Thought Of Surviving Death? Perhaps Your ‘Self’ Can

The thought of surviving death has rattled mankind for years. Even if the body cannot survive, seems like our 'self' can. The experts over the years have developed hundreds of theories to solve the puzzle of death and afterlife.

What is your 'Self'?

There are different school of thoughts with regards to your 'Self' and death. Some thinkers believe self is made of all your memories, experiences and your thoughts about yourselves, believes etc.

According to Galen Strawson, a philosopher at the University of Texas at Austin and the author of the book "Selves: An Essay in Revisionary Metaphysics " First and foremost, you're a subject of experience. You engage in mental activity, and you've got to be in some way single or unified, although that doesn't mean you can't conflict. You're some sort of entity. That's vague, but you're not just a property. A self isn't just a property of a human being. It belongs in the category of a 'thing.'" as reported in LiveScience.

Self and time

According to Strawson 'Self' is a relative concept. He believes that self is determined by time. One is not the same as they were a few years back. So the self is a different entity that even does not survive years and is every changing. So he even suggests using the word selves rather than human beings as we may be different selves at a different time.

How to survive death?

This question has puzzled many experts. It all comes down to one aspect whether a brain is required to exist with all your causal connections. If the same brain is not required, then theoretically all the information of your 'self' can be uploaded in another brain and you can survive death. University of Colorado philosopher Michael Tooley says, "There is a question whether you need the same brain (even with different molecules) continuing to exist together with causal connections, or whether it's only the causal connections that matter."

Does afterlife exist?

There are various religious beliefs about the afterlife, but the data is not availableS so to believe or not to believe is entirely one's own choice. According to Parapsychologist Charles Tart, one can take the description of near-death experiences, but its accuracy cannot be determined. The second are spiritual mediums who claim to channel the souls and tell what is afterlife; again how much of that is true cannot be determined.

So there are various beliefs and mysteries that remains to be solved, till clear answers are discovered one can believe it is possible for your 'Self' to survive death.