The Worm at the Core: On the Role of Death in Life

by Sheldon Solomon

Moreover, add contemporary thinkers such as Martha Nussbaum, Tyler Volk, and Stephen Cave, death is necessary for life to go on. Without it, humankind would be unable to adapt to fluctuating environmental conditions. If nobody died, there would be no room for new humans to provide genetic variation, original discoveries, technological innovations, and artistic creations. Human biological and cultural evolution would come to a grinding halt. Each of us must die to ensure “that future generations may grow,” Lucretius wrote. “They, too, having lived out their lives, will follow you. Generations before this perished just like you, and will perish again. Thus one thing will never stop arising from another. Life is nobody’s private property, but is everyone’s to use.”