we ?

it's all tradition, plus some people are creeped out by corpses. I currently work around cadavers all day long and give them nicknames. They are dead, they can no longer give a shit what happens to their body and therefore it's up to the living to determine what happens.

The main issue is with living relatives- they usually care about what happens to a body.

Well, then, it's a matter of respect to an actual person. That makes perfect sense. Even if they should not care, we shouldn't judge and stuff like that.

1) I don't really know what you mean.
2) Technically, in a legal sense, their Will takes effect at the moment of their death, i.e. when they're still alive. The fact that it takes a while to actually administer their will is irrelevant. People who are dead don't have rights. Also, you are never considered the owner of your body, in life or death.
3) Religious freedom; answers most of the rest of the questions.

By 2, I see why we should respect last wills.

Jack Jack, have you actually had someone close to you die? Could you honestly say you would rather have someone you loved thrown into a forest rather than buried respectfully? The reason we bury bodies, apart from practical and religious purposes, is as an act of respect and love to the deceased.

Twice. My favorite aunt and the only grandmother I've had an actual relationship with (at the time, I've got two new ones with whom I have a relationship now, althought they do not replace her in any way). From cancer. The only reason I'd attend the funeral was because I knew it would ease the pain of my uncle and grandfather. And out of curiosity.

(off topic) I still have a picture of my grandma. I say hi to the picture, sometimes. I see no reason why it's any less "valid" to impersonate her in a picture than in her corpse. She's no longer in heir corpse any more than she's in that picture. She's no longer part of this world. I don't have a picture of my aunt, I just look at the sky when I miss her.

By the way, the OP was a genuine question, and some of the answers where quite satisfying. Others, not so much. Tradition must be justified as if it did not exist.

 

[cantab]

If you disrespect someone while they are alive, they can respond. Disrespecting someone after they are dead is therefore cowardice.

 

[Jack Jack]

Why do corpses deserve more respect than, say, a chair, or a garbage bag, is a more accurate question.

 

[gvmgvm40]

They have relatives that used to care about them.

 

[Fatecrashers]

Why do corpses deserve more respect than, say, a chair, or a garbage bag, is a more accurate question.

Corpses used be living breathing beings that was someone's friend, relative, colleague. You interacted with them and formed relationships and bonds with them. That person will always be in your memory.

Chairs? Not so much.

 

[Dracolosse]

Corpes aren't treated the way they are because they "deserve" it. The way we treat our dead is one of the many things that make the human kind different from animals. Many animals eat the corpses of their fellow creatures, and no animals has ever dug a grave. It's a perfectly viable way of living, which has many advantages, since no time and energy is wasted in funerals, etc... In addition, eating corpses while they're still fresh (to prevent diseases) is a good source of protein that is definitely good for our organism. So, really, if all you're looking at is, like wild animals, your own survival, respecting the dead is a pointless waste of time.

However, we are humans, and we are a very social species of animals. Our success as a species is largely due to our ability to cooperate (like not eating each other) and respecting our fellow humans, even when they're dead is just another sign of our will to stand together as a group, and of our civilization in general.