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/sci/ - Science & Math

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2575138 No.2575138 [Reply] [Original]

As the brain decays upon death, it takes a couple minutes until the brain is 'dead.' By some, it is said that the part of the brain that keeps track of time is slowly deteriorated. So basically, it may be possibly that as this is destroyed, the person dying may sink into 'infinity', essentially a Zeno's paradox in that there is an infinite amount of time within any amount of time.

Also, drugs are released in the brain upon death (DXM?), causing hallucinations and the like. This accounts for the many near-death experiences where people claim to see their loved ones or see their life flash before their eyes.

SO...what I am wondering from all of this: Could the 'afterlife' that many religions promote actually exist, but it actually occurs within the mind? As self-reflecting creatures, you have to wonder what happens in our consciousness as we slip towards death. Could meditation, prayer, and good deeds possibly be setting up your perspective and mindset for a pleasant, eternal death?

Heaven?

>> No.2575164

that's trppy

>> No.2575173

>>2575164

It is pretty trippy...thats why I'm posting here to see if this is even a plausible theory.

>> No.2575174

I know a guy who was temporarily dead from a drug overdose and he said his perception of time slowed to zero. So that seems to agree with what you said.

>> No.2575179

>>2575173
Only so many reactions can occur in the brain as it shuts down. You can't pull an infinite afterlife out of that.

>> No.2575194

Hm. Another human has explored this as the explanation for near-death experiences. Woo! :]

I wonder if there has been any studies on dying brain chemistry. I imagine such a study would run into hairy ethical problems, but would probably be highly useful, if not just fucking cool, to know.

>> No.2575207

>>2575179

I think you may be missing the point of what he said...its more of a question of the 'time-counting' part of the brain, not a magical occurence giving the brain time to continue on as normal. It'd be like profoundly experiencing raw emotion at a much 'slower' rate, but the thing would be that time didn't exist. Infinite.

>> No.2575216
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2575216

>>2575138
not op, but..
more importantly, if this is true, then what purpose might it serve as an evolutionary mechanic? if it is a result of evolution at all, then why did humans, or other comparable species, develop an "afterlife" state?

>> No.2575221

>>2575194

OP here-- There has actually.(my idea wasn't really original, I kind of pulled a lot of different stuff together.) I recently watched a pretty recent National Geographic documentary on the issue. This, coupled with research on DXM, pretty much led me to this. But I think many people have considered it.

>> No.2575231

>>2575216

I don't think it has any evolutionary value. I think it is merely the result of how our conscious brain shuts down. (Basically- it doesn't really 'do' anything, and its not necessarily a classical after-life because it takes place in your own brain. However, you would be able to "communicate" to others via your memories and projections of them.

>> No.2575236

I think that, when the brain realizes it's about to die, it puts you in a dream state of happiness until it dies which, because of perception, will seem like many many years. If I die, I hope it's not by headshot.

>> No.2575326

>>2575236

Many years...or even infinity. And yeah I don't know what would happen if your brain got chopped up lol

>> No.2575346
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2575346

THIS THREAD

>> No.2575371

>>2575346
>>2575346
>>2575346
>>2575346
>>2575346
>>2575346

>> No.2575389

There are no physical infinities.

>> No.2575400

>>2575389

PERCEPTIVE infinity, ass burger. Time.

>> No.2575405

>>2575216

Try not to think of evolution as having a direction, or purpose. Evolution (I'm simplifying it here) is a trial-and-error process by which favourable outcomes are proliferated and unfavourable outcomes are destroyed. There is no reason at all for any specific thing being evolved.

This is interesting, OP. I think it may just be grasping at straws, because cessation of consciousness and existence is quite hard to imagine.
The near-death experience thing is quite possibly correct, though.

>> No.2575409

>>2575138
Your neurons work at a fairly slow rate. I don't think it would be possible. Some small time extension could be possible, but doubtful to the degree you're imagining.

>> No.2575410

I...I....

>> No.2575415

>>2575400
Perception is based on physical phenomena.

Unless you want to get into mind-body dualism (i.e. consciousness is not a physical phenomena), perception can't "slow to infinity". Eventually all of the components of your brain will decay into products that do not resemble neurons at all. There would be no mechanism through which you could still "perceive".

>> No.2575424

>>2575415

Yes. As it was stated, it takes the brain about ten minutes with no oxygen to die. It clusterfucks.

However, neurologists have noted a hyperactivity in this last stage of the brain. And time being relative, the event may last a shitload longer on the inside than looking from the outside.

Zeno's Paradox...shoot an arrow at a target, and it will hit it. But it will first have to pass half the distance there...and half that...and so forth.

>> No.2575436

>>2575326
>If I die

>> No.2575440

>the part of the brain that keeps track of time
lolwut. If you are referring to the pacemaker model you have two things working against you 1) decreased arousal 2)decreased attention. these are the opposite of what you need to perceive time as slower. Think of how slow falling feels as opposed to sitting on your ass doing math. So as you die, things will feel like they are moving faster, not slower or "infinite".

>> No.2575459

>>2575424
Zeno's paradox is worthless, because the brain is a discrete set of neurons that each require a finite (not infinitesimal) amount of time to fire.

