Peering into the face of death

The Greek philosopher Epicurus once said, "Get used to the idea that Death should not matter to us, for good and evil are based on sensation. Death, however, is the cessation of all sensation. Hence, Death, ostensibly the most terrifying of all evils, has no meaning for us, for as long as we exist, Death will not be present. When Death comes, then we will no longer be in existence."

Appropriately, these words have been incorporated into the controversial exhibit "Body Worlds," currently on display at the Franklin Institute here in Philadelphia.

An "anatomical exhibition of real human bodies," "Body Worlds" has stirred up criticism around the globe. Most critics have accused its creator, the German anatomist Gunther von Hagens, of sensationalism and disrespect. They point out that he has profited from the use of human remains, proof, they contend, that "Body Worlds" devalues human life.

According to the "Body Worlds" Web site, the aim of the exhibit is not to undermine the importance of human life, but to enrich it through health education, self-awareness and the accessibility of scientific knowledge. Far from devaluing human life, it says, the exhibit reveals our inner beauty.

I agree. The problem with von Hagens' exhibit is not that it cheapens human life, but rather that it understates the significance of human death.

The "Body Worlds" exhibit, which can be viewed in Philadelphia through April, is based on the pseudo-immortalization of human remains through a process called "plastination." A consenting individual signs an agreement in life to have his body preserved and used for "educational" purposes upon death.

The plastination of the human body has been made possible by a remarkable technology invented by von Hagens. The procedure involves injecting the cadaver with a liquid polymer, which, upon vacuum-forced impregnation, replaces bodily fluids and fat tissues. As the polymer solidifies, the once-human body becomes a plastic specimen that can be dissected, dismembered and displayed.

By bequeathing his body to plastination, a donor ensures that some part of him will "live on," physically as well as in the collective human consciousness. This idea is ironic of course in light of both medical definitions of life as well as Epicurus' own statement that "when Death comes, then we will no longer be in existence."

Regardless, the "Body Worlds" specimens on display are given everyday props such as basketballs and bicycles and then placed in lifelike poses to give the impression that these bodies are still in motion. To the spectator, mortality and metabolic equilibrium almost become fantasy.

Back in reality, however, death is a very serious matter. Though we may not wish to think of it now in our youth, within about 60 years most of us will have succumbed to some form of disease or degeneration. And despite all our advanced medical knowledge, death is still mostly unpredictable. One thing we do know is that death will probably not be a pleasant experience, and, if there does exist a metaphysical existence beyond it, we would do well to realize that most of us are least a quarter of our way there.

For these reasons, we should be all the more sober-minded and aware of how our cultural practices shape our thinking about death.

In general, I appreciate the spirit of intellectual curiosity and taboo-breaking that serves as the impetus for von Hagens' work; cultural conventions frequently ought to be challenged. However, in an attempt to make the "Body Worlds" exhibit artistic and aesthetically pleasing, von Hagens has inadvertently made light of the severity of death, even to the point of mocking it.

The anatomist himself recognizes that he is reshaping societal attitudes toward death. In an interview given to the BBC, von Hagens made the revealing statement that "plastination is a kind of consolation in that it changes the face of death." But should we be consoled or rather conflicted by death?

Contrary to Epicurus, I contend that death should matter to us. And if we are honest with ourselves, then we realize, as the Greek philosopher did, that death, "ostensibly the most terrifying of all evils," does have meaning for us.

While the "Body Worlds" exhibit is undoubtedly an unparalleled educational tool, the throngs of people who have attended the 10-year-old show throughout the world have not been drawn to the event merely to satiate their intellectual curiosity. No, they have been purchasing their tickets to peer into the faces of death.

I suggest that they are not receiving an entirely accurate view.

Andrew Rennekamp is a first-year Biomedical Ph.D. student from East Stroudsburg, Pa. Any Ice Today Lady? appears on Tuesdays.

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