Are we Alive?

[KafirChobee]

Was I a butterfly dreaming I was a man, or a man dreaming I was a butterfly?

So, I assume no one here has experienced a walk back? That is, that after someone they loved died ... that person came back to them in a dream (that seemed real as sh_t, like they were there in the room and you were fully awake). I have, and my conclusions is ... no there is no life after death (as we imagine it), but for a short time the dead have the energy to communicate (or atleast attempt to) with those they are either concerned about or love.

Since we all want to live forever (not me, but reincarnation would be neat ... though I ain't sure I would want to see what 2100 would be like), it is probable that those that created the religions that promote the belief of "eternity" had that in mind. Eh?

[A.Saturnus]

Few people remember much before they were 4. Are 4 year olds dead because their elder self cannot remember who they were?

Being alive is nothing special. Bacteria live too.

[Soulforged]

I cannot know. But the sentence that expresses a general possition goes like this: "We're not alive, but we live as we were".

[Csargo]

I'm pretty sure I'm alive, but then again you can never tell.

[Zain]

This great quote by a good friend of mine comes to mind;

"The Matrix has you, Neo." -Morpheus.

I'm pretty sure we're alive. Why else would we be able to die? (Again?)

-ZainDustin

[Byzantine Mercenary]

There is a scientific basis for the idea of an afterlife, einstine himself believed in an afterlife because matter and energy can not be destroyed therefore if we have souls then they cannot be destroyed and so will live on for ever.

But i would say that the scientific evidense for us having a ''soul'' is unclear although this is something i believe.

so i guess the real question is, do we have souls?

[Quietus]

There is a scientific basis for the idea of an afterlife, einstine himself believed in an afterlife because matter and energy can not be destroyed therefore if we have souls then they cannot be destroyed and so will live on for ever.

But i would say that the scientific evidense for us having a ''soul'' is unclear although this is something i believe.

so i guess the real question is, do we have souls?

First, define "soul" (that is relatable to the physical world) and using that definition, determine if there is evidence of its existence.

[Byzantine Mercenary]

First, define "soul" (that is relatable to the physical world) and using that definition, determine if there is evidence of its existence.

isn't the problem with a soul that it is not related to the physical world but the psycological/spiritual, there have been interesting instances of personallity change after organ translants, is this due to transferrral of part of the donars soul? i don't know?
does a ghost act in the physical world? ive never seen one but i know that someone like Derran Brown could make you think you have, but then again he can also make you think hes invisible can read minds and that your in a computer game!
its like one of the many other weird phonmonon out there (like Champ) they say in every instance that quantity of evidense is proof, but is it? is it proof that humans have a knowlege deep inside that there is something more? or that their all bored! or even that the main public itself does not like to listen to different views on whats goin on?
I can't present any ''proof'' that you guys would all accept but that doesnt mean that it is impossible, heck if you think about it a soul is something that most of earths population believe in na dall science itself is is a collection of the most plausable or most popular explanations of phenomonom (da daaa dadada )

[BDC]

Meh, viruses live and they are a small pile of nucleotides and proteins. Whilst actually creating life is pretty tricky, once it's around it seems to last fairly well.

I'm alive, and so are the billions of single-celled organisms in my gut...

[Big_John]

Meh, viruses live

mm.. whether viruses are "alive" is debateable. just fyi.

[Reverend Joe]

Viruses are, indeed debatable, but bacteria are not. So: do bacteria have souls?

[Papewaio]

I can't present any ''proof'' that you guys would all accept but that doesnt mean that it is impossible, heck if you think about it a soul is something that most of earths population believe in na dall science itself is is a collection of the most plausable or most popular explanations of phenomonom (da daaa dadada )

Science is not a democracy.

And I think you have a Euclidian point.

[Quietus]

isn't the problem with a soul that it is not related to the physical world but the psycological/spiritual, there have been interesting instances of personallity change after organ translants, is this due to transferrral of part of the donars soul? i don't know?
does a ghost act in the physical world? ive never seen one but i know that someone like Derran Brown could make you think you have, but then again he can also make you think hes invisible can read minds and that your in a computer game!
its like one of the many other weird phonmonon out there (like Champ) they say in every instance that quantity of evidense is proof, but is it? is it proof that humans have a knowlege deep inside that there is something more? or that their all bored! or even that the main public itself does not like to listen to different views on whats goin on?
I can't present any ''proof'' that you guys would all accept but that doesnt mean that it is impossible, heck if you think about it a soul is something that most of earths population believe in na dall science itself is is a collection of the most plausable or most popular explanations of phenomonom (da daaa dadada )

Since organs have the same functions and general structure, the problem really is organ rejection where the new body doesn't molecularly recognize the transplanted organ hence it being attacked by the immune system.

The conundrum with Natural and the Supernatural is that there is no link whatsoever between the two.

For example: Ghosts. What is a Ghost? Is it relatable to the physical world?

Meaning, does it follow the laws physics? eg.

If it has mass such that it has to follow gravity.
If it reflect visible light making is visible to the human eye.

