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Everlasting life: does it matter?

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
How do you deal with the inevetability of your end? Is it something you fear? Is it something you embrace? What is your philosophy, and how do your views on this topic shape your life?

Life ends, we all die, some too soon, some hang on a bit longer.. that's life

Fear death, no.

Embrace death, no

Philosophy, i will live my life, my life will end, the mind stops but i am content with what i have done and live in the knowledge that my atoms will be recycled, the chances are that some of those atoms will help sustain a new life. In that way we are all made of dead people
 

SigurdReginson

Grēne Mann
Premium Member
Life ends, we all die, some too soon, some hang on a bit longer.. that's life

Fear death, no.

Embrace death, no

Philosophy, i will live my life, my life will end, the mind stops but i am content with what i have done and live in the knowledge that my atoms will be recycled, the chances are that some of those atoms will help sustain a new life. In that way we are all made of dead people

You and I seem to feel the same way about things. I might only add one caveat: when death comes for me, I'm fighting back tooth and nail. I enjoy living, thank you very much. :D
 

Bird123

Well-Known Member
People are drawn to the idea that they have no end; that they persist forever. Whether by spiritual or mundane means, they try.

Many religions promise immortality through their teachings; that their essence continues long after their physical shell shrivels away. Some people build monuments so their memory can persist long after they die. Others seek immortality through acts of fame. Authors write books hoping their works will stand the test of time. Sometimes parents build a foundation through business or estate so their children can continue the family line as well.

Is it fear of losing the ability to experience life? Is it fear of being forgotten? Is it fear that the things you work for in life will just be undone?

Religious promises of eternity are all just guesses with no tangile evidence at all outside of their teachings; they rely entirely on hope. Monuments fall, or real knowledge of the person who errected them fade over time. The person who seeks fame loses who he is as a person to the myth he wove around himself, until the myth is all that stands. Written works by people only show a glimpse of an echo of what someone thought when they wrote it. Children eventually give up family businesses, or they move away to start their own stories abroad.

One hundred years from now, I won't even be a memory. Should I be, though? What is so special about people that they should continue to persist? The desire to cling to existence comes across as unseemly to me, and smacks of self obsorbed vanity.

People want so much to be remembered, but we can never know them as a person on a personal level through the things they leave behind. They become just another picture on a bookshelf of a great great great grandfather who left behind a some letters and maybe a pocket watch.

Why is that such a terrifying thought, though? Why is it so bad to be forgotten? It happens to everyone in some shape or form. What's wrong with living in the here and now, and to make the utmost of your life while you have it?

Sorry for going off on a tangent, heh. I guess the point of all this are these questions: How do you deal with the inevetability of your end? Is it something you fear? Is it something you embrace? What is your philosophy, and how do your views on this topic shape your life?



We are all Spiritual beings in our true natures. I have direct experience to this. As Spiritual beings we are all eternal.

No evidence?? Seek out the very youngest of children. Many can still tell the difference from their physical bodies and who they really are. They must be very young because this physical world supplies so much sensory input that it isn't long before one is seduced into thinking this physical world is all that exists.

More evidence? Being eternal spiritual beings we think in those terms that is why the thought of death bothers people. It is not in our natures. It will never feel right.

People think eternal in their relationships. Who hasn't been hurt by another person's death or even a broken heart. If things are eternal one should never have to let go. We might be trapped in a time limited physical body, however that is not who we are.

The fear of death is an important part of the system. It exists for a very good reason. Where does this fear come from? The unknown is the biggest generator of any kind of fear. That is why we do not remember all those many deaths before. We aren't supposed to remember.

You are right about one thing. Life is about Living and that's the most important thing to work on. That is what Life is all about. The rest will work out just fine.

That's what I see. It's very clear!!
 

MonkeyFire

Well-Known Member
You lost me. Maybe you could unpack this a little for me?

What dont you get? Death is nothingness and if there is a Grimm reaper keeping you there you must wonder can I not just go free as, Grimm must have some sort of existence, where as the things that are dead are nothingness.
 

SigurdReginson

Grēne Mann
Premium Member
We are all Spiritual beings in our true natures. I have direct experience to this. As Spiritual beings we are all eternal.

I'll have to take your word for that. What exactly is "spritual," though? Might help to have some definitions so I can better understand.

No evidence?? Seek out the very youngest of children. Many can still tell the difference from their physical bodies and who they really are.

I'm confused what you mean by this; who are we really, then, if not our physical bodies? What we percieve our physical bodies with are the senses of our physical bodies. Do you mean that they can tell the difference between our bodies and our minds? You might need to elaborate on this more for me.

They must be very young because this physical world supplies so much sensory input that it isn't long before one is seduced into thinking this physical world is all that exists.

Or they just come to the realization through observation, I'd think. We know more as we age, not less as we get older. If we think something as a child, our opinions change as we get better information, no?

More evidence? Being eternal spiritual beings we think in those terms that is why the thought of death bothers people. It is not in our natures. It will never feel right.

Really? Does not thinking in terms of pain mean that we aren't meant to feel pain? Does not thinking in terms of happiness mean we are not meant to feel happiness?

It seems to me that the reason people don't like thinking about death is because they fear death, just like they fear pain, or are drawn to happiness. We utilize the past to presently think about the future. You might need to show evidence of how anything deeper than that is happening.

