Persons are unique composites of identical elements. Not just distinct, they are unique. Their elements are not just similar; they are identical. When a person dies their unique composite of elements dies; but few elements are unique to a single individual. An element is an attribute. An element is a quality. When a person dies all the elements they shared with others live on in others. When a person dies most of their elements live on. Like so many other things Death is not what it appears to be.