Conscious Immortality

Abstract

Rationalist philosophy and modern science define as “real” only what can be physically experienced (things we can see, touch, taste, hear, or feel). But for countless centuries human beings existed first with an unconscious sense of belonging to a cosmos that changed in detail but not in its essential nature, and later, through universally accepted religious tenets, held an intuitive belief in the survival of each individual’s vital spirit after death. While not entirely definitive, sufficiently robust evidence now exists to suggest that human consciousness does not end with the death of the physical body. Recognition and widespread acceptance of such evidence could usher in an age of conscious immortality that would fundamentally alter human beings’ relations to one another and to nature, restoring to individuals the assurance needed to experience joy in living and in contributing to the well-being of others and the environment.