Reincarnation - HYPOTHETICAL

[Yianni]

Just got this idea from looking at the Heaven vs. Hell thread...

My hypothetical is this:

If tomorrow, someone discovered conclusive proof that we get reincarnated after we die. Therefore, death is not the end and we get other chances at life and everything that goes along with it.

My question is, how would this impact on people's lives. Once people knew this, what things would they do that they don't do now?

Conversely, what things would they stop doing that they do a lot of now?

How would this affect:
MARRIAGE?
HAVING CHILDREN?
SCHOOLING?
RELIGION?

I'd be interested to hear people's ideas...

 

[noogie_da_sheep]

and my question is...what happens if one person is reincarnated as another person...while someone else ends up a dog or a moose?...what happens then?


...or what if everyone is reincarnated into damn dirty apes...the Planet Of The Apes comes true...noooooo

 

[Yianni]

Originally posted by noogie_da_sheep
and my question is...what happens if one person is reincarnated as another person...while someone else ends up a dog or a moose?...what happens then?


...or what if everyone is reincarnated into damn dirty apes...the Planet Of The Apes comes true...noooooo

It's just a hypothetical. The question works equally well if you say that we get proof that we go to heaven and hell, however that introduces questions of morality into it, which I didn't want to do.

 

[Clackers69]

Wouldn't make any difference unless you have knowledge of your previous life (of lives). If every thing you did was for the "first time" as far as your memory was concerned, you would continue to live each life as fate deals it to you and make the choices that seem to be correct at the time.

But if you grew up again living life with knowledge of previous lives you might try a few different ways, e.g. a life as a single, a life married, a life of crime, a life of drug abuse or any other different scenario.

 

[Yianni]

Originally posted by Clackers69
Wouldn't make any difference unless you have knowledge of your previous life (of lives). If every thing you did was for the "first time" as far as your memory was concerned, you would continue to live each life as fate deals it to you and make the choices that seem to be correct at the time.

But if you grew up again living life with knowledge of previous lives you might try a few different ways, e.g. a life as a single, a life married, a life of crime, a life of drug abuse or any other different scenario.

But do you think that people would take a lot more risks, in the knowledge that if they happen to die that they still get another chance?

 

[Clackers69]

I guess some would. I suppose that my previous post was pretty much how I look at things. I couldn't see my life changing much, because even though I'd get a second chance, I have no knowledge that I have been here before, so I want this one to last as long as I can. I may return, but I'll start again not knowing anything of my previous lives.

 

[Yianni]

Originally posted by Clackers69
I guess some would. I suppose that my previous post was pretty much how I look at things. I couldn't see my life changing much, because even though I'd get a second chance, I have no knowledge that I have been here before, so I want this one to last as long as I can. I may return, but I'll start again not knowing anything of my previous lives.

Yes, but you'll at least know that you WILL have other lives, and that you most likely have had previous ones. I guess it either works one of two ways:

(1) You either become a big risk taker, reasoning that you get infinite lives anyway (Game over, please reincarnate to continue); or
(2) You don't do much at all, reasoning that you have all the time in the world

 

[dreampolice]

Good thread Yianni, i suppose if there is definite proof of reincarnation it would lessen the fear of death, but then there would always be that train of thought that depending on your actions in this lifetime you may come back as a better/worse being.

By the way i know some hypnosis has revealed some suggestions of re incarnation so it may not be so much of a 'what if' sort of question.

 

[TheBloods]

Originally posted by Yianni
Yes, but you'll at least know that you WILL have other lives, and that you most likely have had previous ones. I guess it either works one of two ways:

(1) You either become a big risk taker, reasoning that you get infinite lives anyway (Game over, please reincarnate to continue); or
(2) You don't do much at all, reasoning that you have all the time in the world

Depends on the basis of the next reincarnation. Eastern religions use it as a sort of reward for the current life. So if you frivolously waste your life then your next one is probably going to be a shocker.

I'd like to come back as a cat... ah the good life... food, sleep, drink, sex, hunt, massage and sleep some more...

 

[Mooster7]

I agree with Clackers. What the hell difference does it make if you have no memory?

I don't believe in reincarnation


I don't believe in reincarnation


I don't believe in reincarnation


Rigatoni parmesan sounds really good for supper, doesn't it?

 

[Portia]

Personally, I don't see a reason to act differently at all if everything I know as me (my sentience) is completely unlinked between existences.

Broadly though, you'd probably see the suicide rate go up though, as `getting a headstart on the next life' would lose a lot of the negative stigma currently attached.

 

[Yianni]

Originally posted by Porthos
Personally, I don't see a reason to act differently at all if everything I know as me (my sentience) is completely unlinked between existences.

Broadly though, you'd probably see the suicide rate go up though, as `getting a headstart on the next life' would lose a lot of the negative stigma currently attached.

I think we have to assume some sort of linkage between sentiences, as otherwise, what they hell do we mean by reincarnation anyway?!?

If there is no link, then all reincarnation is, is saying "You will live, then you will die, then someone else will live"

No, we have to continue in this thread on the assumption that there are links and that you are aware of such links.

 

[Portia]

Originally posted by Yianni
I think we have to assume some sort of linkage between sentiences, as otherwise, what they hell do we mean by reincarnation anyway?!?

