On Death

Death is a fundamental condition of being human. It is the focus of our fears and an essential motivator in our aspirations. Ideas of death feature in every culture and have given rise to both world religions and local myths. However, in secular environments, the existence of death is discussed less openly. Measures to extend our lifespan have replaced the idea of death as being meaningful in and of itself or as a passage into the unknown. In twenty-four essays, Swedish and international experts explore different ways to approach death. These contributions cover the ancient Egyptian and Sumerian underworlds, the ethics of the major religions, ancient and modern theories about the soul and consciousness, and artistic and literary conceptions. At the heart of this richly illustrated anthology is the question of what history can teach us before our own encounter with death and the dead.