This study examines Joseph Margolis’ understanding of death from the perspective of cultural ontology, together with the views of important thinkers in the history of philosophy. In this context, death is examined beyond being merely a biological end, but also in terms of its existential, cultural, ethical, and spiritual layers of meaning. Through the concepts of “intermittent existence” and “interpretive relativity,” Margolis demonstrates that death is not a fixed and universal reality, but rather gains meaning in cultural and individual contexts. Thus, death emerges as a multi-layered phenomenon that is constantly reinterpreted and constructed for different cultures and individuals. This fundamental perspective is informed by Margolis’s philosophical approach, which views human existence and cultural products not as fixed but as historical and intermittent. According to Margolis, cultural realities—artworks, values, traditions, and understandings of death—are not unchanging like natural objects but are historical constructions shaped by hermeneutic interpretations. This approach suggests that death, like art and ethics, is a phenomenon that emerges historically and culturally in the human world of meaning. At this point, focusing on the reflections of the idea of death in different philosophical contexts deepens the scope of the study. While discussing the thoughts of philosophers such as Plato, Heidegger, and Derrida on death, the study also examines the new dimension that Emmanuel Levinas’ ethical philosophy adds to the subject of death. According to Levinas, death is not only the end of individual existence but also the basis of the ethical relationship established with “the other.” Death is the source of human ethical responsibility and a phenomenon that calls humans to an infinite sense of responsibility. This perspective reinterprets the ontological dimension of death as an ethical call and highlights the ethical obligation of humans to make sense of their existence. Another important figure who contributed to the concept of death is Nikolai Berdyaev. Berdyaev’s existentialist and mystical approach contributes to the study with themes of spiritual freedom and creative personality. According to Berdyaev, death is a boundary that tests human freedom and reveals creative personality. Death is also seen as an experience that enables spiritual transformation, thus reshaping the meaning of existence. Berdyaev’s emphasis offers a perspective that expands the realm of human freedom and transforms existential anxiety into creativity. In conclusion, the study uses comparative philosophical analysis and hermeneutic interpretation methods to reveal that the meaning of death is constantly being reconstructed in cultural, ethical, and individual contexts. When Margolis’ cultural ontology, Levinas’ emphasis on ethical responsibility, and Berdyaev’s understanding of spiritual freedom are brought together, it becomes apparent that a contemporary and multi-layered interpretation of death is possible. It is noteworthy that the way death is interpreted determines the meaning and flow of life. Thus, the study emphasizes that death is not merely a biological end but an existential, ethical, and spiritual transformation that shapes life.