Poll: Does human consciousness die with the body?

[the_pleasure_is_mine]

Logic says yes... but I have my fingers crossed for being reincarnated so I'm going to say no.

 

[geldonyetich]

It's impossible enough to know. I will say, this much, however - out of a bit of philosophical meanderings of my own.

There's really only two possibilities. Either:

A) Dualism - If there does, indeed, exist a soul or other metaphysical presense that is separate from the body and this is the origin of consciousness. In that case, whatever consciousness one might have would be there irregardless of one's physical means.

B) Non-Dualism - Well, if there is no soul, then the only thing about us that's real still exists upon our death: as molecules of dead matter. In this case, perhaps consciousness is not all that special, and we're not significantly worse off as dead molecules. We'll probably just have a whole lot less choice or awareness, lacking those the physical capabilities that made this possible. It brings about an interesting question of what happens when we eat, and other things eat us - have we, then, re-birthed dead matter as a living thing as a part of us? What about the big bang? If the universe eventually contracts down to nothing and reboots again, perhaps we've a random shot at being alive once again.

Mind, blown? Well, you did ask. You'll cope - life is ever a matter of being exposed to new things and adapting.

As for the poll, regardless of whichever of these scenarios may be the case, I had to answer "yes" on the grounds that you're asking, "Does Human consciousness die with the body?" One thing we do know for certain is that a human just died. Whatever remains, be it soul or molecules, it's no longer human per se, as the overhead of being human would just be a whole lot of extra baggage to wherever it's going.

 

[Lullabye]

wishful thinking aside, there is nothing to suggest it doesn't.

 

[Valiance]

As far as we know, everything that makes up a human's personality, psyche, emotions, feelings, consciousness, is contained in your brain.

That should answer the question adequately.

 

[DTWolfwood]

wishful thinking aside, there is nothing to suggest it doesn't.

Hope you meant that it does die with the body or should i link This [http://atheiststudentalliance.org/images/logic.jpg] again?

 

[Twilight_guy]

That's one of the great questions of the world. One that nobody knows the answer to but we all want to know. And your asking an internet gaming forum for the answer...

Yes, and you might want to post topics like this under religion and politics.

 

[Jaranja]

Scientific consensus on the subject is that Yes, yes it does.

I have yet to find any sort of proof otherwise, so I'll stick with that.

That works the other way as well though.

There is more solid scientific evidence that our consciousness is linked with our brain activity than there is evidence that it is not linked to brain activity. Thus the logical conclusion is that when the brain dies, the consciousness dies.

Of course we don't know, but that's currently the best scientific theory we have on hand at the moment. As always, future discoveries may prove that to be incorrect and we have to reassess and perhaps change our minds. That's how Science works.

S'pose so. I'm still keeping hope that there is some way my consciousness lives on but it probably wont. No one really knows anything though, of course. We could all turn into spirits and travel through space and time in the blink of an eye but, alas, we will never know.

 

[BaldursBananaSoap]

Think about the time before you were born. It's like that.

 

[ribonuge]

Everyone as pretty much said all there is to say on the matter, but I just wanted to add my personal opinion. I just refuse to believe that any self-conscious being completely ceases to exist when they die. To have it so would make all of life pointless IMO, because even if you do good in your life, then all you did was affect others who are doomed to not exist in the near future. In the greater scheme of things, each individual's death is meaningless, therefore whatever you do in life is also meaningless.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that if we all live to eventually die, and then be gone completely, then there is no point to life at all. We may as well as just nuke the planet so that no one ever has to suffer any more. Anything we could ever do on our tiny, insignificant planet won't affect the universe, or probably even another solar system, so why put the effort and suffering of trillions of lifeforms through life's problems. That's why I do believe in something after death. If there is something to exist for, then maybe we can make a difference in the grand scheme of things.

What's to say there has to be a point? Consciousness is all you know, so you can't comprehend things otherwise. You live life subjectively in an objective universe that doesn't change according the will of a person. Humans aren't special - we are merely intelligent in comparison to other life on earth. I think that instead of hoping for an afterlife, people should learn to live the life they have.

 

[Lullabye]

wishful thinking aside, there is nothing to suggest it doesn't.

Hope you meant that it does die with the body or should i link This [http://atheiststudentalliance.org/images/logic.jpg] again?

dont worry. I meant "there is nothing to suggest it doesn't die with the body.

 

[Spongeguardian]

Think about the time before you were born. It's like that.

But how can you think of that. I mean, the reason we don't remember is because we had no brain and therefor no memory of said event. I suppose if the consciousness lived on after the body died, we'd have no memory or feeling or sight or hearing... would basically be the same as death.
Interesting.

 

[Fetzenfisch]

To busy living to have throught about it really. (and thats from a christten perspective)

Dead is dead is dead is dead is not alive q.e.d.
question answered.
rotten heart ,rotten body, rotten brain= dead = game over.


science- it works bitches

Thats not science. It would only be science if someone died then was made alive again (undeadend?) then they recorded what they observed with there sences (traditional 5 or any other). What your doing is philososphy as you are postulating theories based on assumption.

That sir. is Bullshit!.
You cant experience anything without your body. Full Stop. And thats it.
And dont tell me crap like "you can't prove that!" its easier to staple a moron-sign to the forehead.

 

[hazabaza1]

I don't know, let me go ask a dead person.

 

[-BloodRush-]

so many people in here think they know what they are talking about.

i was reading the thread for amusement, i'm just annoyed.

the answer to this question is so obvious and noone can see it.