Up@dawn 2.0

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

This I believe: The many paths to immortality (8)




This I believe: The many paths to immortality (8)

My final report will be installments for the "this I believe" series. I will attempt to describe my belief system and my interpretations of the many paths to immortality. I truly believe that there is not only one path in the sense of establishing a singular faith but many as in ways to leave a permanent mark on humanity. I will admit that my aspirations are meager. I have been through many tribulations and do not expect much praise for having merely survived. It is my belief that having any remains of my existence survive is to become immortal. I have seen that there are several paths to immortality, though I am in no position to judge any specific path, I do believe that each of these have their own validity and offer me solace.
I’m not an excellent writer, so I hope to complete my final assignment as a series of edited and expanded installments. I am a Buddhist and believe that my mind has the capacity for growth with each passing moment. Sometimes I make mistakes, I try learn from those and try to become better. It would serve me well to be humble and admit my stubbornness now. I do not always learn quickly. 

The paths to immortality:

Heaven/Unity with God/Nature/Collective energy:
No matter if one chooses to believe in any of these possible concepts of a higher power, each of these offer a powerful promise of life everlasting. A hope of unity with an omnipresent power is interesting to me. What would happen once united? Perhaps it is like Obi Wan Kenobi, the Jedi Master who lingers in the Force and can still communicate with life. Perhaps instead it is like sitting next to God and watching the rest of humanity pass us by. Maybe we would meet all of our ancestors, I wonder what 20x-Great-Grandma would have to say about out modern lifestyles and choices.
Maybe as we combine with Heaven/Unity with God/Nature/Collective energy (let’s call it God for short), we will be still roaming the earth like ghosts unable to interact but ever participating. Or like in “What Dreams May Come” where heaven is just your version of paradise, what if heaven was an ever pliable dimension subject to one’s whims and fantasies? Forty virgins? Surely eternal paradise is better than sex (I’m sure many of us have had bad/boring experiences. If not yet, you will); or perhaps it is eternally playing through memories, thoughts and experiences over and over again just as in Groundhog Day.

Reincarnation:
This is most likely in my mind, many people see that this would not seem possible since there are a limited number of beings on this planet. There are only ## crickets, ## humans, ## fish, ## trees. There are more people and less other creatures than ever. Although the most plentiful organism on the planet is a nematode… that causes pause in my mind. And what about bacteria, they are a life-form correct?
The Buddha says "If you want to know the past, look at your present life. If you want to know the future, look at your present."
If you lead a mean murderous life, you may come back as a nightcrawler only to end up stretched out on someone’s hook dangling to death. If you are kind, maybe you’ll return as a dog belonging to the president of the United States (I imagine that would be pretty enjoyable). Perhaps one could return as Escherichia Coli O157:H7. 

Metamorphosis into Technology:
This could mean eternal life through bionics, but most likely would mean an uploading of the mind into technology. Imagine replacing each organic body part with a mechanical part until ultimately, the larger portion of you was tech based. Wouldn’t it just make sense to go ahead and upload your brain onto a motherboard and install that before your brain was subject to something horrible like cerebellar or encephalic atrophy?  
Cultural Contribution (history books/traditions):
Leaving a lasting impact on the humanity by achieving something extraordinary. Even after death, one’s life could continue to make an impact on the entire world. This has been done by President George Washington, Hitler, The Beatles, Einstein and countless others. Whether contributing to religion, art, science or any other aspect of humanity a significant contribution could land one a permanent position in the textbooks, museums and minds of generations to come. 
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more to come....



Link to 1st installment: 

2 comments:

  1. I'm still with Woody Allen on this: I'd love to achieve immortality by not dying... but have no reason to think my wish will be satisfied. On the other hand, there's every reason to think we'll all achieve a final "unity" insofar as our present personal, transient form must inevitably give way to something more permanent - and less personal.

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  2. This is a very well laid out blog post. All of your information is very interesting. This reminds me so much of this Ted Talk that you should check out.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PB7xs7UpIfY

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