A world without death? First and second thoughts

Most empirical studies of orientations toward death have used psychometric methods to determine the level of 'death anxiety' or a related variable. Other questions are also worth investigation, however, and other methods required. The question under investigation here is the function of death within the individual's world view. A sample of 214 university students was asked to respond to a scenario in which death is no longer inevitable. The students were first asked to respond to the general concept of life without death. Next, they were asked to reflect on this scenario and identify the probable consequences of a world without death on (a) the world in general, and (b) their own lives. Finally, they were asked again to express their evaluation of a world without death. First thoughts were predominantly favourable to the scenario of a world without death ( n =189, 88%). Second thoughts were predominantly unfavourable to the same scenario, whether analysed by balance of positive and negative statements ( n =176, 82%) or by students' expressed overall evaluation (n =200, 93%). Illustrative responses are given. It would appear from these exploratory findings that death is needed as well as feared. The knowledge that death is universal and inevitable seems to have a function in the way individuals organize their lives. Some implications for theory and method and further research are suggested.