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What really happens when you die?
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BibbleJW
I know it sounds strange, with quotes from Nietzsche coming out, but the view I most agree with came from a TV show. House to be precise.
I don't believe in life after death, there is no proof either way, and we choose the option that makes us more comfortable. Does it make me more comfortable to think there is nothingness waiting for me? It makes me more comfortable thinking that this is not just a test.
I don't believe in life after death, there is no proof either way, and we choose the option that makes us more comfortable. Does it make me more comfortable to think there is nothingness waiting for me? It makes me more comfortable thinking that this is not just a test.
Strange. There are many religious believers who don't view life on Earth a test, myself included.
OP: If you don't want a religious perspective then what do you expect? The answer will be 'I don't know' or 'Cease to exist'.
Odd thread.
My personal opinion is of nothingness. I think the only reason people believe in anything else is because it's comforting.
What I find interesting is whether I would rather be religious, and believe in life after death, rather than the very scary idea of nothingness. But in so choosing that I'm saying I'd rather be, what I think is, ignorant. I'm the last person to say I'd be happier being ignorant than knowledgeable. So I have a dilemma, though I doubt I'll ever decide it, would I rather be comforted, but wrong (in my current view) by being religious, or would I rather be correct be a lil scared. I really don't know which I'd prefer.
What I find interesting is whether I would rather be religious, and believe in life after death, rather than the very scary idea of nothingness. But in so choosing that I'm saying I'd rather be, what I think is, ignorant. I'm the last person to say I'd be happier being ignorant than knowledgeable. So I have a dilemma, though I doubt I'll ever decide it, would I rather be comforted, but wrong (in my current view) by being religious, or would I rather be correct be a lil scared. I really don't know which I'd prefer.
When i'm confronted with this question, it gets me thinking.
Was i another person, did i have a previous life, and once you die...maybe you're born again, but as this new, different identity, and of course, you have no recollection of being this other person, having such a past life. Hell, for all i know i could have been in a pub in 1966, watching England triumph in the world cup, and celebrating with a few beers in the process...then later pass away in an unfortunate car crash incident. And then in 1984, i was reborn again, as this new identity, in the north-west of England
^^^ random *******s i know
Was i another person, did i have a previous life, and once you die...maybe you're born again, but as this new, different identity, and of course, you have no recollection of being this other person, having such a past life. Hell, for all i know i could have been in a pub in 1966, watching England triumph in the world cup, and celebrating with a few beers in the process...then later pass away in an unfortunate car crash incident. And then in 1984, i was reborn again, as this new identity, in the north-west of England
^^^ random *******s i know
asdasta
You die and it's just black - nothing. Of course, it's not really black because you won't see anything, as you'll be dead, but you know what I mean.
That's what I think, and it's the only thing that makes sense to me.
That's what I think, and it's the only thing that makes sense to me.
Death cannot be experienced. If you have experience you're still existent in some way. In my view when we die we cease, like when any living thing dies, like a cat or a frog, or a starfish. Imagine what it 'felt' like for you in 1924. That's what it will 'feel' like to be dead.
Oswy
Death cannot be experienced. If you have experience you're still existent in some way. In my view when we die we cease, like when any living thing dies, like a cat or a frog, or a starfish. Imagine what it 'felt' like for you in 1924. That's what it will 'feel' like to be dead.
But are you defining death as ceasing to exist because I myself believe you continue to exist after death.
Also i want to know why people are happier to listen to random peoples views on death than to be religious?? it make little sense why their is such a sudden outbreak of atheism. Why is a theory of nothingness any better or more believable than a theory of heaven and hell??
In my opinion people who stop believing in religions end up making their own pseudo-religious beliefs which they continuously change and vary. Unfortunately it cannot be proved what happens after death but that doesn't mean we can condemn religious views or ideas as brainwashing.
And if you haven't yet guessed I am religious and believe in a heaven an hell approach. Also for those who believe their is now life after death what do they see as the meaning in their own life? Is it not just ephemeral biological entity? what separates man from machine if we are just a mechanism to what we have define as life?
TheOlympiac
But are you defining death as ceasing to exist because I myself believe you continue to exist after death.
Also i want to know why people are happier to listen to random peoples views on death than to be religious?? it make little sense why their is such a sudden outbreak of atheism. Why is a theory of nothingness any better or more believable than a theory of heaven and hell??
In my opinion people who stop believing in religions end up making their own pseudo-religious beliefs which they continuously change and vary. Unfortunately it cannot be proved what happens after death but that doesn't mean we can condemn religious views or ideas as brainwashing.
And if you haven't yet guessed I am religious and believe in a heaven an hell approach. Also for those who believe their is now life after death what do they see as the meaning in their own life? Is it not just ephemeral biological entity? what separates man from machine if we are just a mechanism to what we have define as life?
Also i want to know why people are happier to listen to random peoples views on death than to be religious?? it make little sense why their is such a sudden outbreak of atheism. Why is a theory of nothingness any better or more believable than a theory of heaven and hell??
In my opinion people who stop believing in religions end up making their own pseudo-religious beliefs which they continuously change and vary. Unfortunately it cannot be proved what happens after death but that doesn't mean we can condemn religious views or ideas as brainwashing.
And if you haven't yet guessed I am religious and believe in a heaven an hell approach. Also for those who believe their is now life after death what do they see as the meaning in their own life? Is it not just ephemeral biological entity? what separates man from machine if we are just a mechanism to what we have define as life?
There's about a million topics here where atheists outline their views on meaning, value and death. This topic is specifically about the consequence and result of death.
But, as an atheist I have to tell you that you're view of atheism is almost a caricature and is far too simplistic.
But are you defining death as ceasing to exist because I myself believe you continue to exist after death.
Also i want to know why people are happier to listen to random peoples views on death than to be religious?? it make little sense why their is such a sudden outbreak of atheism. Why is a theory of nothingness any better or more believable than a theory of heaven and hell??
In my opinion people who stop believing in religions end up making their own pseudo-religious beliefs which they continuously change and vary. Unfortunately it cannot be proved what happens after death but that doesn't mean we can condemn religious views or ideas as brainwashing.
And if you haven't yet guessed I am religious and believe in a heaven an hell approach. Also for those who believe their is now life after death what do they see as the meaning in their own life? Is it not just ephemeral biological entity? what separates man from machine if we are just a mechanism to what we have define as life?
what separates man from machine if we are just a mechanism to what we have define as life?
made_of_fail
um lol.
lots. our minds for a start.
lots. our minds for a start.
But what if a machine could be created to have a mind like a human, is it alive what would the difference then. what would be unique about humanity if all we have is a slightly evolved brain??
and what was the point in this post of 8 words when you say "um lol" but i have no idea what is so "lol" if you had said something useful i may be forced to agree yet you don't seem to really show what you actually think.
anyway basically I'm putting forward the idea of an afterlife which is dependent on acts during during your lifetime.
I'm sorry I sounded like I simplifying atheist beliefs but in my experience of atheist they often unfairly condemn religion.
it's far from certain that computers can ever be the same as minds, however far they develop, but that is a massive philosophical problem in its own right. and, hypothetically, this did happen, so what? why is our uniqueness so important?
The human mind is in principle mechanical, and in principle it can therefore be replicated just as an artificial heart could. If this machine could cognise and pass the Turing test it could therefore be deemed conscious and as alive as you or I.
The problem is computation alone is not sufficient as it does not account for causal powers that our minds have, the synapses and all sorts that somehow bring about intention and consciousness of ourselves are not fully understood. We also have the problem of whether a machine that behaves like it has consciousness is in fact conscious, but that goes for human beings too so I doubt we can be too finicky over that.
We are machines in principle as far as I'm concerned, I don't see why people are so adverse to this.
(John Searle is great for this stuff).
The problem is computation alone is not sufficient as it does not account for causal powers that our minds have, the synapses and all sorts that somehow bring about intention and consciousness of ourselves are not fully understood. We also have the problem of whether a machine that behaves like it has consciousness is in fact conscious, but that goes for human beings too so I doubt we can be too finicky over that.
We are machines in principle as far as I'm concerned, I don't see why people are so adverse to this.
(John Searle is great for this stuff).
Also i want to know why people are happier to listen to random peoples views on death than to be religious?? it make little sense why their is such a sudden outbreak of atheism. Why is a theory of nothingness any better or more believable than a theory of heaven and hell??
'Happier'? Is truth not more important? Or at least what people think is truth. This is pretty much what I was saying in an earlier post - 'happiness' or 'truth'?
In my opinion people who stop believing in religions end up making their own pseudo-religious beliefs which they continuously change and vary. Unfortunately it cannot be proved what happens after death but that doesn't mean we can condemn religious views or ideas as brainwashing.
Well, then your opinion is pretty much wrong. Some people believe what they do because they find it comforting - 'ceasing' to exist is a very hard concept to grasp - and one some find frightening. If they do make their own 'pseudo-religious beliefs', then they don't actually stop believing in religion, maybe just changing their views on it, and so you're contradicting yourself.
The reason that the theory of nothingness is more sound than the idea of heaven and hell is because there is actual proof of each person being (or rather not) in a state of nothing (i.e. pre-birth). Whereas, obviously there is nothing to suggest the idea of heaven and hell other than a 2000 year old book, and the fact that 'eternal pain etc' scares people into being better citizens.
BillPitt
'Happier'? Is truth not more important? Or at least what people think is truth. This is pretty much what I was saying in an earlier post - 'happiness' or 'truth'?
Well, then your opinion is pretty much wrong. Some people believe what they do because they find it comforting - 'ceasing' to exist is a very hard concept to grasp - and one some find frightening. If they do make their own 'pseudo-religious beliefs', then they don't actually stop believing in religion, maybe just changing their views on it, and so you're contradicting yourself.
