Reiteration

The following is mostly a reiteration of previous blogs I've posted regarding my feelings and beliefs on the after life. I wrote this piece in response to a web forum topic. It is a bit more thought out and perhaps a bit clearer than any other after life piece I've written so far. Enjoy!

I believe that in order for there to be an after life the consciousness must survive the brain's death.

I believe this can happen, but is rare.

I believe that one's expectations of death may dictate the initial stages of consciousness processing death, but that eventually the strength of the consciousness will fade, and eventually die too. Kind of like dreaming, the length of time that you are dreaming is much shorter than how it feels to you inside the dream. That is, while dreaming you could pass through days and it feels that days are passing by, but in reality you've only been dreaming for maybe a few hours. Therefore, a consciousness will continue after the death of the brain if the consciousness 1. acknowledges the death of the person, and 2. the consciousness has after life expectations. If the consciousness expects nothing after death, then perhaps blackness will come and there will be no more thoughts. If the consciousness does have expectations for an after life, such as heaven or hell, then the consciousness may spend time essentially dreaming up these expectations, but inevitably the strength will fade, and the consciousness will die out; thus, ending the after life/dream, at which point perhaps blackness will come and there will be no more thoughts. Furthermore, if the consciousness does not acknowldge the person's death or is some how unaware (sudden death would cause this), then I figure the consciousness would continue in a more solid state such as a ghost or the like.

My problems with the afterlife are this:

1. If the consciousness can survive the death of the brain, the possibilities beyond death, for the consciousness, are numerous - perhaps infinite.

2. I do not believe the consciousness can survive the death of the brain, which creates a problem for me, because I do believe in ghosts* and spiritual paranormal activity. If I do believe in ghosts, but not a consciousness that's capable of surviving a dead brain, then what are ghosts?

3. If I believe in ghosts, then ghosts must be made up of an energy source. Does consciousness have an energy source? If so, then a consciousness that's survived a dead brain could very well create or manifest as a ghost.

4. If consciousness is made up of energy, then it must survive the death of the brain, because energy can be neither destroyed or created.

5. If consciousness is made up of energy, and therefore cannot be destroyed (die completely and end thought processes), there must be an after life, or there is a greater possibility for reincarnation.

6. With all of 3 - 5 (roughly) understood, it would seem consciousness either is or is not made up of energy. If consciousness is made up of energy, then it cannot be created; therefore, consciousnesses are not created at birth or conception, but rather they are always in existence. It isn't an issue that none of us have memories of conscious existence prior to birth (or several years after for that matter), because memories require brain function, indeed brain matter, which is not present prior to conception or birth. Therefore, the consciousness would have to exist prior to bodily conception, which again opens up numerous possibilities for at what point in time space does a consciousness exist prior to birth (or after death for that matter). With this premise (consciousness exists prior to birth and after death because it consists of energy which is constant with regards to existence), there is a strong inclination for me personally to believe in reincarnation more than any other theory.

So, while I have my preferred beliefs, that is, what I'd like to believe, there are still real problems that I feel I cannot reconcile. When it comes down to it, what I'd like to believe is that this consciousness offers not enough to continue on posthumously, and therefore consciousness ends, all thoughts end, etc. with the death of the brain. I can hope, right?

*By "believe in ghosts" I simply mean I believe they can and do exist.