Mary AnnS: I am fascinated by your endeavor and the amazing work you have done!
Djs: Mary Ann, thank you for the kind words.
Mary Ann S: I have some questions about what happens after we die. Basically, the question is, well, what happens after we die?
Djs: First of all, let me be the first to admit that we do not know for certain what happens when one dies. Such a statement leads us to understand two things: First - one cannot say absolutely that one continues in some form after death and Second - one cannot say absolutely that one does not continue in some form after death.
So where does that leave us? Faith tells us we continue on in some form after death. Ancient wisdom tells us we continue on in some form after death. Observation and measurement does not confirm we continue on in some form after death but on the other hand observation and measurement does not disprove our continuing on in some form after death.
What about reason and dialectics? Reason and dialectics, as demonstrated over and over again in this site, absolutely reinforces the concept that we do continue on in some form after death and in particular in the form of individual consciousness immersed within the whole of consciousness or, as religions would say of omniscience, continue on within God – panentheism.
Mary Ann S: Although part of me likes the idea that my own personal, individual consciousness will remain and just be greatly enhanced after death, I can’t find any scientific evidence that this could possibly happen.
Djs: We will probably never obtain confirmation of consciousness remaining after death. By definition, death is the end of physical existence and it is not the physical that religions, ancient wisdom, reason, and dialectics suggest continues after death.
In addition, one must acknowledge that science by its very nature is concerned with the physical, concerned with laws that govern the physical universe, observes and measures physical phenomenon.
The concept of consciousness remaining after death is a concept that is not part of the realm of science and as such, to look to science to confirm existence after death is no more reasonable than to look to a rock for love.
Mary Ann S: I wonder if “deep, dreamless sleep” is more akin to the after-death experience of the individual than just expanded personal awareness. And I wonder “how” or “in what way” and individual continues on. Will you comment on that for me?
Djs: If you are referring to the lack of conscious knowing one experiences in ‘deep, dreamless sleep’, reason would suggest such a state is more a state of ‘unknowing’ than it is a state of knowing and therefore such a state would NOT appear to be the type of existence one experiences after physical death.
Reason would suggest your description ‘Although part of me likes the idea that my own personal, individual consciousness will remain and just be greatly enhanced after death’ would be a fair representation of existence after knowing exits the physical realm of the body and the physical universe.
A question I find interesting is ‘What type of existence does a person with advanced stages of Alzheimer’s experience?’
Reason would suggest a person’s consciousness which is located within a brain experiencing Alzheimer’s has not dissolved away but rather remains intact within a brain which has lost the ability to act as a mechanism capable of interacting with said consciousness, lost the ability to act as the means of connecting knowing to the physical.
As such, a person with Alzheimer’s would, like others, find their consciousness transposed, upon physical death, from the physical body to the Whole of consciousness. The consciousness would remain completely intact and cohesive.
Mary Ann S: Thank you and keep up the good work!
Djs: Again thanks for the kind words. Feel free to send in other questions.