The reason that the theory of nothingness is more sound than the idea of hevean and hell is because there is actual proof of each person being (or rather not) in a state of nothing (i.e. pre-birth). Whereas, obviously there is nothing to suggest the idea of hevean and hell other than a 2000 year old book, and the fact that 'eternal pain etc' scares people into being better citizens.
Well, then your opinion is pretty much wrong. Some people believe what they do because they find it comforting - 'ceasing' to exist is a very hard concept to grasp - and one some find frightening. If they do make their own 'pseudo-religious beliefs', then they don't actually stop believing in religion, maybe just changing their views on it, and so you're contradicting yourself.
The reason that the theory of nothingness is more sound than the idea of hevean and hell is because there is actual proof of each person being (or rather not) in a state of nothing (i.e. pre-birth). Whereas, obviously there is nothing to suggest the idea of hevean and hell other than a 2000 year old book, and the fact that 'eternal pain etc' scares people into being better citizens.
why does what happens before life prove what happens after life? also i accept that some people may fear nothingness but a lot just don't believe in nothingness. The fact that nobody has any experience of the time they were not born doesn't mean they did not exist for example if you cannot remember what they dreamed about does that insinuated that they didn't exist during the time they were asleep??
I didn't say it was actually proof of after death experience, just that before you are alive, there is nothingness. So that would suggest, though obviously no more than that, when you end being alive, there is nothinginess.
Although it only suggests it, it is a suggestion, whereas there is no real reason to think anything else would be the case - other than that of people wanting to be comforted.
Although it only suggests it, it is a suggestion, whereas there is no real reason to think anything else would be the case - other than that of people wanting to be comforted.
i know for a fact, a definate fact that there is something else.
yes, when you die your body matter rots away, but your soul lives on
you live on the energy in the air like heat and whatever but you live on.
If you can't let go of everything thats happened to you, you will live on, you cannot rest, you can't, but if you can accept everything thats happened in your life, you either move on to where you can rest (i dont know if its heaven), or you get put in another place where one of two things happen:
1. Your in visitation and you keep getting called back to what you can't let go of, even reliving it but its your soul so you cant be seen
2. or your permanently grounded there, and you can't ever rest.
Theres a lot i dont understand, but i spose this is my verson of freuds theory, he got a lot right but not everything.
The eveidence i've seen and felt leads me to these conclusions
Be a good person and youll be fine
I dont believe in heaven or hell
yes, when you die your body matter rots away, but your soul lives on
you live on the energy in the air like heat and whatever but you live on.
If you can't let go of everything thats happened to you, you will live on, you cannot rest, you can't, but if you can accept everything thats happened in your life, you either move on to where you can rest (i dont know if its heaven), or you get put in another place where one of two things happen:
1. Your in visitation and you keep getting called back to what you can't let go of, even reliving it but its your soul so you cant be seen
2. or your permanently grounded there, and you can't ever rest.
Theres a lot i dont understand, but i spose this is my verson of freuds theory, he got a lot right but not everything.
The eveidence i've seen and felt leads me to these conclusions
Be a good person and youll be fine
I dont believe in heaven or hell
when you die, your body, soul, mind all die, but your subconcious mind stays intact, think of it as a back up memory. When we die, we relive all our memories through our subconciousness, and just relive it again, and again, and again, chaning things as we see fit, but we can only manipulate things to the point that our memory can handle. We won't know we're dead, but we will know we can change things, it will be kind of like deja vu 
this will just continue forever, which will seem wierd, but if you think about it, if you think of a memory, you don't remember, thinking about the memory, you just remember the memory, so you wont know you've done this before, you'll just recognise it. 
at least...thats what i think
this will just continue forever, which will seem wierd, but if you think about it, if you think of a memory, you don't remember, thinking about the memory, you just remember the memory, so you wont know you've done this before, you'll just recognise it. at least...thats what i think
i so so wish i believed in life after death coz it would give life an element of purpose. but i simply think that when we die we are truly annihilated, gone forever and the sad thing is we'd never know it. when i think about it too much it petrifies me, to truly imagine being nothing, ever, ever again, that the world and people will still be existing and your part in it is over 
ahhhh:O
ahhhh:Ochriztina27
i so so wish i believed in life after death coz it would give life an element of purpose. but i simply think that when we die we are truly annihilated, gone forever and the sad thing is we'd never know it. when i think about it too much it petrifies me, to truly imagine being nothing, ever, ever again, that the world and people will still be existing and your part in it is over ahhhh:O
ahhhh:OHow would something having no end give it a purpose?
username62978
How would something having no end give it a purpose?
well i guess it depends on what 'life after death' is defined as. i meant it as in i wish there was a heaven, so that would give us reason to be good in this life (so as not to go to 'hell' etc).
but if you take life after death as being exactly the same life as we have now for infinity i guess there would be no purpose, even less than if we knew that we'd die because they'd be no reason to cherish anything
(edited 4 years ago)
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