Module 3 Discussion - Is there proof of life after death? PDF

Preview

Summary

Is there proof of life after death?...

Description

Is there proof of life after death? In short, no. But that doesn't stop people from seeking some sort of evidence, or simply believing that there is. “The Pew Forum reports that 74% of Americans believe in an afterlife,” and I'm one of those people (Module 3 Overview). I don't believe that this life is all there is, but that's my personal philosophy. Knowledge can be associated with facts and evidence. If we're sticking to these requirements to prove the existence of an afterlife, there is none. In fact, there seems to be more evidence disproving it. “A great deal of evidence suggests that consciousness is not possible unless your brain is functioning in the right way” (Rachels and Rachels 40). Another popular term for those who believe in an afterlife is a soul. So if the brain is not functioning, there is no longer life and “the lights go out, and there is no way to turn them back on” (Rachels and Rachels 40). You can believe something to be true, even with little to no evidence to support that belief. We talked in the previous module about knowing that the sun will rise tomorrow. It can't be known, but based on our own experiences and the experiences of others, we believe it. Just as we've known the sun has risen for so many years before us, we have heard about various religions. So are we justified in our belief that the sun will rise tomorrow? Based off of what we know from our own experiences, I'd say the belief is justified. Is our belief in an afterlife justified? As much as I'd like to say that it is, it isn't. Evidence that has been used to support the theory of an afterlife can be discredited in various ways. The soul can be seen as the basis for a belief in an afterlife. “By death do we not mean simply the departure of the soul from the body?” (Rachels and Rachels 38). Here Socrates is saying that once our bodies die, our souls move on into an afterlife. However, according to science, once we die, we're dead. First we lose consciousness and then nothing inside of us continues to live. “Consciousness is restored only when you're brain begins to function normally again” (Rachels and Rachels 40). What about near death experiences? Those who encounter this have died only to come back to life, one way or another. However, there are numerous things that can explain this phenomenon. “Researchers can induce out-of-body experiences by stimulating an area of the brain known as the superior temporal gyrus” (Rachels and Rachels 43). Drug-induced hallucinations can also be compared to near-death experiences. Oxygen deprivation can bring upon the tunnel that so many report seeing during a near-death experience, but it “might simply be a narrowing of the visual field, like the one people experience before they faint” (Rachels and Rachels 43). REM sleep can also be used as an explanation. “The patient's REM state is brought on by the stress of nearly dying; the feeling of being dead is being brought on by the stress of nearly dying; the feeling of being dead is brought on by sleep paralysis; and the tunnel and the light are due in part to the loss of blood to the retina” (Rachels and Rachels 44). In conclusion, despite the universal acceptance of an afterlife in various forms throughout numerous religions, there is no evidence to support its existence. However, one does not need knowledge to support a belief. At some point faith steps in and plays a prominent role. Perhaps the belief in an afterlife simply satisfies a human desire of immortality. Works Cited Module Three Overview. PHL-210 Introduction to Philosophy. Southern New Hampshire University, Brightspace, https://snhu.brightspace.com/d2l/le/content/301204/viewContent/6667153/View Rachels, J., & Rachels, S. (2012). Problems from philosophy (Third ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill....