[ExI] The Soul

[Jason Resch]

On Tuesday, August 25, 2020, BillK via extropy-chat <
extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> wrote:

> On Tue, 25 Aug 2020 at 07:53, Jason Resch via extropy-chat
> <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> wrote:
> >
> > I've written up my ideas much more clearly here, if you are interested:
> > https://alwaysasking.com/is-there-life-after-death/
> >
> > Jason
> > _______________________________________________
>
> There's a lot of information in that article!
> But that doesn't mean it solves the problem of life after death.  :)


Thank you, I hope you find it at least interesting.


>
> Reviewing ten theories of life after death gives the reader a lot of
> content to deal with and reminds me of the Gish Gallop debating
> technique. (Not intended to criticize the strength of your arguments).



I've heard it called the "laundry list" form of argumentation, to give a
bunch of weak reasons and hope they add up to a strong one. I agree that's
not particularly persuasive.


>
> Gish Gallop Definition:
> The Gish gallop is a technique used during live debates that focuses
> on overwhelming an opponent with as many arguments as possible,
> without regard for accuracy or strength of the arguments. In debate
> each point raised by the "Gish galloper" takes considerably more time
> to refute or fact-check than it did to state in the first place.
> -----------
> In this case it means that to argue against your article may require
> ten articles of similar length arguing against each theory in detail.
> I don't think I'm up to making that effort!  :)


Want to pick one then to discuss?


>
> More generally, any argument that introduces infinities, whether of
> time, space or universes, runs into the problem that it results in
> claiming 'Well, in effect anything is possible'. That may be true, but
> it is not really a constructive argument.


I think an infinite reality is almost unavoidable. It's a prediction of so
many independent areas in science. I agree it makes predicting certain
things trivial.



>
> It reminds me of Zeno's Dichotomy paradox.
> That which is in locomotion must arrive at the half-way stage before
> it arrives at the goal.
> — as recounted by Aristotle, Physics VI:9, 239b10
>
> Suppose Atalanta wishes to walk to the end of a path. Before she can
> get there, she must get halfway there. Before she can get halfway
> there, she must get a quarter of the way there. Before traveling a
> quarter, she must travel one-eighth; before an eighth, one-sixteenth;
> and so on.
> This description requires one to complete an infinite number of tasks,
> which Zeno maintains is an impossibility.
>
> Modern mathematics now has the concept of a convergent series, where
> the sum of the terms of an infinite sequence of numbers converges or
> tends to a limit.
>
> So our life may have infinite possibilities but it still tends to the
> limit of death. Though if life extension becomes feasible it could be
> a much longer life than at present.


Life extension, transcension, simulation are all part of the story in my
view. I don't think we should avoid those paths, I only want to add that
there are also other possibilities for surviving death which can mean hope
is not lost for those who don't survive to reach a longevity escape
velocity or technological singularity.

Best,


Jason


>
>
>
>
> BillK
>
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