3 ms·

I mean, to me it’s more intelligent to consider we have no idea what’s going to happen after we’re dead and think about possibilities to prepare ourselves just

by ok_dad 5y ago

I mean, to me it’s more intelligent to consider we have no idea what’s going to happen after we’re dead and think about possibilities to prepare ourselves just in case our consciousness does end up in some afterlife. I have strong suspicions we’re just dead and nothing happens, but I can’t be certain of that. Reading books and thinking about different afterlives might help if you end up in one. We don’t even barely understand our own universe, which we live in, so who knows what’s possible here?

tomrod 5y ago
> I can’t be certain of that This shares notions with simulation theory and other non-falsifiable hypotheses. I take a practical approach here. We exist today. What will we make of it? Regarding these notions, my thought is since no one can be certain, what practical impact does that have? Typically the answer is "none whatsoever."
- Mertax 5y ago
  Even the OP implies that there is some mental benefit to using hope as a coping mechanism. Even still, I would think most practitioners are doing it because they receive some sort of practical benefit now, in addition to the hope they hold in the afterlife. Most religious communities provide social/emotional/spiritual fulfillment for the parishioner in the present.
nicoburns 5y ago
> Reading books and thinking about different afterlives might help if you end up in one Only if it's vaguely similar to the one discussed in the book. If it's completely different it wouldn't help at all.
collin128 5y ago
It's interesting when you start to think about the expected value of believing in a religion. Would the correct poker move be to maximize EV by believing in all religions? Not trying to poke fun, just an odd thought that's been bobbing around my brain this week.
- amch 5y ago
  What you're describing is similar to Pascal's Wager: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascal%27s_wager https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascal%27s_wager

by ok_dad 5y ago

tomrod 5y ago

> I can’t be certain of that This shares notions with simulation theory and other non-falsifiable hypotheses. I take a practical approach here. We exist today. What will we make of it? Regarding these notions, my thought is since no one can be certain, what practical impact does that have? Typically the answer is "none whatsoever."

Mertax 5y ago
Even the OP implies that there is some mental benefit to using hope as a coping mechanism. Even still, I would think most practitioners are doing it because they receive some sort of practical benefit now, in addition to the hope they hold in the afterlife. Most religious communities provide social/emotional/spiritual fulfillment for the parishioner in the present.

nicoburns 5y ago

> Reading books and thinking about different afterlives might help if you end up in one Only if it's vaguely similar to the one discussed in the book. If it's completely different it wouldn't help at all.

collin128 5y ago

It's interesting when you start to think about the expected value of believing in a religion. Would the correct poker move be to maximize EV by believing in all religions? Not trying to poke fun, just an odd thought that's been bobbing around my brain this week.

amch 5y ago
What you're describing is similar to Pascal's Wager: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascal%27s_wager https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascal%27s_wager