Death through the lens of data.

The Stoic philosophers reflected that death is “indifferent” to us. For some, this can be terrifying. But for you, Intellectual, the certainty and finality of death can actually be a source of peace and acceptance. Whenever the end comes, you’re comforted by knowing that you lived with dignity and integrity, and that you achieved what you set out to in this life.

You approach death as you do all things in life: with a desire for clear structures and concrete answers, and a cool head primed for evidence-gathering and rational decision-making. Logical and pragmatic, you believe in what you can see and make choices based on hard data.

The Intellectual views death as a strictly material process; the end of bodily existence. When it comes to end-of-life matters, your focus goes to medical considerations and getting your affairs in order: creating a will, determining care preferences, and making funeral arrangements.

Focus on the details, Intellectual, but not at the expense of the bigger picture. There are larger existential questions around the dying process that can’t be denied. Can you make room for the mystery, the contemplation, the humanity? Without a contemplative or spiritual context, it can be more difficult to deal with the reality of death, leading to the fear and denial of death that’s so common in American culture.

But a materialist view of life and death doesn’t have to deny the great miracle of existence. Against overwhelming odds, cosmic forces converged to create the unique lifeform known as you—and that’s reason enough to make the most of every moment of this one precious life.