If so, then it is not Supernatural, it is Natural.

Therefore, is the Soul natural? What is it made of? What holds it together? What's the link between the body and the soul?

There must be a definition first before it can be answered properly. :)

Viruses are, indeed debatable, but bacteria are not. So: do bacteria have souls?

Virus are non-living and it depends how anyone define what a soul is.

[Zalmoxis]

Viruses are, indeed debatable, but bacteria are not. So: do bacteria have souls?

Soul as in a spiritual represention of your being in a parallel universe, or soul as in knowing that you are alive?

[Papewaio]

Soul as in a spiritual represention of your being in a parallel universe, or soul as in knowing that you are alive?

Well if it was the second then wouldn't it be definition not exist if you were dead? ... as the soul would now know that the body wasn't alive... and then what would be the point of a soul...

[Byzantine Mercenary]

Science is not a democracy.

And I think you have a Euclidian point.

I never said science was a democracy

in science the most accepted theory is ususally the most popular one is it not?

heck when ever a scientific opinion is asked they say, most scientists think...

i guess its a sort of natural democracy

[Arcanum]

What decides what is alive? What is the definition of "alive"? Breathing? Yes. Beeing able to experience pain? Yes. So I'd say, in the way we mostly use the word "life" and "alive", all humans live.


Whatever you see in it, in my definition, I can say with certainty that I am alive.

My opinion on death probably corresponds with a lot of people on this board - since many here look at things straightforward and logically. I think death is nothing, and it is unimaginable.

[Avicenna]

If you ask me, the same before you were "Alive". Does anyone know anything before they were "alive"? No. Hence, it will be the same as before.

Death is my biggest fear, hence my screenname, Quietus (death). I'm glad I'm not alone being scared.

I've always wanted to put: Death is Forever under my screenname but I don't want to creep out other people and get them thinking about mortality as well.

Because the brain is physical and it is dependent on physical rules, hence it is fairly limited.

Surely leaving the world and all it's misery, pain, suffering and bickering between nations would be the final release, maybe even something to celebrate.

[Banquo's Ghost]

in science the most accepted theory is ususally the most popular one is it not?

Not really. The most accepted theory is the one with the most evidence to support it. Because scientists adhere to the same ground rules of evidence, there will tend to be a correlation between accurate theories and scientific consensus.

But, for example, gravity won't vanish just because no-one believes in it (should that happen). Before Newton, there was no popular awareness of it as an explainable force, but things still fell down.

[Viking]

We are alive, because:

*we define alive as what we are now.

[Byzantine Mercenary]

Not really. The most accepted theory is the one with the most evidence to support it. Because scientists adhere to the same ground rules of evidence, there will tend to be a correlation between accurate theories and scientific consensus.

But, for example, gravity won't vanish just because no-one believes in it (should that happen). Before Newton, there was no popular awareness of it as an explainable force, but things still fell down.

i didn't say that scientific fact is dependant on how many people believe it, only that the theorys that are accepted are taken as such because they are the most popular, of course the usual reason that they are the most popular is (mainly) because they have the best evidence. When Newton first presented his theorys he had to win over supporters before his theorys were accepted. If most scientists had not accepted his theorys then they wouldn't be the most accepted.

[Byzantine Mercenary]

When I was little, the question of "What happens after I die?" bugged me. It bugged me alot. Over the years, i've come to see so many different positions on this, all of which are so sure in themselves that to believe in them you need to allow for a purely faith-based "fact" within your mind. No hard evidence, just faith. And I don't like that.

So I came to the conclusion that the only way i'll find out is when I die. So, in a way, death becomes the next big answer to a question i've always wondered, rather than a great big scary thing.

That said, while death doesn't bug me, the idea of dying does. No bleeding out on the floor for me thank you. So if you ask me the way to go about life is simply to go about life, and when death occurs, we'll know the answer to this ultimate question. Or we'll simply not exist. Who knows?

On a related matter, from purely empirical observation, the best way to ensure a life after death of sorts is to make sure you will be remembered by those still living.

well the nearest you can get to people who have died that we can talk too are those who have been clinically dead at times and had a so called ''near death experience'' it seems odd that a dieing brain would waste energy making something like that up, an experience which is often even clearer then a dream and dreams have the focus of a healthy brain and yet always have holes in them. add to that the relative uniformity of peoples experience and you have interesting if perhaps not 100% sound evidence for an afterlife

[yesdachi]

I am confident that i am alive because i do not crave brains, walk with a limp or with my arms straight out.

[Byzantine Mercenary]

I am confident that i am alive because i do not crave brains, walk with a limp or with my arms straight out.

definately, your clearly alive and not Wayne Rooney

[yesdachi]

definately, your clearly alive and not Wayne Rooney

Wayne Rooney is a "football" player, right? how is he not alive.
Pardon my ignorance.

[Byzantine Mercenary]

i was just saying if you ''crave brains, walk with a limp or with my arms straight out.'' you would be either dead, or Wayne Rooney