Is there life after death?
Is death the final frontier? We ask scientists, philosophers, and spiritual leaders about life after death.
18 December, 2020
- Death is inevitable for all known living things. However on the question of what, if anything, comes after life, the most honest answer is that no one knows.
- So far, there is no scientific evidence to prove or disprove what happens after we die. In this video, astronomer Michelle Thaller, neuroscientist and philosopher Sam Harris, science educator Bill Nye, and others consider what an afterlife would look like, what the biblical concepts of 'eternal life' and 'hell' really mean, why so many people around the world choose to believe that death is not the end, and whether or not that belief is ultimately detrimental or beneficial to one's life.
- Life after death is also not relegated to discussions of religion. "Digital and genetic immortality are within reach," says theoretical physicist Michio Kaku. Kaku shares how, in the future, we may be able to physically talk to the dead thanks to hologram technology and the digitization of our online lives, memories, and connectome.
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Study: Viewing religion, science as incompatible is uniquely American
In some countries, religiosity and pro-science attitudes are actually positively correlated, according to the results of a recent study.
01 September, 2020
(Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
- Americans have longed seemed to view science and religion as competing forces.
- A new study examined views on science and religion among roughly 70,000 people across 60 countries.
- The results showed that while many countries show a negative correlation between religiosity and science views, the correlation is far more consistent in the U.S.
<p>Americans tend to view religion and science as competing forces, both logically and psychologically. This outlook isn't quite new.</p><p>Since the 19th century, American intellectuals have been discussing the seemingly incompatible nature of religion and science. One byproduct was the "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conflict_thesis#:~:text=In%20Science%20%26%20Religion%2C%20Gary%20Ferngren,underwent%20a%20more%20systematic%20reevaluation." target="_blank">conflict thesis.</a>" It argues that inherent differences between the two inevitably lead to hostility in society. Today, historians generally take a more complex view of science and religion, but it seems many Americans still believe the two are largely at odds.</p><p>Now, a new study published in <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1948550620923239" target="_blank">Social Psychological and Personality Science</a> suggests this phenomenon may be unique to the United States. The researchers examined data from 11 studies that surveyed roughly 70,000 people across about 60 countries.</p>
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzYwMjA5MS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY3MDA1NjkyM30._Dw3Il4GWYgp54Os7wUkszg4FA2hoGu4HjDbOqHeKGg/img.jpg?width=980" id="dda70" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="13d161f6db8a2012ae043b240d057f77" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="stained glass window" data-width="1920" data-height="1119" />
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<p>The results showed that, for Americans, religiosity is consistently associated with negative views toward science. To find those associations, the researchers analyzed the results of nine studies that measured the religious-scientific views of 2,160 Americans. These studies measured things like interest in science-related activities, selection of science-related topics, general attitudes toward science and implicit attitudes toward science.</p><p>Americans who scored high in religiosity were much more likely to hold explicitly and implicitly negative views toward science. But that's not quite the same as being anti-science.</p><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzYwMjA5NC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1ODgxNDY2N30.2a-WFl7fORxWVo0PczpMvDk5gh58ZU9OBn5vK5Qn9wQ/img.jpg?width=980" id="db1d8" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ae7a3f26bfbef79571e5d7d7c6b85b5c" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="ornate glass ceiling" data-width="1920" data-height="1280" />
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<p style="margin-left: 20px;">"It's important to understand that these results don't show that religious people hate or dislike science," study author Jonathan McPhetres told <a href="https://www.psypost.org/2020/08/study-suggests-religious-belief-does-not-conflict-with-interest-in-science-except-among-americans-57855" target="_blank">PsyPost</a>. "Instead, they are simply less interested when compared to a person who is less religious."</p><p>To find out whether this negative correlation exists elsewhere, the researchers examined data from the World Values Survey (WEVs) that was collected from 66,438 people in 60 countries. The results showed that while most countries did show a negative correlation between religiosity and science views, those correlations were smaller and less consistent than in the U.S. What's more, further analysis of five understudied countries revealed that religiosity is positively associated with science attitudes in parts of the world.</p><p>One phenomenon that was consistent across the world, however, was moral prejudice against atheists.</p>Improving science communication
<p>Why do Americans seem especially uninterested in science? The study didn't seek to answer that question, exactly. But the researchers did note that future research could explore why Americans show higher rates of biblical literalism and strong overlap between religious fundamentalism and politically conservative values. </p><p>But the key finding is that the belief that science and religion are inherently in conflict does not generalize around the world. This suggests scientists and science communicators are able to change attitudes.<br></p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"There are many barriers to science that need not exist," McPhetres told PsyPost. "If we are to make our world a better place, we need to understand why some people may reject science and scientists so that we can overcome that skepticism. Everyone can contribute to this goal by talking about science and sharing cool scientific discoveries and information with people every chance you get."</p>
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Penn Jillette: The year that shattered America's illusions
The year 2020 will go down in history as one that shook our inner and outer worlds.
