現代死亡的政治

Abstract

本文提出現代死亡與傳統死亡的三個重要區別，並且從政治的觀點（亦即，與死亡相關的社會運動與權力關係）來探討現代死亡，也將現有的死亡意識論述（如接受死亡）推論到其邏輯終點（如接受死屍）。本文也在數處例示了如何從社會理論與文化研究來思考倫理學或哲學問題。

The prevalent approach in Taiwan's thanatological discourse treats death as simply common fate of humanity, while overlooks the constructive dimension of modern death. This reductive and essentialized approach to the issues of death, in my view, provides only one-sided view on the moral and political controversies surrounding death and funeral rituals. Following theories of Giddens, Elias, Ariès, Seale and others, this essay explores the relation between death and modernity, and the politics of modern death. In the end, this essay shows the politics of dead body (corpse) is an important element of the politics of modern death and modern body.