Carl Sagan on life after death

Cainkane1 · 2nd June 2010, 09:01 AM

http://www.bauleros.org/saganenfermedad.html

I would love to believe that when I die I will live again, that some thinking, feeling, remembering part of me will continue. But as much as I want to believe that, and despite the ancient and worldwide cultural traditions that assert and afterlife, I know of nothing to suggest that it is more than wishful thinking.

Dorian Gray · 2nd June 2010, 03:35 PM

Consider the possibility that some future civ will be able to take brain scans and recreate brains - organic or synthetic or artificial - from them. Sure, that won't be 'you' per se, but it will be a decent approximation of you.

Towlie · 2nd June 2010, 03:46 PM

Originally Posted by Cainkane1

http://www.bauleros.org/saganenfermedad.html

Ack! Embedded music!

Plus there's a dark vertical bar running through the text, obscuring part of it, that shows up with Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Chrome.

What a terrible web page.

Try this instead: http://blog.rarezas.org/?p=16

Cainkane1 · 2nd June 2010, 04:54 PM

Originally Posted by Dorian Gray

Consider the possibility that some future civ will be able to take brain scans and recreate brains - organic or synthetic or artificial - from them. Sure, that won't be 'you' per se, but it will be a decent approximation of you.

It may be a copy of you but that isn't the tpe pf immortality we see in religious text is it?

Dorian Gray · 3rd June 2010, 05:59 AM

How should anyone know? A metaphor in Hebrew translated into English and processed through different versions... could mean anything.

Dorian Gray · 3rd June 2010, 06:03 AM

Try this:

YouTube Video This video is not hosted by the JREF. The JREF can not be held responsible for the suitability or legality of this material. By clicking the link below you agree to view content from an external website.

I AGREE

Roboramma · 3rd June 2010, 11:59 PM

Originally Posted by Dorian Gray

Consider the possibility that some future civ will be able to take brain scans and recreate brains - organic or synthetic or artificial - from them. Sure, that won't be 'you' per se, but it will be a decent approximation of you.

That may be possible in the future, but it isn't now. And between then and now the information a dead person's brain will be irreparably lost to decay.

So, in the future? Maybe. Today? No. And even more "no" for Carl Sagan.

Towlie · 4th June 2010, 08:33 AM

That reminds me of when the mice wanted to replace Arthur Dent's brain with a simple mechanical brain so that they could dice his real brain up and find the Question. Zaphod says "You won't know the difference. You'd be programmed not to."

2nd June 2010, 09:01 AM	#1
Cainkane1 Philosopher Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: The great American southeast Posts: 7,186	Carl Sagan on life after death http://www.bauleros.org/saganenfermedad.html I would love to believe that when I die I will live again, that some thinking, feeling, remembering part of me will continue. But as much as I want to believe that, and despite the ancient and worldwide cultural traditions that assert and afterlife, I know of nothing to suggest that it is more than wishful thinking.
	__________________ If at first you don't succeed try try again. Then if you fail to succeed to Hell with that. Try something else.

2nd June 2010, 03:35 PM	#2
Dorian Gray Hypocrisy Detector Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Dayton, Ohio Posts: 20,193	Consider the possibility that some future civ will be able to take brain scans and recreate brains - organic or synthetic or artificial - from them. Sure, that won't be 'you' per se, but it will be a decent approximation of you.
	__________________ "A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men." - Willy Wonka "Rational arguments don't work on religious people. If they did, there wouldn't be any religious people." - House Additionally to Carlin being funnier than Izzard, I think Dorian is funnier than the Marquis. - Ron Tomkins

2nd June 2010, 03:46 PM	#3
Towlie ancillary character Join Date: May 2009 Location: Miami, Florida Posts: 1,476	Originally Posted by Cainkane1 http://www.bauleros.org/saganenfermedad.html Ack! Embedded music! Plus there's a dark vertical bar running through the text, obscuring part of it, that shows up with Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Chrome. What a terrible web page. Try this instead: http://blog.rarezas.org/?p=16
	Last edited by Towlie; 2nd June 2010 at 03:52 PM.

2nd June 2010, 04:54 PM	#4
Cainkane1 Philosopher Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: The great American southeast Posts: 7,186	Originally Posted by Dorian Gray Consider the possibility that some future civ will be able to take brain scans and recreate brains - organic or synthetic or artificial - from them. Sure, that won't be 'you' per se, but it will be a decent approximation of you. It may be a copy of you but that isn't the tpe pf immortality we see in religious text is it?
	__________________ If at first you don't succeed try try again. Then if you fail to succeed to Hell with that. Try something else.

3rd June 2010, 05:59 AM	#5
Dorian Gray Hypocrisy Detector Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Dayton, Ohio Posts: 20,193	How should anyone know? A metaphor in Hebrew translated into English and processed through different versions... could mean anything.
	__________________ "A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men." - Willy Wonka "Rational arguments don't work on religious people. If they did, there wouldn't be any religious people." - House Additionally to Carlin being funnier than Izzard, I think Dorian is funnier than the Marquis. - Ron Tomkins

3rd June 2010, 11:59 PM	#7
Roboramma Philosopher Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Shanghai Posts: 7,094	Originally Posted by Dorian Gray Consider the possibility that some future civ will be able to take brain scans and recreate brains - organic or synthetic or artificial - from them. Sure, that won't be 'you' per se, but it will be a decent approximation of you. That may be possible in the future, but it isn't now. And between then and now the information a dead person's brain will be irreparably lost to decay. So, in the future? Maybe. Today? No. And even more "no" for Carl Sagan.
	__________________ "... when people thought the Earth was flat, they were wrong. When people thought the Earth was spherical they were wrong. But if you think that thinking the Earth is spherical is just as wrong as thinking the Earth is flat, then your view is wronger than both of them put together." Isaac Asimov

4th June 2010, 08:33 AM	#8
Towlie ancillary character Join Date: May 2009 Location: Miami, Florida Posts: 1,476	That reminds me of when the mice wanted to replace Arthur Dent's brain with a simple mechanical brain so that they could dice his real brain up and find the Question. Zaphod says "You won't know the difference. You'd be programmed not to."