09 July, 2020
In this Big Think Live session, magician, author, and cultural critic Penn Jillette will discuss the giant upheavals of 2020 through the lens of what he knows best: illusions.
<p>Which social, personal, and governmental illusions have been shattered this year, and how (and what) should we rebuild? Jillette, one half the world's most famous magic duo with Teller, will also give tips on how to foster long-term business partnerships and sustain creativity, and how he maintains a clear, rational mind in the noisiest era to date.
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Moderated by Victoria Montgomery-Brown, co-founder and CEO of Big Think.</p><p><strong>STREAMING LINKS:</strong></p><p><a href="https://edge.bigthink.com/live_streams/99">
Big Think Edge</a> | <a href="https://youtu.be/kXtD3zTxjO4">YouTube</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BigThinkdotcom/posts/10157492362503527">Facebook</a>
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Photo by Anusha Barwa on Unsplash
- A 2019 study in Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion found that religious believers are more likely to own dogs than cats.
- Researchers found that hardcore evangelicals are less likely to own pets than more the progressive religious.
- Pet ownership also skews political: Democrats prefer cats while Republicans choose dogs.
<p>Bastet was the daughter of the sun. The ancient Egyptian goddess was originally a fierce lioness warrior—a strong woman with the head of a big cat. Over time, her image morphed into a recognizable house cat until, as domestication commenced, her role disappeared altogether. I suppose it's difficult treating the furry purring machine rubbing up against your leg as an all-powerful solar goddess.</p><p>Strangely, there aren't a ton of feline deities. Bastet is by far the most famous. There's Dawon, the tigress that carries the fierce goddess, Durga, into combat; Bali's panther god, Barong Ket; Ovinnik, the black cat that chases away evil ghosts on Polish farms; and China's Li Shou, also revered by farmers for decimating mice and rats. Given their ubiquity in our world, you'd think cats would have a more religious presence. </p><p>Perhaps we can point to believers' lack of appreciation for cats. That's the topic of a <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jssr.12637" target="_blank">2019 study</a>, published in the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion. University of Oklahoma associate professor, Samuel Perry, and Eastern Illinois University assistant professor, Ryan Burge, wanted to gauge pet ownership among church goers. The religious prefer dogs by a wide margin: 74.9 percent to 40.3 percent. </p><p>Americans love dogs. With over 70 million claimed, we own 2.5 times as many canines as the runner-up, China. We also love spending money on pets: over $72 billion in 2018. That's more than on all sports combined. </p><p>Previous research points out religious tradition and biblical literalism don't necessarily predict pet ownership, though the team did discover that evangelicals are less likely to own a pet than progressive faiths. That's also true for people that attend church most often. </p>
Jackson Galaxy's Top Tips For Cat Owners | My Cat From Hell
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="bfc883e7258e80ec94eb01e1ccae29ab"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Rjol1zMVcos?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p>For this study, Perry and Burge used a 2018 survey with 2,348 respondents. Half replied to questions about pet ownership, with mean average of 1.72 pets per household. They broke down statistics on the three largest religious groups: evangelicals, mainline Protestants, and Catholics.</p><p>Biblical significance only affects evangelicals. Since the Bible isn't exactly PETA-friendly, with all the directives about lording over the kingdom, hardcore religious appear less likely to support animal rights and are more likely to tolerate cruelty toward other species.</p><p>On a related note, pet ownership is political: dogs are more likely to live in rural, Republican-leaning regions, while cats dominate urban, Democratic strongholds. </p><p>The most interesting aspect of their study involves speculation about pet owner psychology. Apparently, the most religious households think about what a pet can <em>do</em> instead of adopting them for what they <em>are</em>.</p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"We would expect that Christian conservatism―as indicated by evangelical affiliation and more literalist interpretations of the Bible―would predict the ownership of family pets that have more practical utility such as dogs, but not necessarily cats."