• Question: Do you think that the body dies but the mind lives on?

    Asked by chloegriffiths to Douglas, Hugh, Matt, Tom on 23 Jun 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Matthew Hurley

      Matthew Hurley answered on 23 Jun 2010:

      This is a really deep question. It depends on what you believe as this could never be proven either way (I think). I would like to think that perhaps the mind/soul etc. does ‘go on’ to some ‘other place’ but that’s just me – lots of people and lots of different beliefs.

    • Photo: Douglas Blane

      Douglas Blane answered on 23 Jun 2010:

      I think it’s possible. Lots of scientists would say definitely not. But when they say that they’re not telling you about science, but about what they personally believe.

      Science and scientists don’t know the first thing about consciousness. They don’t even know how to study it scientifically.

      They can tell you that a lot of things people take as evidence for survival after death – like the bright light people on the brink of death sometimes see – can be explained by what we now know about the brain.

      But the strongest thing science can say about minds surviving after death is that there’s no scientific evidence for it.

      If a scientist makes a stronger statement – like “minds definitely can’t survive after death” – he’s telling you about his personal belief not about the science.

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