Surviving is More Than Just Breathing

Exploring the Many Aspects of What it Means to Survive

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Introduction

Survival is a central concept of human existence, reaching far beyond its biological meaning. While in everyday language, survival is often associated with the mere continuation of life — securing physical integrity and averting death — in philosophy it harbors a multitude of dimensions and perspectives. To understand the philosophical concept of survival, it is necessary to go beyond the purely biological definition.

Here, “survival” should not only be understood as the physical continuation of the organism, but as a multifaceted phenomenon encompassing the relationship of humans to themselves, to others, and to the world. In the philosophical context, we therefore use “survival” to refer to the process that integrates aspects such as securing our physical existence, the search for meaning and self-formation, and responsibility and ethical action.

Philosophical survival, therefore, means more than just avoiding death; it is an active process of life that unfolds in the confrontation with one’s own finitude and vulnerability, and is manifested through the shaping of life forms. In this sense, survival is not merely a state but rather a dynamic occurrence.