Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jaime Willis on February 13, 2012 at 4:39pm

nothing...when you die you die... in my opinion there is no reunion or redemption in some other place, you just cease to "be" ..it is final and absolute.

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Permalink Reply by Zoltan on February 13, 2012 at 5:40pm

I've often observed how some people are born into this world as if they are on a mission. Sometimes it seems like they rush to get something done or sometimes it's a particular type of work they do and they excel at it. On the contrary other people are born and they sort of mosey through life with no strong agenda. I often think of the people who begin to live at a very early age, sometimes 2 or 3 years old and are really focused on doing the thing they were born to do.  Many times the parents just look on and wonder where all this comes from in the child. Many of these people do what they have to do and die shortly there after. Other people are born with incredible talent. Piano and violin players who excel at the age of 4 or 5 or 6. People who graduate college by the age of 12. If there is nothing after life and nothing before life, where does this sense of urgency come from at such an early age. where does the talent come from. I believe there is something both before and after life but we are unconscious of it just as we are unconscious as we sleep or are in a coma. I think there is much more that we do not know then what we do know and trying to make a statement like "lights out" is very naive and I think we simply do not know. In the words of our pathetic ex-Secretary of Defense. "We simply do not know what we do not know".

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Permalink Reply by Unseen on February 13, 2012 at 7:34pm

Oh, I suppose that magical sorcerer who supposedly made the universe is to blame, isn't he?

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Permalink Reply by Shanna on February 13, 2012 at 5:46pm

A hazy dream? You are dead. no brain function. hate to say it but we're worm food. The great circle of life.

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Permalink Reply by dragotron on February 13, 2012 at 11:53pm

I've been pondering this question for over 20 years... It's kept me interested and passionate.

I think your friend hit the nail on the head... when we die it will be exactly how it was before you were born. Kinda like that time when you're sleeping but in between dreams. But even less conscious. Think of it this way. Before you were born you were dead for at least 13 billion years or so... and I bet not a single thing that happened during that time was a nuisance...  (not sure where that quote came from)

Some people, mostly religious people, think this is a horrible way to end our lives. I think it is beautiful. It makes our time spent here on earth that much more important and precious. Enjoy it.

We do have a purpose. Look at what all life does. It's our blueprint. Life survives, procreates, cares for the herd, spreads its seed, adapts, evolves... continues at all costs. That is our purpose. Let's help our offspring and future generations to do this the best we can. Let's see the big picture. Not just ourselves.

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Permalink Reply by Unseen on February 14, 2012 at 10:43am

In a way, the purpose of any instance of any species is to pass along their genes. People who don't procreate aren't playing their part in the game.

At the same time, even to speak of "purpose" kind of falls into the arms of the people who believe in a creator.

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Permalink Reply by dragotron on February 14, 2012 at 10:51am

I don't think to have a "purpose" by any sense of the word is exclusive only to a creator...

I've just observed life in all it's shapes and forms and these are things that all life have in common. I've chosen to find purpose in that sense. Mainly to try and contribute the continued survival of humanity by means of technology. If anyone else doesn't care to that's fine by me.

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Permalink Reply by Unseen on February 14, 2012 at 10:56am

When you talk about purpose, you are open to the question, "According to whom or what?"

Purpose by it's nature implies a direction toward a goal.

If humans have a purpose, and not one they give themselves (to get into Harvard, to write The Great American Novel, to settle down in Montana and raise cattle), then whose purpose are they supposed to be fulfilling?

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Permalink Reply by dragotron on February 14, 2012 at 11:52am

Life's purpose... The reason we are here.

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Permalink Reply by dragotron on February 14, 2012 at 12:16pm

this does bring up the question though.. does the universe have a purpose to expand and grow? Is that it's purpose Or is that simply just what it does.

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Permalink Reply by Shankar S on February 14, 2012 at 12:14pm

My 2 cents...

Once when I was a kid, I asked my father this same question. He answered it like this: Imagine using LEGO blocks to construct a building. Now, suppose the blocks are removed. What happens? The building is gone - poof. That's it.

We are concepts - like a building which is an idea formed by lego blocks; or in our case flesh and bones put together to work in a particular way to generate self-conscious entities. Once the blocks are separated, the idea/ concept of the building is completely destroyed. Similarly, once you die, changes to our body ensures that though matter still exists (our bodies are still there), the idea/ concept of ME is destroyed.

Until science figures out a way to rebuild the matter in our bodies exactly in the same way as before to recapture the concept of 'ME', we will be dead forever.

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Permalink Reply by dragotron on February 14, 2012 at 12:15pm

but even if it was to be "rebuilt" it would be a copy of you... I think our life needs to be sustained to continue.. but who knows!

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