***The big question is whether my consciousness will survive my death.***


Hi Rowanda,

You could reduce this question to: "Does consciousness arise purely from the physical brain state?"

If "yes" is the answer to the latter question, then "no" is the answer to the former. If this is the case, then we might view religion (in part) as a possible man-made attempt to deny the terror, bleakness and finality inherent to the notion of an individual's absolute mortality.


You might notice that I didn't answer your question, I simply rephrased it. Neither of the two possible answers are falsifiable -- which leaves room for two opposing metaphysical postulates to choose from.

There is a third choice, which is to not make a choice.

Agnosticism recognizes that to commit oneself fully to either unprovable postulate is to risk the possiblity that one's entire ontological position may not be the one that corroborates with reality.

• Hi RoWanda, There is a fourth choice... - whomi - December 9, 2003 - 22:59 UTC
  • a funny thing - dolphin - December 11, 2003 - 06:46 UTC
    • chatty addition - quiet - December 12, 2003 - 06:09 UTC
  • What is the fourth way? - wandaqueen - December 11, 2003 - 17:42 UTC
    • It seems I did not mention a "fourth way." Sorry! - quiet - December 12, 2003 - 05:43 UTC
      • Answer the question you idiot - secretary - December 12, 2003 - 12:25 UTC
        • Its "answer the f___ing question you f___ing idiot." - treewilly - December 14, 2003 - 01:48 UTC
          • You got it right - secretary - December 14, 2003 - 04:00 UTC
            • I was talking about your speech - treewilly - December 14, 2003 - 06:27 UTC
              • Let me count the ways - secretary - December 14, 2003 - 13:14 UTC
            • Secretary, please refrain - treewilly - December 14, 2003 - 06:34 UTC
              • Are you another Michael Pearson??? - secretary - December 14, 2003 - 11:40 UTC
                • How many Michaels Pearson are there? - thewitt - December 14, 2003 - 17:19 UTC
                  • Almost everyone on this forum - secretary - December 14, 2003 - 22:44 UTC
                    • I'm not. Try me. - thewitt - December 15, 2003 - 04:49 UTC
                    • Secretary Rawson claims to be "not sure" who is who - quiet - December 15, 2003 - 05:43 UTC
                • Are you? - thewitt - December 15, 2003 - 04:51 UTC
                  • No, Secretary Rawson is not Michael Pearson - quiet - December 15, 2003 - 05:44 UTC