Lol, a ginger sold his soul. Impossibru!

I sold mine about six or seven times for a quid when I was in school. Easiest money ever. I don't like the idea of souls, the very thought of it makes me feel like I'm just an animated husk ready to be thrown away when I become 'expired.' Beyond that, I have no idea what souls are meant to do once you die. The entire concept is just too vague to keep up with.

Save them up and bonfire that shit.

I'm not saying people are stupid for fearing death, it's instinct to be afraid of it, its hard-wired into our systems, I say I don't fear it, some people on here say the same, but we all have some level of fear of it.

I was saying that it's completely irrational to fear having nothing around you, as you will be unconcious, actually, scratch that, you will have no conciousness. that was why I was linking it to being asleep, in the way that you are not thinking.

I believe that the concept of the "soul", has derived from ancient times, when humans wanted an explination of our "conciousness", or something like that. Thats probably why people say when you die, your soul leaves you, goes to heaven or hell or whatever.

But its basic human thinking, "Hmm, we can't think of an explination for this (evolution ect.), so lets just say its a huge guy who controls everything and sits on a cloud, sorted, what's next?"

Whereas now we have all the technology, that proves theories like evolution. Yet all the die-hard christians still believe that this god made Adam out of some dust and went "oh, I need a bird. I know, I'll make one out of ya rib". And thats fine, each to their own and that, but don't be tryig to preach to me. Anyway I think I came off the topic a while back, I don't remember what my point was...

You're still not convincing me.

I quite like my sentience thank you very much.

And where was it before you were born? Just answer that.

It wasn't. I don't see what that has to do with it.

Why is it so hard for you to concieve of the fact that there is no consciousness, or sentience after you die, but you are happy to admit it wasn't there either before you were born? It's the same thing. Also, on a different note, when do babies gain consciousness? I thought I'd ask as we're on the topic.

It's not, it just scares the shit out of me. I don't want to be unborn.

That's a very very difficult question and you're going to have to operationalize what you mean by conciousness.

A wild abortion topic appears.

Ridg3 fled.

But you won't know that you're "unborn" because you'd have no consciousness.


Well, imagine being conscious in the womb, I have claustrophobia now, so I can't imagine what it would be like in there. What I mean is, at what stage of development (by that I mean being a fetus), do you become, aware. Like are you asleep in there until your being pushed out? or are you crying weeks before labour? It's hard to explain, but its too harrowing to thnk of a fully conscious and developed brain being active in the womb. Ah, maybe thats it, maybe you become conscious when your brain has fully developed. Does anyone understand what I'm saying at all?

It's not a matter of being afraid of what comes after death. It's a matter of not wanting the loss of life. It's a desire to do more, to experience more. It is not a lack of rationality that makes a person fear the end of their consciousness even though they know that once their consciousness is gone they won't miss it. It's very rational to desire continued life, and fear the ending of it.

I know that, but i'm saying it's irrational to fear after death, which some people do.

No, it's entirely rational to fear after death. You're arguing in circles here.

I think that the people who say that just aren't properly articulating their fear of ceasing to exist, which, like we've agreed, is entirely rational. Either that, or they believe in the supernatural, and are afraid of what will happen to their immortal soul, which is a rational response to an irrational belief.

I'm not talking about that though, I'm talking about the irrational fear of having no consciousness. You wouldn't be there to experience it, so whats the problem?

I do not understand this.

I am in position X, I have my sentience. I will be in position Y and lack it. You are saying because in position Y I will have no sentience to know I lack it, it's rational to not be scared of lacking it in position X?

Your argument is dumb.

Wings, man, you're not getting it.

A man bursts into your room and murders you.
You're dead, you don't care, so it's all cool.

But I'm alive. Your argument is meaningless. Also nonsense.

Oooh, I've been waiting a long time to do this.

JOKE.

Oh

I hate you

I'll add more exclamation marks next time. I'm sensitive to the needs of the irony impaired.

I wonder what liquid death would taste like... I bet it would be an exquisite gourmet experience.

This page of this thread confuses me. Nepsotic seems to be making complete sense and everyone else isn't.

Let's lay some groundwork:
OANST's post about fearing the loss of life in terms of accomplishments not met: I don't think anyone is disputing this point.

However, some people seem to fear death beyond that level. Some people fear the concept of death even after a long life of incredible acheivement. I don't understand why.

A few pages back, there was a discussion about the concept of nothingness after death. Some people found that concept frightening and stated it in such a way that it seemed like they thought they would be floating in infinite blackness for eternity. Death as sensory deprivation, effectively. As far as I can see, Nepsotic is responding specifically to those people and no-one else. He's saying that nothingness isn't frightening because you won't be conscious of the nothingness.


So, if you're going to post in this thread now, please make it clear who you're responding to, what you think that person is saying and what your point is.

I HAVE

MULTIPLE TIMES

JESUS CHRIST

Nepsotic is saying that being afraid of what comes after death is silly, because it's nothing.

Joe is arguing that it's perfectly rational to fear death because it's nothing.

Nepsotic completely agrees that it's rational to fear death, but says that it isn't to fear the post-death nothing. This is what is causing everyone confusion, myself included.

Isn't being afraid of death the fear of that nothingness?

I think this varies from person to person. The first time I truly realized I was alive was about two and a half sitting on the couch trying to play Mortal Kombat with my dad. Any "memories" from before then were like... really blurry still images. Like a slideshow. And I was looking down upon myself in white sheets while very strange, yet soothing, music was playing. Next thing I knew I was looking at a screen through tunnel vision and my dad was babbling some nonsense off at me while I was holding a controller.

Most of my friends don't even know what their first memory was or when they first gained consciousness.

I kind of wonder sometimes what would have happened had I died within that little time frame that all I can see are still pictures of myself. Would I have seen it? Maybe that little glimpse of whatever it was might have been the only taste of life I'd ever get. It's interesting to think about.

And as for a more general message... Being afraid of nonexistence is completely understandable. And really, it's all the more reason you should live life to your fullest, however it is you define a full life. As long as you're content it shouldn't matter either way. Make the existence you have right now worth it.

There's a reoccurring theme with being alive and having a fear of the unknown. I'm pretty certain a good handful of the time people who aren't afraid of death tend not to be bothered by not understanding certain things.

Your first memory has very little to do with you first gaining consciousness.

Generally your first true memory is around the time you gain consciousness, am I wrong?

If you can remember where you were, what you were doing, and understood that you existed, I'm pretty certain that first big memory has a lot to do with you first gaining consciousness.

Yes. The brain isn't that simple. You can speak before you can remember, unless you're implying that your first words were said unconsciously?

Essentially, I am saying that exactly.