Is it possible to know you existed at all without the ability reminisce/remember or a proper vessel of remembrance ?

[Phi for All]

23 hours ago, Migveg19 said:

Let give one more example, think back to being a baby you can’t remember being a newborn neither can I, to us it feels like it never even happened although it did ofcourse. so the same way it felt like you were never a baby because you have no memory of it.

Don't you think there's a difference between the brains of a newborn and you? What if you have no memory of being a newborn because newborns don't have enough experience to put together a meaningful memory? You have no memory of the time you crawled up the stairs in your house because, at the time, you didn't know what crawling was, or what stairs were, or even what a house was.  Memories require that you know what each part of the memory is.

[Migveg19]

Hello my name is Miguel Vega I want to start this by saying if anyone knows of any literature or further evidence of this theory being asked before please let me know. It's been something I've thought of for a long time, let the record show I also don't fancy myself a Genius or anything of that nature.

 

 I've always wondered that if you were to forget something doesn't it almost seem (objectively of course to the person who's forgot) that the experience didn't happen at all? of course I know that sounds dumb but hear me out. If let's say hypothetically you were to get blackout drunk, and not remember any second of the time you had while intoxicated (which I've heard of happening many times) it's like the events of that time intoxicated didn't happen, of course respectfully only to your own memory and awareness, the experience did indeed happen. Could that mean that someone who were to one day get amnesia or say maybe Alzheimer's, having lived a life they would remember, (at least to the point of the loss of the memory’s and experiences.) would forget it all and  have therefore, never known they ever had existed or at least had the experiences at all. as though to them they were never born .

 

 

 However I understand that many people who get Alzheimer's and an amnesia patient, don't necessarily forget everything they have ever learned, like words and certain memories, and that ofcourse we as bystanders know of them; wether it be through peers, family, history accounts, etc. that they did indeed exist. But if you forget about those outside forces, then to that person they have no memory of living a life therefore never knowing they lived at all. In the case of someone who’s memory was wiped, like someone with amnesia, It would be as though they only started living, after they lost their memory. A good example would be to remember being a baby, after being born, well can you? No neither can I, that doesn’t mean it didn’t happen of course your here arnt you? There’s pictures of you as a baby, or your parents could tell you about it, but for you it’s like that time never actually happened like it never existed.

 

 

  Well ok now to the main reason for this post. Let me ask the same question more existentially now.  If we follow two main ideas of after life (i know there are more than two ideas but for the sake of the argument I will list only these two.) The religious approach, that there is life after death. And the scientific approach that you are no more than a biological creature, that is no more than the sum parts of its flesh and bones, and that you and everything's you are, and will be are only chemical responses to stimuli in our universe, and once that last electrical signal fires off in your brain, your gone.

 

 well if you refer to our examples from earlier , I made a point that if you don’t have the ability to remember that you lived, than it is though you never lived at all (in your own experience) at all. So in my head I would think if there’s no place, like a vessel for your thoughts and memories (like your brain is now,) to exist and, an ability to remember then you can’t have known (remembered) you even had a living experience in the first place. 

 

“you can’t truly forget something with an ability to know it” -Miguel Vega

 

 Ik this quote might be up to interpretation but what I mean by it, is that if you have the ability to remember like a brain or a vessel. Or a outside force like, a smell, sight, sound, or thought that provokes a memory. Or even someone telling you something you forgot ever actually happend, that makes you remember it did. And if you then have a vessel for the memories and experiences to exist in, for you to access them then you can’t truly forget a memory, for to truly forget something is to not even know you forgot something at all. By this I mean you can forget a memory like a set of numbers, but still know your forgot them so not truly forgetting them but this tangent is besides the point.

 

 

 To continue the same way, a person with Alzheimer’s only forgets their life, do to the brain essentially deteriorating and the neural pathways breaking down, the same way that if your brain completely turns off during death, and the neural pathways also deteriorate(die) then the memory’s can’t be without a vessel to be remembered therefore cease to exist correct. well I know personally I for sure, without a doubt i am conscious and know the experience I am living and by that i am living in my experience, and as I said if you are to forget it then it would feel like you never where there in the first place. therefore with everything we’ve talked about I must only assume I would not one day forget my life, or I would just be in the moment after  I  forgot it and if there’s no vessel I would have nothing after either, and just cease to exist for myself. Also I’ve thought that even if someone could swear to you they are like me and know truly their here you couldn’t take their word for it because they could come to one day forget their life as-well, only a vessel destined to forget their existence. So you can only trust yourself technically, prolly couldn’t even trust me although I assure you I am.

