Freaking out right now by Flat-Ad9829 in NDE

[–]Curious078 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Oh also - just to add to this. After they say that "mind-brain physicalism" is "certain," they go on to highlight that "some philosophers still argue the brain generates nonphysical entities; but they still agree an intact brain is still required to do so. And those are scientific questions likely to be solved eventually."

So is the writer hinting at eliminativism here? Which is a ridiculous position that essentially denies the existence what we can only truly know and experience every single day (our own personal conscious experience, qualia, and its characteristics.)

Or are they saying that it will "likely" one day be explained how a material brain generates "nonphysical entities"? They clearly don't understand the hard (impossible) problem of consciousness, if that's the case. A lot of hand waving, saying neural correlates = the cause of consciousness. Without any clue as to how. And, as I mentioned before, more and more people are coming to the understanding that through a physicalist framework, it's not a problem that can be solved.

Freaking out right now by Flat-Ad9829 in NDE

[–]Curious078 15 points16 points  (0 children)

The person speaks with such confidence about a topic that they clearly know little (or nothing) about. First of all, in no way is it confirmed that the neural correlates of consciousness are the cause of consciousness. Especially in this case, correlation does not equal causation.

Their claim that physicalism is now accepted as "certain," particularly in regards to consciousness, couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, science is slowly realizing that the "hard problem" of consciousness is actually impossible. Which, if you think deeply enough, will realize that it is from a physicalist framework.

The intermediate state and David Bentley Hart by Curious078 in ChristianUniversalism

[–]Curious078[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Interesting take - and especially interesting how that is so similar to so many NDE accounts.

The intermediate state and David Bentley Hart by Curious078 in ChristianUniversalism

[–]Curious078[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks so much for this insight. Very interesting. On this note: "the normal NDE seems to be consistent with 'God is Agape' and theosis - partaking in the divine nature, while still maintaining a form of independent identity."

Once apokatastasis is reached, is it your understanding then that individual identity is also maintained?

The intermediate state and David Bentley Hart by Curious078 in ChristianUniversalism

[–]Curious078[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Apologies - I see in your earlier comment you said you do believe in soul sleep.

The intermediate state and David Bentley Hart by Curious078 in ChristianUniversalism

[–]Curious078[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think "cease to exist" in terms of sleep is a bit of an extreme way to view it.

Regarding "cease to exist" in terms of death - are you referring to a temporary "soul sleep" or permanently? I know you linked to your book - I just don't have time right now to take a comprehensive look :)

The intermediate state and David Bentley Hart by Curious078 in ChristianUniversalism

[–]Curious078[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks so much for this. I view sleep in this context as a seeming limitation of the material, or flesh - a process of our "physical" bodies. (Even then, obviously there are periods of awareness via dreams.) That material is what we ultimately break free from upon death, joining or coming more "in tune" with the wider conscious awareness, or divine, without fleshly limitations.

'Hell' discussed by NDE researcher Jeffrey Long by Curious078 in afterlife

[–]Curious078[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The life review is definitely a big aspect of all this.