The Place of Death in Evolution

The Place of Death in Evolution PDF

Author: Newman Smyth

Publisher: Theclassics.Us

Published: 2013-09

Total Pages: 42

ISBN-13: 9781230441399

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1898 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER VI THE METHOD OF POSITIVE BENEVOLENCE IN THE LAW OF DEATH IN approaching this more personal part of the problem of mortality, we shall seek first to apprehend the utilities of physical death for the immortality of the human race as a whole; for if we succeed in grasping the nearer end of any great principle of life, our thought may swing itself up by it to higher and more fruitful conceptions of the truth. Ignoring for the moment our personal desires of life, and man's many sorrows, it will prove of advantage if we may gain some clear, broad view of the utility for our humanity, as a whole, of the natural law of death. If we succeed occasionally in seeing things as a whole (as a prophet once said), it will become less difficult for us to understand and to accept with cheerfulness our personal place and part in an order of providence which in its largeness and completeness is seen to be benign. The author has indicated the usefulness of this method of faith in his Personal Creeds, pp. 55 seq. One of these first more evident utilities of death for human life as a whole consists in the immense enlargement, through its means, of this earth as a field for the birth and training of a race of immortals. In natural history one of the vital questions concerns the field for life; whether it is large and rich, or sheltered enough to secure the maintenance and spread of. vegetation, and to afford animal life ample opportunity for its increase. If the field is crowded or barren, or if it lies exposed to destructive elements, then among the plants and animals the struggle will become severe; and the possible amount of the variety, beauty, and joyousness of life in that too limited field will be reduced to narrow limits. Upon the same field of...

The Evolution of Death

The Evolution of Death PDF

Author: Stanley Shostak

Publisher: State University of New York Press

Published: 2012-02-01

Total Pages: 262

ISBN-13: 079148081X

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

In The Evolution of Death, the follow-up to Becoming Immortal: Combining Cloning and Stem-Cell Therapy, also published by SUNY Press, Stanley Shostak argues that death, like life, can evolve. Observing that literature, philosophy, religion, genetics, physics, and gerontology still struggle to explain why we die, Shostak explores the mystery of death from a biological perspective. Death, Shostak claims, is not the end of a linear journey, static and indifferent to change. Instead, he suggests, the current efforts to live longer have profoundly affected our ecological niche, and we are evolving into a long-lived species. Pointing to the artificial means currently used to prolong life, he argues that as we become increasingly juvenilized in our adult life, death will become significantly and evolutionarily delayed. As bodies evolve, the embryos of succeeding generations may be accumulating the stem cells that preserve and restore, providing the resources necessary to live longer and longer. If trends like this continue, Shostak contends, future human beings may join the ranks of other animals with indefinite life spans.

Evolutionary Perspectives on Death

Evolutionary Perspectives on Death PDF

Author: Todd K. Shackelford

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2019-10-21

Total Pages: 210

ISBN-13: 3030254666

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

The latest volume in this multidisciplinary series on key topics in evolutionary studies, Evolutionary Perspectives on Death provides an evolutionary analysis of mortality and the consideration of death. Bringing together noted experts from a variety of fields, the books emanate from conferences held at Oakland University, and are dedicated to providing wide ranging and occasionally provocative views of human evolution. The volume on death covers topics from biology, anthropology, psychology, sociology and philosophy, with contributors addressing how evolution informs the process of comprehending, grieving, depicting, celebrating, and accepting death. Among the topics covered: Evolutionary perspectives on the loss of a twin Nonhuman primate responses to death Death in literature Witnessing and representing the death of pets The role of human decomposition facilities in shaping American perspectives on death This insightful volume showcases groundbreaking empirical and theoretical research addressing death and mortality from an evolutionary perspective, demonstrating the intellectual value of an interdisciplinary approach to understanding psychological processes and behavior. Chapter 6 of this book is available open access under a CC BY 4.0 license at link.springer.com.

The Chances of Death and Other Studies in Evolution, Vol. 1 of 2 (Classic Reprint)

The Chances of Death and Other Studies in Evolution, Vol. 1 of 2 (Classic Reprint) PDF

Author: Karl Pearson

Publisher: Forgotten Books

Published: 2018-03-10

Total Pages: 412

ISBN-13: 9780364286555

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Excerpt from The Chances of Death and Other Studies in Evolution, Vol. 1 of 2 To some readers a few words of explanation on the apparent want of unity in the contents of this book may seem desirable. In the first place, the author believes this heterogeneity will be found more in the titles of the several essays than in their contents. There must always be a unity, interesting at least to the psychologist, if not to the general reader, when a mind with its opinions and methods of investigation reason ably matured approaches even very diverse problems. But the author would be unwilling to admit that this is the sole unity of his essays. He believes that the sympathetic reader will find in one and all the essays he fundamental note of the author's thought, namely he endeavour to see all phenomena, physical and social. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Approaching Death

Approaching Death PDF

Author: Committee on Care at the End of Life

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 1997-10-30

Total Pages: 457

ISBN-13: 0309518253

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

When the end of life makes its inevitable appearance, people should be able to expect reliable, humane, and effective caregiving. Yet too many dying people suffer unnecessarily. While an "overtreated" dying is feared, untreated pain or emotional abandonment are equally frightening. Approaching Death reflects a wide-ranging effort to understand what we know about care at the end of life, what we have yet to learn, and what we know but do not adequately apply. It seeks to build understanding of what constitutes good care for the dying and offers recommendations to decisionmakers that address specific barriers to achieving good care. This volume offers a profile of when, where, and how Americans die. It examines the dimensions of caring at the end of life: Determining diagnosis and prognosis and communicating these to patient and family. Establishing clinical and personal goals. Matching physical, psychological, spiritual, and practical care strategies to the patient's values and circumstances. Approaching Death considers the dying experience in hospitals, nursing homes, and other settings and the role of interdisciplinary teams and managed care. It offers perspectives on quality measurement and improvement, the role of practice guidelines, cost concerns, and legal issues such as assisted suicide. The book proposes how health professionals can become better prepared to care well for those who are dying and to understand that these are not patients for whom "nothing can be done."