Discussion I think afterlife is much more probable, than many people see it

[Sadbanana]

Here is my reasoning. If we are concious now and conciousness is a dependent process then one could assume that after death it will form again eventually. Why is it something that could never repeat? Once an event happen you can assume or even count on that it will eventually happen again.

If there is no conciousness after death, then there is no time of nothingness, as you can't experience nothing. Just as after anesthesia you it feels like you just skipped time, after death you probably will immediately get into another experience. Even if in reality unimaginable amount of time might have passed.

 

[Hvergelmir]

If we are concious now and conciousness is a dependent process then one could assume that after death it will form again eventually.

Assuming infinite time and that the universe never reaches an equilibrium, this holds true - but so is anything else that could ever be.

That's a pretty big assumption, though.

 

[Sadbanana]

Assuming infinite time and that the universe never reaches an equilibrium, this holds true - but so is anything else that could ever be.

That's a pretty big assumption, though.

Yes it is. But I would say, absolute entropy is also an assumption. From my point of view it is 50/50, or maybe more accurately an absolute unknown whether or not there is an afterlife. But I don't think believing there is none is any more rational than believing there is.

 

[Forever Sleep]

Depends how you view consciousness really. Whether you view it as a separate entity that can jump from body to body and yet- retain characteristics of itself. Or, whether it's simply an ability of the brain. Just like detecting sound is an ability of the ear.

So, after we die- of course there will be many billion more conscious beings born here. Before we were born, there were many million too. I guess it's down to belief on whether you believe those earlier incarnations or future ones were/ are 'you'.

I tend to think consciousness is simply a function of the brain. So, while I imagine there will be a huge amount of conscious beings born after I die, I don't personally believe that 'I' will have anything to do with them. They will be them- not me. Of course, it's nothing either of us can prove.

I agree that consciousness is certainly weird though. Horrific in a way. That we have the 'power' to become aware that we are in fact aware and trapped inside a meat prison. That feeling will also occur to countless others in the future.

The other thing though is- are newborn babies immediately aware of being conscious? What were your first existential thoughts? Do you have any clear memories even- the first 1 or 2 years of life? My guess is- no. I'd say- while babies are obviously alive and conscious of their own needs, they're not exactly self aware like older children and adults are. So- are we born fully conscious even- or, is it something that develops? Plus, if we've already lived so many millions of years- why are we so naive when we are born? We should all surely be genuises with all that accumulated knowledge and experience.

I guess it also depends on how you view self awareness/ consciousness. If you had been born as a crocodile say- do you think you'd have the same sense of self that you have as a human? If you were born as a jellyfish, would you even have many existential thoughts? It's not to claim animals are stupid but I'm not convinced they are as existentially aware as himans. If you were born as a different gender to different parents in a different country- how would that affect how you develop? Do you think you'd still have the same sense that you are you deep down?

That's an interesting idea though I think. Does your consciousness have a gender identity? How much of what we recognise as 'us' revolves around the physical body we inhabit?