Reflections on death at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Exploring the different answers to the question “What is death?”, leads us to consider the different manifestations of culture in the face of the inevitable and elusive occurrence of death. Thus, we first review the meaning of death in history, anthropology, and philosophy; secondly, we take a look at the symbols of death, thanatology, and the outline of the types of death. Finally, the pandemic and Covid-19 brought us closer to facing death in the most unexpected, harsh and critical way we could ever imagine.