We seek to complete patterns

“Death. Complete the pattern: “Death gives meaning to life.” It’s frustrating, talking to good and decent folk—people who would never in a thousand years spontaneously think of wiping out the human species—raising the topic of existential risk, and hearing them say, “Well, maybe the human species doesn’t deserve to survive.” They would never in a thousand years shoot their own child, who is a part of the human species, but the brain completes the pattern.” (Eliezer Yudkowsky, Rationality)

Relevant ideas here are We seek to complete patterns and Death