Hypothetical death question
Hypothetical death question
Author
Discussion

TheCarpetCleaner

Original Poster:

7,294 posts

232 months

Friday 9th April 2010
quotequote all
Not wanting this to go down religious bashing or anything, just more of a psychology type of question.

My stance on death, as said before on here is simply that we cease to exist. I take comfort in this myself personally.

So this is the question -

If somebody told you that, after death you simply cease to exist, lights out, no knowledge that you ever existed. And that this fact, was 100% true, and backed up by a method that was 100% foolproof so there is no doubt whatsoever in the world that this would not be true, how would you react?

This is based on the hypothetical scenario that the above fact was proven by methods that cannot be disputed, and survived every test possible.

Would you freak out, or accept it and move on, and would it change how you live?

toasty

8,413 posts

250 months

Friday 9th April 2010
quotequote all
Freak out.

EvoDelta

8,288 posts

220 months

Friday 9th April 2010
quotequote all
I accepted this a long time ago. Carry on.

Pothole

34,367 posts

312 months

Friday 9th April 2010
quotequote all
shrug....whatever happens we have no control over it.

308mate

13,758 posts

252 months

Friday 9th April 2010
quotequote all
confused

Im assuming that's the case anyway. Anything else is a bonus.

Simbu

1,915 posts

204 months

Friday 9th April 2010
quotequote all
I've always assumed this to be the case.

Conversely, if it was similarly proven that you go to a paradise island with every car you ever wanted, an unlimited supply of fuel and more perfect coastal road than you could ever get bored of... AND a stunningly attractive girl in the passenger seat who loves you unconditionally... (insert alternate fantasy here)

Would funeral directors suddenly 'make a killing'?

TheCarpetCleaner

Original Poster:

7,294 posts

232 months

Friday 9th April 2010
quotequote all
Simbu said:
I've always assumed this to be the case.

Conversely, if it was similarly proven that you go to a paradise island with every car you ever wanted, an unlimited supply of fuel and more perfect coastal road than you could ever get bored of... AND a stunningly attractive girl in the passenger seat who loves you unconditionally... (insert alternate fantasy here)

Would funeral directors suddenly 'make a killing'?
They would from me - until Gordon Brown died. Then I imagine he would tax it.

GTIR

24,741 posts

296 months

Friday 9th April 2010
quotequote all
Who cares.

I'd be dead.




Oh...

ukwill

10,259 posts

237 months

Friday 9th April 2010
quotequote all
308mate said:
confused

Im assuming that's the case anyway. Anything else is a bonus.
^^ This.

sinizter

3,348 posts

216 months

Friday 9th April 2010
quotequote all
308mate said:
confused

Im assuming that's the case anyway. Anything else is a bonus.
I'm assuming that's the case. But I'm not sure whether anything else would be a bonus.

Neil H

15,418 posts

281 months

Friday 9th April 2010
quotequote all
This is what I believe anyway, so it would make no difference to me.

Remember what it was like before you were born? No?

That's what death is like.

Maxf

8,444 posts

271 months

Friday 9th April 2010
quotequote all
I thought this might be the case, its the most logical thing to happen but I couldnt really come to terms with true 'nothingness' - afterall the nearest most of us come is a good, deep sleep. However, going under a general anesthetic a while back helped me to understand - snap, out. Then a second later, awake, with several hours passing by. That was 'nothingness' and actually gave me a good deal of comfort.

I'd sooner we all floated up and there was something, though. That would make the death of people you are close to much easier to deal with, IMO.

hooperpride

689 posts

208 months

Friday 9th April 2010
quotequote all
I like the idea of some sort of after life but if its proved that it doesn't exist beyond all doubt then theres not much I can do about it really. Just have to accept it and move on, no point worrying about the inevitable.

okgo

42,246 posts

228 months

Friday 9th April 2010
quotequote all
I think its like the time you're knocked out in an operation. Nothingness. I like that idea.

Frankeh

12,558 posts

215 months

Friday 9th April 2010
quotequote all
That IS what happens. How I dealt with it? Well what is there to deal with?
I'll be dead by the time I have to even care about it, but I'll be gone. So I wont really care, will I.

Not existing is the strangest thing to contemplate, though. It's impossible to comprehend since we exist.

Hurts the brain.

I should probably make the most out of life. Maybe i'll get to beta test google brain storage.

chevykevv

1,447 posts

237 months

Friday 9th April 2010
quotequote all
What is the alternative?
Every person & creature that ever lived is now living in another place?
It would certainly be a bit crowded, let's just think how many insects have lived on Earth in the last million years or so... You'll need to take some Raid with you when you go.biggrin

Poledriver

29,599 posts

224 months

Friday 9th April 2010
quotequote all
You die. You either get burned or buried where you rot and get eaten by worms... End of!

Frankeh

12,558 posts

215 months

Friday 9th April 2010
quotequote all
okgo said:
I think its like the time you're knocked out in an operation. Nothingness. I like that idea.
Happy 12,000th post.

Also I agree. I wouldn't mind if it was just like a dreamless sleep.
I don't wake up and think "MY GOD THAT WAS st!" when i've had a dreamless sleep.
It's just missing time.

Death will be like that, without the waking up.

No doubt at all that before I die I will be scared stless though.

308mate

13,758 posts

252 months

Friday 9th April 2010
quotequote all
Frankeh said:
Maybe i'll get to beta test google brain storage.
confused

Er..Loouuudd noises!


TheCarpetCleaner

Original Poster:

7,294 posts

232 months

Friday 9th April 2010
quotequote all
Frankeh said:
I should probably make the most out of life. Maybe i'll get to beta test google brain storage.
This would open up a whole other host of questions - WHEN (not if hehe ) google develops this, would it be a copy of you, and you would still die, or would it actually be you? As in as your conciousness is transferred, and you suddenly realise "oh I am dead bleagh", and the copy comes online, the copy would go "phew, that worked" without knowing that it didn't...

Creepy

If Star Trek was real, they must have died thousands of times over in transporters!