People think eternal in their relationships. Who hasn't been hurt by another person's death or even a broken heart. If things are eternal one should never have to let go. We might be trapped in a time limited physical body, however that is not who we are.

Well peole don't want good things to end, honestly. That doesn't mean they think eternally in their relationships, just that they don't suspect that it will end. When evidence pops up like infidelity or health complications, then one might begin to contemplate an end to that relationship.

If we are eternal, you will need to provide a little more evidence. So far I'm not convinced.

The fear of death is an important part of the system. It exists for a very good reason. Where does this fear come from? The unknown is the biggest generator of any kind of fear.

Well, do your brush your teeth out of fear of the unknown from what might happen if you don't or do you do it because you want to keep your teeth? It's really that simple. No one wants to lose their lives. Being alive is nice. There doesn't need to be an unknown. The end is there, and it has a cut off point.

That is why we do not remember all those many deaths before. We aren't supposed to remember.

Ah, you're referring to reincarnation. Says who?

You are right about one thing. Life is about Living and that's the most important thing to work on. That is what Life is all about. The rest will work out just fine.

That's what I see. It's very clear!!

Well thank you for sharing! :D
 
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IAMinyou

Active Member
People are drawn to the idea that they have no end; that they persist forever. Whether by spiritual or mundane means, they try.

Many religions promise immortality through their teachings; that their essence continues long after their physical shell shrivels away. Some people build monuments so their memory can persist long after they die. Others seek immortality through acts of fame. Authors write books hoping their works will stand the test of time. Sometimes parents build a foundation through business or estate so their children can continue the family line as well.

Is it fear of losing the ability to experience life? Is it fear of being forgotten? Is it fear that the things you work for in life will just be undone?

Religious promises of eternity are all just guesses with no tangile evidence at all outside of their teachings; they rely entirely on hope. Monuments fall, or real knowledge of the person who errected them fade over time. The person who seeks fame loses who he is as a person to the myth he wove around himself, until the myth is all that stands. Written works by people only show a glimpse of an echo of what someone thought when they wrote it. Children eventually give up family businesses, or they move away to start their own stories abroad.

One hundred years from now, I won't even be a memory. Should I be, though? What is so special about people that they should continue to persist? The desire to cling to existence comes across as unseemly to me, and smacks of self obsorbed vanity.

People want so much to be remembered, but we can never know them as a person on a personal level through the things they leave behind. They become just another picture on a bookshelf of a great great great grandfather who left behind a some letters and maybe a pocket watch.

Why is that such a terrifying thought, though? Why is it so bad to be forgotten? It happens to everyone in some shape or form. What's wrong with living in the here and now, and to make the utmost of your life while you have it?

Sorry for going off on a tangent, heh. I guess the point of all this are these questions: How do you deal with the inevetability of your end? Is it something you fear? Is it something you embrace? What is your philosophy, and how do your views on this topic shape your life?

Now that I have an eternal Consciousness, I am very excited about the future that I am aware of even though I will lose this body that's typing this sentence.
 

Jos

Well-Known Member
I was not referring to your post as jargon. I was referring to naturalist jargon in general. Sorry!

Words fail at describing inner qualities of being. Human existence surpasses mere feeling. There is the constancy of my identity. The heart of life is more than feelings. There is the understandings and relationships understood that provide a lot of special meaning.

The brain enables consciousness in the environment. The brain enables experiences, processes feelings. Soul does not translate into firing neurons, nor electrochemical responses. They are correlates not proven to be causes.

Blindness comes from denying the self soul. The constancy of the am is.

Some say consciousness is the experiences one has and nothing more. In that sense the brain provides experiences.

If I realized that we are nothing more than a molecular structure and cease to exist that would be very depressing, as well as heartbreaking.

The inner life is constant presence, it is the qualities of being that are not always felt. There is three components to my inner life: the heart, mind, and will. The heart is how I am affected by what I relate to. The heart is my qualities of character. The mind my thought life. The will is my heart's volition.

It is interesting that feelings and emotions arise due to heartfelt passions. But feelings and emotions come and go. The heart remains regardless.

I really don't know nor describe anyone in particular as dull. Naturalism itself is dull. Anyone trying to militantly convert people to Naturalism I would find dull. Mainly because it's there life long crusade. Again, Sorry!
Why do we have a brain if it's not at all necessary for consciousness? It's just an unnecessary thing that just adds unnecessary confusion when considering what consciousness is.
 

osgart

Nothing my eye, Something for sure
Why do we have a brain if it's not at all necessary for consciousness? It's just an unnecessary thing that just adds unnecessary confusion when considering what consciousness is.
It is necessary to experience the world is what I am saying. There is more to us than our brains though is what I claim; observable by subjective awareness.
 

osgart

Nothing my eye, Something for sure
Why? Why isn't an immaterial mind enough since that's the source of consciousness anyway?

Immaterial to me means it is none detectable by physical evidence.

The immaterial would have need of the material to process our experiences because that is our physical presence in the world. We need physical presence to operate in the world. So the brain would be like a transceiver of that.

What do you think it is?
 

Jos

Well-Known Member
The immaterial would have need of the material to process our experiences because that is our physical presence in the world. We need physical presence to operate in the world. So the brain would be like a transceiver of that.
Yet people can be conscious without a brain? It still doesn't make sense to me. If consciousness is fundamentally immaterial how can a physical transceiver restrict it? They're too different substances.
 
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