RELIGST 2M03 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Social Death, Brain Death, Santa Muerte

• School: McMaster University
• Department: Religious Studies
• Course: RELIGST 2M03
• Professor: Sherry Smith

Document Summary

Concluded that biological death is a social event. Rite of passage the deceased makes a transition to a visible here and now to an invisible after. For the bereaved, death rite offers consolation, support from others, faciliation of grief, displays of loyalty, also offers hope. Incorporation: passage of the soul and return of mourners to society (van gennep: liminality/limen, liminality is equality of ambiguity when you"re in between social status; transition stage. Mental or cognitive distress in grief can manifest itself in disbelief, confusion, anxiety, pain, tension. Our system does not respond to the passage of time. We do not see ourselves as getting older or dying. On the unconcioussness level we do not have the concept of negation, so there is no death to cancel out life. We have not actually experienced death, although some people have claimed to have these afterlife experiences. A change of social status child becomes an orphan, widow, etc.