The Galactic Question Center

No thanks.

It's hard enough to get life insurance *without* a pre-existing condition.
 

If I had that information, my anxiety level would eventually kill me anyway thus skewing the exact date and manner of my own demise.
 

No if about when:

http://www.deathclock.com/
 

I was originally going to say no, but...

Think of all the crazy, daring, wild, adventurous, exciting things you could do if you DID know.

Although I guess there would be no guarantee that you wouldn't get completely debilitated years or decades prior to your death, so maybe that's not such a good idea after all!

So I guess it might depend on the information about the "exact... manner of your death." If you know you will fall to your death at age 89 while trying to scale Everest, chances are good you will be in fairly good shape up to that point!
 

I wouldn't mind knowing. I'm not the type to worry about things like that. I'd just like to know so that I could plan to have the most fulfilling life possible in the time I have.
 

Absolutely not. Such knowledge would, consciously or not, affect every decision and action I would take in the future and, in doing so, essentially take the fun out of living.
 

Good God, no!
 

I think this question reminds me a bit of what the professor says in "Tuesdays with Morrie," by Mitch Albom. "Everyone knows they're going to die," but nobody really believes it. I think that knowing the time of one's death might make life more worthwhile. I mean, we're all going to die anyways. Plus, if it was sooner rather than later, I could cancel all my long term plans. What I'm doing now is preparing for the future, and I think I'd like to know if that future isn't there.
 

You've got to be kidding.
 

Yes, of course. I could better plan my life and do a lot of crazy and dangerous things in the meantime. And decide when and how to retire from work.

Paradoxically, I think I would be less worried about the future.
 

You're right the first time Rita- too much information.
 

I like both options so I would flip a coin and catch it in my teeth, then spit it on the ground. If it was heads, I would ask for the information. If it was tails, I wouldn't. Life is more fun with chance, as I think.