</p><p>Cat owners are often considered isolated, neurotic individuals, whereas "dog people" are social and extraverted. Indeed, dog park visits and walking around the neighborhood appear to be motivating factors for owning a dog. Larger families tend to be more religious <em>and</em> own more dogs as well. </p><p>The antisocial aspect of cat owners has recently been downplayed. A few crazy ladies can't ruin the image for the rest of us. Pet ownership is psychologically healthy: Having an animal reduces your anxiety and depression, as well as increases self-esteem among adults and children.</p><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzM4NTQ4Ni9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0Nzc3ODA2N30.ctJDA012TxjQee-4VyA7ysSDvSR4TkhalZvljgDNGqs/img.jpg?width=1245&coordinates=0%2C604%2C0%2C604&height=700" id="49009" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="f463c1cd1f95a46fa5f72f8cfaae84f8" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="dog lying on carpet with paw on top of cat" data-width="1245" data-height="700" />
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<p>After over two decades of living with cats, there are two personal notes I have of this <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/unique-everybody-else/202006/why-religious-people-are-less-likely-own-cats" target="_blank">and related</a> studies. </p><p>While cats are independent animals, they are not antisocial. My wife and I have three cats. Every evening, three cats surround us on the couch; this is an <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B8vDPhyHk6l/" target="_blank">actual photo</a> she snapped while we were watching a movie. Hardly a night passes without all three sleeping on our bed—socially distanced, as cats do. Two hang out in my office daily while I'm writing; the third has claimed a cubby just outside my office door. </p><p>Like other animals, cats respond to how you treat them. If you act as if they're antisocial, they'll respond in kind. If you regularly play with and hold them, especially from an early age, you've got a companion for life. As they are extremely territorial creatures, if you construct a living environment conducive to their needs—lots of places to climb up high and look out windows—they're going to love living in that environment. Adopting one and refusing to meet them on their terms guarantees antisocial behavior. </p><p>The other comment is more speculative. Western religion is based on top-down authority. God gives directives; humans follow. This plays well with the psychology of dogs (which, to be clear, we also love). Dogs understand reward and punishment. If they could read, they'd love the Bible. </p><p>Punishment doesn't work on cats. They're not designed that way. If you scream at a cat while he's urinating on your carpet, he's going to think, "Why is this ape yelling?" not "I shouldn't be doing this." You probably shouldn't own a cat if you can't come to terms with this feature of their psychology.</p><p>Cats understand rewards, which is why <a href="https://www.adventurecats.org/backcountry-basics/how-to-clicker-train-a-cat/" target="_blank">clicker training</a> is so effective. They'll never realize that urination + carpet = bad, but they will get that urination + litter box = treat, especially if you tether the treat to a clicker. (Clicker training also works for dogs, horses, and other animals.) </p><p>If you're trained to believe in a god that doles out punishment to criminals and rewards the faithful, you'll inherently understand dogs. By contrast, domesticated cats are the offspring of nature's fiercest killing machine. They have no need for your punishment or deities, but they will accept your treats. Think of it as tithing. </p><p>--</p><p><em>Stay in touch with Derek on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/derekberes" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DerekBeresdotcom" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://derekberes.substack.com/" target="_blank">Substack</a>. His next book is</em> "<em>Hero's Dose: The Case For Psychedelics in Ritual and Therapy."</em></p>
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Ask an atheist: Does the universe have a purpose?
All that matters is the here and now.
25 April, 2020
- While bestselling author and skeptic Michael Shermer doesn't believe in God or any outside force that cares about us, he also doesn't think that the existence of one would give our lives meaning.
- Shermer argues that it is up to us to create purpose for ourselves in various ways, including through meaningful work, familial and romantic relationships, and a connection and respect for the wonder of nature.
- "It doesn't matter what happens billions of years from now or whether there's a God or not, whether there's an afterlife or not," he says. "It's irrelevant. This is the life that matters."
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