Afterlife and science?

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YHWH_Christ

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How do we reconcile modern neuroscience with the soul? Famous physicist Stephen Hawking said,
" I regard the brain as a computer which will stop working when its components fail. There is no heaven or afterlife for broken down computers; that is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark".
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How do we respond to this as Christians?
 
Read Fr. Robert Spitzer on proof of the afterlife, which cites among other things thousands of near death experiences that share similar experiences of the afterlife. Then put the burden of proof back on the nonbeliever.
 
Brian_K said:
thousands of near death experiences that share similar experiences of the afterlife. Then put the burden of proof back on the nonbeliever.
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There are thousands of “alien abduction” experiences that share similar experiences, too. It’s hard to argue that “near death” experiences are true and “alien abduction” ones aren’t.

Sorry, but even as a Catholic, I do not put much store in “near death” experiences. Like “alien abduction” experiences, they can easily be explained as due to natural causes. Absolutely no need to reach for supernatural (or extraterrestrial) explanations.

Fr. Spitzer’s opinion is his personal opinion. I’m not convinced that such “near death” experiences accord with Catholic teaching.
 
Read Heave in Real, by Dr Eben Alexander or watch his video on YouTube.

 
Dr Alexander is a neurosurgeon BTW.

Jim
 
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Well, Dr Alexander’s experience was real and scientists are now becoming more convinced that the brain does not create consciousness because of Alexander’s experience and the million others who also had NDE’s

But, you’re not open to listening to him, so there’s no point in arguing further.

Jim.
 
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So if a person believes something you don’t, you just write them off as being gullible ?

Jim
 
JimR-OCDS said:
So if a person believes something you don’t, you just write them off as being gullible ?
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Not at all. You are presuming (falsely) that I haven’t considered the stories of those with “near death” experiences. I have. I just never saw even a single thing in them that could not be adequately accounted for by natural causes.

And like I said above, I’m not convinced that they accord with Church teaching.
 
You used the word “gullible” not me.

You also stated you’re not interested in listening to Dr Eben Alexander’s video

So I question your claim to be a pathologists. Scientists are generally open to learning facts, even when those facts contradict their current beliefs.

Jim
 
JimR-OCDS said:
Scientists are generally open to learning facts, even when those facts contradict their current beliefs.
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So you believe that scientists should take “alien abduction” stories seriously, too? Why, or why not?

Sorry, you are again mixing up “open” with “gullible”.
 
The question of the afterlife is a theological and philosophical question, not a scientific one.
 
My question would be, why should we believe that the brain is merely a computer? Hawking asserts that it is, but that doesn’t mean he’s right. There are arguments for a computational theory of the mind, and also what I think are strong arguments against it. You don’t have to believe that it’s true just because Hawking believes it.
 
That depends on what is presented concerning alien abduction. If you don’t at least listen, you’ll remain ignorant to what possibly might have actually happened.

This isn’t being gullible, but open minded verses closed minded.

Anyway, putting Dr Eben Alexander’s testimony in the same camp as alien abductions with the claim you made that you’re not interested in hearing him, shows a close mindedness on your part.

That’s anti-science.

Jim
 
Techno2000 said:
they can’t all be bogus.
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It’s not a matter of “bogus”, which I take to mean fabricated. It’s a matter of them not being credible proof for the existence of an afterlife, any more than “alien abduction” experiences are credible proof for the existence of aliens from outer space.

By the way, many “alien abduction” are not “bogus”, in the sense that they are maliciously fabricated. Some of the “abductees” obviously had some sort of experience, which they believe they are relating as truthfully and accurately as possible. Still doesn’t provide any credible proof for space aliens, though.
 
But the study of NDE’s shows the commonality of the experiences.

Dr Eben Alexander’s story isn’t an NDE BTW. He states clearly that he did not die.

Jim
 
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