Evidence For Life After Death

Space Madness

I'm not sure if I believe in life after death but I thought of something that has me leaning toward that direction. Unlike other living beings, humans have a consciousness that is separate from our brain. Two prime examples of this are addiction and dieting. When a person is addicted to drugs or alcohol, the brain will do anything possible to encourage us to feed our addictions. This includes bringing on very unpleasant withdraw symptoms that doesnt stop until the brain get its fix. Our conscious mind will do anything to counter our brain's desires by seeking medication, therapy, or going to rehab. The same is true with dieting. Although our brain tells us we should eat whenever we're hungry, our conscious mind will tell us to resist in order to maintain a healthy weight or to simply look nice. Despite what me may think, it appears our brain isnt in complete control. The only question is can this consciousness survive after the brain dies. If so, then that could mean we can survive death through our conscious minds.

pbrow

Conscious or non-conscious, the phrase "its all in your head" applies here. Its all coming from your brain. Our consciousness is not seperate from our brain it is a system of our brain.

pbrow

Viviane

Unlike other living beings, humans have a consciousness that is separate from our brain.

Please explain. If I were to destroy your brain, your consciousness would cease to exist. Also, there is evidence that other animals has a sense of self similar to humans.

The example you gave of addiction has well known physical causes in most cases. How does that prove anything. You've not gotten from A to B yet.

Space Madness

@pbrow

If our consciousness is not seperate from our brains, how is it possible for us to be consciously aware of what our brains want and still resist it. Is the brain resisting itself?

@viviane

We don't know if a person's consciousness cease to exist if their brain is destroyed because no one has ever come back from the dead. I don't understand what you mean by "addiction has well know physical causes". That doesn't change the fact that your brain is craving something that consciously do not want.

Viviane

We don't know if a person's consciousness cease to exist if their brain is destroyed because no one has ever come back from the dead.

So at best, for your position that the brain and consciousness are separate, we can say that there is absolutely no evidence for it. All current evidence points to them being one in the same.

I don't understand what you mean by "addiction has well know physical causes". That doesn't change the fact that your brain is craving something that consciously do not want.

Some people do desire the object of the addition. For instance. I do love coffee and I know I have a caffeine addiction. I have no issue with caffeine and like it.

So, again, at best, you can say that some people have a physical addition that they don't want. That still in no way implies that consciousness exists outside of a physical body.

Viviane

If our consciousness is not seperate from our brains, how is it possible for us to be consciously aware of what our brains want and still resist it. Is the brain resisting itself?

How is it possible to push my arms against each other and make them resist each other? Having mutually exclusive desires is not evidence that consciousness is separate from the brain. I could simultaneously want both chocolate AND strawberry ice cream even though I may only be able to have one.

pbrow

I suppose you could say the brain is resisting itself. I would say the brain may want something in the form of a fourth helping of chocolate cake. Another area of the brain knows that the fourth helping is not good for it for a number of different reasons. The brain then makes the decision that even though the fourth piece of the chocolate cake still tastes good it is not in the body's best interest to eat it. One part of the brain resisted another part of the brain.

I guess I fail to see why having different reasons and options equates with the consiousness being seperate from the brain. The part of the brain that controls consciousness is a part of the brain. Just like the part of the brain that controls sight is a part of the brain.

pbrow

HowTheBibleWasCreated

I guess dolphins and elephants have afterlifes too. They have self conciousness.

Actually although I'm an athiest I do believe in a sort of afterlife but it's more on the quantum level.

Space Madness

How is it possible to push my arms against each other and make them resist each other? Having mutually exclusive desires is not evidence that consciousness is separate from the brain.

This is not a good analogy because your left and right arms are seperate therefore they can resist each other. You right arm can't resist your right arm and your left arm can't resist your left arm. You're actually making my case for me.

I suppose you could say the brain is resisting itself. I would say the brain may want something in the form of a fourth helping of chocolate cake. Another area of the brain knows that the fourth helping is not good for it for a number of different reasons. The brain then makes the decision that even though the fourth piece of the chocolate cake still tastes good it is not in the body's best interest to eat it. One part of the brain resisted another part of the brain.

I haven't studied neuroscience but that doesn't sound right at all. Specific areas of the brain handles specific functions. One area handles vision, another short term memory, another long term memory, another taste, another balance, another hearing, another learning, etc. This is the first time I heard of a healthy brain countering itself. I've heard of this for people with mental disorers such as schizophrenia. Would anyone who has knowlegde of this matter like to weigh in?

cofty

Perhaps you should read some neuroscience.

I would recommend "Consciousness Explained" by Dan Dennett.

Our brains = our consciousness. There is no ghost in the machine.

I have had 3 major operations in recent years. Each time the anaesthetist used chemicals to control my brain chemistry and I am happy to report I had zero consciousness.

If our consciousness cannot survive anaesthetic how can it survive the dissolution of our brains?

Evidence For Life After Death

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