The very concept of knowing one's date of death but not the year poses a deeply unsettling challenge to human freedom and potentiality. I would argue that this notion misconceives the fundamental nature of human action and freedom. Human actions are inherently unpredictable and novel, reflecting the capacity to begin anew and alter the course of events. The introduction of a fixed deadline subverts this inherent unpredictability which is essential for genuine liberty. By delineating a fixed "terminus" upon the calendar, the proposal confines human actions within artifice rather than liberating them, potentially stifling creativity and spontaneity which are core to our humanity.
Moreover, embedding such deterministic aspects into life undermines the importance of deliberative engagement, of assessing the consequences of our actions, and of living a life characterized by both reflection and initiative. As I discussed in my work regarding human life, the richness of human experience is tied to the uncertainty and openness of the future. If life were subject to such prefiguration, it would diminish the sense that each moment is an opportunity for change and for engaging with others within a shared world.
While knowledge can indeed empower, it simultaneously imposes the weight of certainty—a certainty that can erode the very dynamism of life. If a man believes his end is known, the spectrum of possibilities narrows, creating an atmosphere not of freedom, but of dread, where actions may become inauthentic or driven by desperation rather than genuine interest or moral conviction.