Why are we concerned about what will happen to our bodies after death?

Abstract

This article explores why people care about what happens to human bodies after death. This paper argues that this concern stems from people’s fear of losing autonomy, subjectivity, and identity after death. The paper examines this concern from three perspectives: care for one’s own body, care for the bodies of others, and society-wide care for human corpses. As a medium that embodies life experiences, the body cannot be viewed as a purely material entity; when subjectivity is lost after death, people cannot understand or control where their bodies go. This fear is equally present when dealing with the bodies of others. At the same time, laws, social norms, and cultural customs collectively serve to reduce the uncertainty brought about by death and the resulting anxiety. They cannot fundamentally resolve the contradiction between life's finitude and human beings' ongoing awareness of death.