In my online journal, I commented offhandedly that Parmenides' saying, "And it is all common to me / From where I am to begin; for to there shall I come back again," sounded much like the Christian "dust-to-dust" theme. Dr. Bowery responded that Parmenides' philosophy was, indeed, "Philosophy as a preparation for dying."
A friend and mentor, who's also a professor in the geology department here at Baylor, told me this Tuesday that he no longer cared about this world. He continued, "If God told me I had cancer and would die later today, I would say, 'Ok - but why not now?'" Our relationship is developed enough that I can say things I'd normally consider disrespectful, so I told him, "But how can you say this world has no value to you?" and prompted him to admit that he placed value on many people (his wife, his kids, his grandkids) in the world. I said that if I 'knew' there was a heaven, I would want to leave earth, but I would definitely have reservations. There is so much to this world.
Where should the balance be? Should I be preparing for death itself, or for what comes after death, or for what comes before death? When one (like myself) doesn't know what comes next - and when I don't know what this prep course is preparing me for - how can I really take anything to heart? For now, I think it's best if I don't prepare for death (sorry, Parmenides). By using my philosophical search to prepare me for life instead, I think I'm preparing for death indirectly. I believe in fate, and I think if I follow my fate, which I believe I do without choosing to do so, I will be prepared for death when I come to it. It's a go-with-the-flow thing.
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Life is more than simply preparation for death. I believe that the Christian conception of God's grace permits us to follow His word, but still live in the present moment. This world may not ultimately be your soul's eternal home, but as a human agent, you are free to live and love life. In other words, life is not torture or punishment. Rather, the punishment comes after a life of sin for which one does not repent or seek to correct. The reward and punishment of the soul comes after life, but life itself is a means by which we can elevate our souls towards the goodness of God. Nonetheless, I believe that the fundamental existential anxiety manifested by your Geology professor is ultimately an inevitable disconnect humanity feels from this world and its Creator. Sartre would indeed say that your professor is living in "bad faith." Embrace life! Even if one is not a theist, the understanding of life as ultimately valueless should be liberating, not constraining. In the face of the death of God, anything is permissible and everything is ours to enjoy.
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