[SEQ RERUN] Third Alternatives for Afterlife-ism

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Today's post, Third Alternatives for Afterlife-ism was originally published on May 8, 2007. A summary (from the LW wiki):

One source of hope against death is Afterlife-ism. Some say that this justifies it as a Noble Lie. But there are better (because more plausible) Third Alternatives, including nanotech, actuarial escape velocity, cryonics, and the Singularity. If supplying hope were the real goal of the Noble Lie, advocates would prefer these alternatives. But the real goal is to excuse a fixed belief from criticism, not to supply hope.

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Today's post, Third Alternatives for Afterlife-ism was originally published on May 8, 2007. A summary (from the LW wiki):

One source of hope against death is Afterlife-ism. Some say that this justifies it as a Noble Lie. But there are better (because more plausible) Third Alternatives, including nanotech, actuarial escape velocity, cryonics, and the Singularity. If supplying hope were the real goal of the Noble Lie, advocates would prefer these alternatives. But the real goal is to excuse a fixed belief from criticism, not to supply hope.

What should we tell children who ask about death?

Here's how I think I would have liked to have it explained to me when I was little, instead of hearing about heaven and hell and souls meeting Jesus. Note that this is a non-transhumanist explanation and doesn't deal with the possibility of physical immortality, because I don't think my mother was aware of that idea; but she certainly knew basic biology and could have given this explanation, if she hadn't been motivated otherwise by religious faith:

"People are made of the same stuff as plants and bugs and slugs and mice. We live a lot longer than bugs... (read more)

11gjm15y

I've been giving honest answers to my nearly-5-year-old and nothing too awful seems to have happened so far. She's quite interested in death -- though so far she's shown no interest in the idea of an afterlife -- and nothing I've said to her on the subject has caused obvious trauma.

4Nisan15y

How about we answer their questions truthfully and in a respectful manner? It's pretty clear to me that "what should we tell the children?" is always one of those questions where the obvious answer is the correct one.

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[SEQ RERUN] Third Alternatives for Afterlife-ism

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[SEQ RERUN] Third Alternatives for Afterlife-ism

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