What if Death Isn’t the End? The Science of Forever

The Michael Shermer Show # 498

Just as surgeons once believed pain was good for their patients, some argue today that death brings meaning to life. But given humans rarely live beyond a century (while certain whales can thrive for over two hundred years) it’s hard not to see our biological limits as profoundly unfair. No wonder then that most people nearing death wish they still had more time.

Yet, with ever-advancing science, will the ends of our lives always loom so close?

Ariel Zeleznikow-Johnston is a neuroscientist at Monash University, Australia, where he investigates methods for characterizing the nature of conscious experiences. His research interests range from the decline, preservation and rescue of cognitive function at different stages of the lifespan.

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[richardvarlay]

Does our consciousnesses remain in the atoms that make up our being after our death?

[fritzbang]

All bibles and currans should be stamped with bold letters: THIS IS FICTION.

[IosifStalin]

We don’t even know the nature of dark matter and dark energy…..how can we claim any true understanding of life, death, etc?

[ladyblabla]

Fantastic guest! I love the variety of guests and subjects on your show Mr Shermer.

[philcretired]

A great discussion. But. Whatever form the embodiment of the consciousness process and memory might take, it will eventually terminate. I cannot imagine a physical process that can last indefinitely. If it did continue 'forever' how would all the new memories be stored without a vast indefinite expansion of what ever physical means held them?
At 76 years of age I have come to appreciate that my particular life process, a sub-process of the total process of the universe, has emerged however briefly. Does my process have meaning? My process does not know. Joseph Campbell once commented to the effect that question of meaning is of little importance. What is important is the experience of 'Being Alive!' I will agree until the day my process ends.

[naturalisted]

You really should interview Tom Clark on his essay "Death, Nothingness and Subjectivity".

[fondoman]

.. just return me back to when I was a 4 year old child with all my present knowledge intact and a copy of 1975-2024 lottery/lotto results 😬😬😬

[bunjidogg]

So, what if this, what if that? Really?

[fktygglbtchbtch]

Interesting discussion but hard to prove and explain. Really just a discussion...

[p]

We are so small in the Big Picture that our opinion doesn't even matter.