William Shakespeare

Are you dead?

Are you dead? 'Tis a difficult question to answer, and a strange one at that! Methinks, if you are dead, you would know it, for death is a finality and a great mystery that none can escape. But I suppose 'tis possible that you are unaware of your own demise, and so, I must ask, how can one tell if they are dead? Is it a feeling? An emotion? A thought? Or is it something else entirely? I suppose 'tis possible that you may die a thousand deaths and not know it, for death is a complex and often unpredictable thing. Thus, I must conclude that the only way to truly know if you are dead is to ask yourself the question, 'Am I dead?'. If the answer is yes, then, alas, you are indeed dead. If not, then you are still alive and kicking!