Souls, apparently.

If there is no link, then all reincarnation is, is saying "You will live, then you will die, then someone else will live"

Pretty much. Its a similar principle to organ donation or having your decaying eyeballs eaten by worms.

No, we have to continue in this thread on the assumption that there are links and that you are aware of such links.

Are we assuming that we are only starting to reincarnate now, or do we suddenly have memories of what it was like to be us in our previous lives?

 

[CowboyFromHell]

I believe in it. I was Elvis in my previous life.

 

[Yianni]

Originally posted by Porthos
Souls, apparently.

Pretty much. Its a similar principle to organ donation or having your decaying eyeballs eaten by worms.

Are we assuming that we are only starting to reincarnate now, or do we suddenly have memories of what it was like to be us in our previous lives?

Hmmm...let's see.

If we only start to reincarnate now, then presumably this leads to a hedonistic life of pleasure as we all say "We can do whatever we want!" and have no past to learn from.

If wea ssume that we suddenly have memories of previous lives, it raises different questions such as:
(1) Do our previous memories give us an indication of a greater "purpose" that we are all here for? Or do they indicate that the meaning of life is to have as much fun as possible? Or something else?
(2) Are there people who we journey through subsequent lives with (Soulmates?)
(3) Where does it all end?

Hmmm...I don't wish to limit it. Let's just discuss what comes up. It is a hypothetical after all!

 

[Portia]

Can you have been the same person in a previous life as someone else has?

 

[Yianni]

Originally posted by Porthos
Can you have been the same person in a previous life as someone else has?

Hmmm...not as I understand reincarnation in the traditional sense. However we might be trying to fit reincarnation into an antiquated mold that it doesn't fit into.

Perhaps at this point, we have to establish whether or not we believe that people are actually individuals or part of some greater thing.

If we are assuming that there is some sort of reincarnation, surely this implies some collective consciousness, rather than the "you live, you die" one person, one consciousness idea that dominates at the moment.

So it's not as easy as it might seem.

What do you think Porthos?

 

[Portia]

I think that it would suck to be part of a collective consciousness. I'd be associating with a bunch of people that **** me off. Ugh.

 

[Yianni]

Originally posted by Porthos
I think that it would suck to be part of a collective consciousness. I'd be associating with a bunch of people that **** me off. Ugh.

Ah, but there wouldn't be a "you"

So if you hated anyone, it would be yourself and also - by definition - everyone.

Does that make sense?

 

[Portia]

Originally posted by Yianni
Ah, but there wouldn't be a "you"

So if you hated anyone, it would be yourself and also - by definition - everyone.

Does that make sense?

I see where you're going with it, but I don't like it. Its definitely an incentive to make this life as long as possible.

 

[Jars458]

Why would I change perfection?

 

[Stevo]

Don't think it's at all plausible, and thus, rather moot.

Genes determine 80% of our personality, and our cognitive processes necessarily require a brain. That's not to say that consciousness isn't something over and above biochemical processes, merely that no brain, no thought.

There's also the issue of personal identity. It's generally taken in contemporary metaphysics that psychological continuity is the primary criteria for determining identity. So in order for your reincarnation to be regarded as the same person as you, they would need to have the same (or very similar) personality and memories.

So unless you are reincarnated into a human with very similar genes, very similar personality and memory, then you won't know that it is you.

What really needs to be answered is: What is it to be reincarnated? How would it be possible to be reincarnated?

 

[Yianni]

Originally posted by Stevo
Don't think it's at all plausible, and thus, rather moot.

Genes determine 80% of our personality, and our cognitive processes necessarily require a brain. That's not to say that consciousness isn't something over and above biochemical processes, merely that no brain, no thought.

There's also the issue of personal identity. It's generally taken in contemporary metaphysics that psychological continuity is the primary criteria for determining identity.

Hmmm...you've made some big statements here.

80% of our personality determined by genetics. I don't know that it's that clear cut.

Also, use of the phrase "it's generally taken in contamporary metaphysics" presupposes that the area is quite mature and well understood, which it isn't.

Too much that isn't understood in this area for anyone to be "sure" of anything I think.

 

[Stevo]

Originally posted by Yianni
Hmmm...you've made some big statements here.

80% of our personality determined by genetics. I don't know that it's that clear cut.

Also, use of the phrase "it's generally taken in contamporary metaphysics" presupposes that the area is quite mature and well understood, which it isn't.

Too much that isn't understood in this area for anyone to be "sure" of anything I think.

Of course it's not completely clear cut that 80% of our personality is determined by our genes. But it is definitely a vast majority. The number 80% I took from New Scientist magazine, it's not something I pulled out of thin air.

A lot of the developments in neuroscience regarding personal identity have been fairly recent, and so the philosophical speculation isn't up to speed at the moment. But it is true that it is generally taken among contemporary metaphysicians - among them Lewis and Parfit - that psychological continuity is the primary criteria for determining personal identity

 

[Bomber Spirit]

I don't believe in reincarnation.
But if reincarnation was real, assuming that people rate higher than animals, the fact that so many animals are becoming endangered while the human population continues to spiral up indicates the world is gradually becoming a better place.