whether "behave to be immortal" is correct ?

[nathesh2011]

Though death is a daily fact, it is a wonder that people should behave to be immortal.

 

[BobK]

No. They behave as if (or 'as though') they were immortal.

b

 

[White Hat]

Though death is a daily fact, it is a wonder that people should behave to be immortal.

It does make sense from the viewpoint of mysticism, I guess.

 

[konungursvia]

No, it's just wrong. The second clause, alone, could mean "it's amazing people try to behave well in order to be granted immortality by the gods" but no, it's linked with an antecedent that situates the second clause as expressing something in spite of the inevitability of death. So Bob's your uncle.

 

[White Hat]

No, it's just wrong. The second clause, alone, could mean "it's amazing people try to behave well in order to be granted immortality by the gods" but no, it's linked with an antecedent that situates the second clause as expressing something in spite of the inevitability of death. So Bob's your uncle.

Whoever wrote the original sentence might have implied what I think it is. It's the wording itself that is confusing.

 

[bhaisahab]

Whoever wrote the original sentence might have implied what I think it is. It's the wording itself that is confusing.

It's not just confusing, it's wrong.

 

[White Hat]

Though death is a daily fact, it is a wonder that people should behave to be immortal.

What I meant to say is this:

Death is a daily fact. But can you imagine our purpose in life is to purify ourselves? Spiritual discipline will help us become immortal. We won't have to reincarnate again.

 

[Raymott]

Though death is a daily fact, it is a wonder that people should behave to be immortal.
This sentence is not grammatical. The truth value of a similar sentence in correct grammar is not in contention.

What I meant to say is this:

Death is a daily fact. But can you imagine our purpose in life is to purify ourselves? Spiritual discipline will help us become immortal. We won't have to reincarnate again.

The OP was asking about grammar, not about metaphysics. The sentence is wrong. (The grammar is wrong). How people should behave in the face of the ever-present prospect of death is not a subject for this forum.

 

[BobK]

Though death is a daily fact, it is a wonder that people should behave to be immortal.

What I meant to say is this:

Death is a daily fact. But can you imagine our purpose in life is to purify ourselves? Spiritual discipline will help us become immortal. We won't have to reincarnate again.

Taking the metaphysical point of view for the sake of argument, the way to express this would be something like '...it is a wonder that people should behave so as to be immortal.' A to-infinitive on its own is not enough.

b

PS But that wouldn't make sense even for a Buddhist! The fact that believers behave like that is not a matter for wonder.