Death is the permanent cessation of all biological functions
that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death
include biological aging (senescence), predation, malnutrition, disease,
suicide, murder and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury. Bodies of
living organisms begin to decompose shortly after death. In human societies,
the nature of death has for millennia been a concern of the world's religious
traditions and of philosophical inquiry.
This may include a belief in some kind of resurrection
(associated with Abrahamic religions), reincarnation (associated with Dharmic
religions), or that consciousness permanently ceases to exist, known as
oblivion (associated sometimes with atheism).The response after death includes
various feelings of grief or emotional suffering one feels when someone the
individual loves has died. Commemoration ceremonies after death may include
various mourning or funereal practices.
The physical remains of a person, commonly known as a corpse
or body, are usually interred whole or cremated; though among the world's
cultures there are a variety of other methods of mortuary disposal. In the
English language, blessings directed towards a deceased person include rest in
peace, or its initials RIP. The most common cause of human deaths in the world
is heart disease, followed by stroke and other cerebrovascular diseases, and on
the third place lower respiratory infections.