Besides, Zeno's paradox is BS. Anyone who knows limits and calculus is unconcerned.

>> No.2575469

>>2575459

Calculus...making a really educated guess by infinitely approaching the 'real' answer. (Yet never reaching it.)

wat sir?

>> No.2575495

>>2575469
>Calculus...making a really educated guess by infinitely approaching the 'real' answer. (Yet never reaching it.)
You have demonstrated how entirely you do not understand limits.

When I tell you that the area under the function x^2 from 0 to 1 is 1/3, you think I'm fucking "guessing"? That it's some kind of approximation? It is the EXACT right answer.
http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=integrate+x^2+from+0+to+1

>> No.2575520

>>2575138
I thnk you mean DMT not DXM
Try smoking DMT i gather its what death feels like..in a way. I have read that when you are born and when you die, your brain releases a massive dose of DMT..
>>2575459
Im not sure what thsi zenos paradox is, but what you describe is how many people describe their stated of hallucination with LSD and Psylocibin.

>> No.2575524

>>2575495

lol k sorry. You're right I am not really sure.

I'm putting some trust in the neurosurgeons and people like OP.

You can keep doing your Calculus...even though I think you're contradicting yourself. Lets try splitting an object into thirds. "oh but 1/3 is .3333333333333 lolololol real lyfe infinityes are bullshat". Ok then...stop sucking Calculus' dick. It's useful though, granted.

>> No.2575542

>>2575520

OP...yes I think I meant DMT lol. Now that you point it out. I'm not claiming I know all this stuff is for sure...but its interesting to think about. And it sounds plausible to me at least.

>> No.2575544

>>2575138

the perception of time slowing is just that, a perception. you don't get to think in the speed of light while dying.

>> No.2575545

>>2575524

Don't talk, ever again.

>> No.2575552

>>2575544

Yes, but the perception is what I'm talking about here.

>> No.2575557
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2575557

>>2575545

Lol I've been lurking this thread hard and nigga just got trawled

>> No.2575563

>>2575544
I agree with you, its interesting to imaging what it would be like to have no perception of the passing of time...I once inhaled Nitris Oxide whilst on LSD and experienced a moment where i though no more time existsed and that i was the sole point in the universe....ad that stage i was thinking ti myself "oh fuck im never coming back from this am i'

>> No.2575569

>>2575524
How can you be both a stoner AND deny the idea of infinity? Those 3's go on forever. 0.333...

>> No.2575571

>>2575524
the fact that 1/3 = .333... is not a product of physical phenomena, but rather the fact that we use base 10.

In base 3, 3 = 10. So, splitting an object into thirds in base 3 would be 1/10 = .1.

Calculus is not a "guess" or an "approximation". Early minds in calculus may have used the shaky foundation of "infinitesimals", but it has now been rigorously proven.

Your brain may be able to perceive times at different "rates", but there has to be an ultimate limit based on physical laws.

>> No.2575577

So what happens when you blow your brains out with a shotgun?

>> No.2575584

>>2575577

no afterlife lols

>> No.2575593

>>2575577
You go to hell. All hell is is not experiencing a natural(ish) death.

>> No.2575588

>>2575577
You go to hell.

>> No.2575597

>>2575588
>>2575593
oh my. hivemind.

>> No.2575599

>>2575584
So if we find out that afterlife is caused by this... then a "quick and painless" method is actually the least ethical way to execute/kill someone because it robs them of their afterlife?

>> No.2575604
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2575604

>>2575221
>>2575221
>>2575221


Attention fuck-wit OP, the chemical you are thinking of is actually Dimethyltryptamine more commonly known as DMT - The spirit molecule

Stop saying your brain releases some fucking cough suppressant when you die. DXM is in Robotussin, the shit high school kids drink to dissociate themselves.

Not the beautiful drug that is DMT. Get it the fuck right.

>> No.2575613

>>2575415
But what if as your perception slows because of your brain decay, your neurons are firing slower and slower to the point where they stop. And when they stop, you are frozen in an infinite "frame" of one mental state?

>> No.2575621
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2575621

>>2575604

As the guy who just posted this, let me just say I suggest everyone smoke some DMT at least once in their life, it's very easy to extract and it's a life changing experience. I've tried pretty much every "Common" Drug with the exception of PcP/Meth/Crack and it is nothing like lsd, shrooms, mescaline 2cX substances. It's beautiful. Do it.

>> No.2575640

>>2575604

JESUS FUCKING CHRIST I'M SORRY. I EVEN PUT A MOTHERFUCKING QUESTION MARK BY IT BECAUSE I KNEW I PROBABLY WOULDN'T GET THE LETTER COMBO RIGHT.

Druggies these days.

>> No.2575643

>>2575613
If you think that you continue to perceive anything after all brain activity has stopped, then you're

>implying dualism

>> No.2575647

>>2575138
>eternal death
fuck off troll or theist

>> No.2575654

>>2575643
>>Implying brain activity stops immediately after death e.g. the purpose of this thread

>> No.2575707

>>2575647

I'm actually atheist.

>> No.2575731

>>2575707
Hence the "or troll".