 

Saying that, does that mean as long as you are truly conscious and here to experience your existence that you can’t come to a point of losing the vessel that does the remembering, therefore losing those memories and experiences. Or that you will make it to an after life that will make you forget it all anyway? Because if I’m correct about everything in the beginning of this theory after death there would be no vessel for you memories and experiences, a place for you to remember them. Yet like me your aware of your life. After all this, does this mean that the idea that there is something after death an, afterlife perhaps or, a place where our consciousness continues, the vessel not truly gone or a new vessel. And can there be a good reason I’m completely wrong about the subject? 

 

  But on to the religious side of it does that mean there is eternal life after death and that god is real? This is also a idea science rejected, I believe in god (although I am a avid thinker and believer in science) based on things in my life not within the constraints of time (story for another time). Can this theory prove an existence of an after life and or a higher dimensional entity  that created our “souls” and consciousness to outlast the universe itself. 

 

In the topic of religion, and the Bible to be exact 

 

Isaiah 65:17, which states, "For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind”

 

 does this mean we will forget or just not care to remember anymore and I have a quote from a comment under this post that reads 

 

"Even people whose lives have been made various by learning sometimes find it hard to keep a fast hold on their habitual views of life, on their faith in the Invisible - nay, on the sense that their past joys and sorrows are a real experience, when they are suddenly transported to a new land, where the beings around them know nothing of their history, and share none of their ideas - where their mother earth shows another lap, and human life has other forms than those on which their souls have been nourished. Minds that have been unhinged from their old faith and love have perhaps sought this Lethean influence of exile in which the past becomes dreamy because its symbols have all vanished, and the present too is dreamy because it is linked with no memories.”

― George Eliot, Silas Marner

 

And I feel that it adds to this scripture. Also if you think about the entire idea of god and the ability to literally create our entire universe time and all, couldn’t he just make our memories “poof” disappear while still being able to experience them. either way i thinks it’s a good theory that could use some light shed on it, maybe help understand what we as intelligent beings have in this life and therefore after the fact. All together though this must mean we have something after death or we would have no vessel for memories of life.

 

In conclusion I know my writing is probably atrocious I’ve now fixed it to the best of my ability. but I’ve had this thought and other riveting thoughts on my mind for a long time and although I tried to explain it to anyone I know, they always seem lost, (as do I sometimes, don’t get me wrong) About the ideas and make me kinda mad and feel as though they are all to dumb, for lack of a better word, to truly at least process what I’m telling them, and think of it with an open mind, Beyond their prejudices and belief systems. This is why I bring it to all those great minds out there. I just wanna get a good response about it or maybe some literature or other studies done upon the same subject. I close with this quote because I I resonate with it so.

 

 “ I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious“ -Albert Einstein 

[Migveg19]

9 hours ago, dimreepr said:

Yesterday will always affect tomorrow, it both needs you and doesn't give a shit.

I understand you, you think heaven is to come, and so you ignore the heaven you're experiencing now; I'm content with now and I don't really care what you think, unless you can make a lot more sense, and actually support your argument... 🙄

I have rewritten my thesis hopefully you read it and it gives you a better understanding of what I’ve been talking about which again you are utterly confused about. I have said nothing of changing what happens tomorrow only your awareness of it all, maybe I can talk over phone with you and explain it better one on one or over a zoom meeting. but for now I will say thank you for engaging in this conversation appreciate you

8 hours ago, m_m said:

Yes, I agree with you, the experience is different. But sometimes when you wake up in the middle of the night, there's a feeling that it's almost dawn and time to wake up.

What I am talking about is the feeling of presence here. 

Anyway, I don't remember myself when I'm not present with my mind. But other people do remember. So, I think we are memories. But when I am present, and feel this awareness, I have responsibility. And, I think, it's important to leave good memories.

Yea I’m not sure where on the same page and you might be talking about something completely different there but you have opened my mind with your idea that we’re just someone else’s memory. I would love to talk over phone or on a zoom meeting perhaps, where we can understand and my clearly hear each other’s ideas out if not that completely fine just let me know 

8 hours ago, m_m said:

Thank you, my friend. I totally agree with your point of view. 

I think our experience is alive, until other people remember us. 

Thanks so much for your kind words friend. Our experience is as alive as we are I believe, not sure what you mean by that last part can you elaborate please 

[swansont]

!

Moderator Note

Threads merged. One per topic, please

 

[Migveg19]

7 hours ago, Phi for All said:

Don't you think there's a difference between the brains of a newborn and you? What if you have no memory of being a newborn because newborns don't have enough experience to put together a meaningful memory? You have no memory of the time you crawled up the stairs in your house because, at the time, you didn't know what crawling was, or what stairs were, or even what a house was.  Memories require that you know what each part of the memory is.

Good point but your right but it was really just an example to help the reader understand, what it’s like to have a memory feel like it doesn’t exist at all. For the sake of the argument we’ll say you could remember, even when you didn’t know what it was you were remembering. But if you read the post again as I have rewritten it, then it might be a bit of a better read than the first one, and help you to understand my theory all together thanks for the feedback though I really appreciate it .

[dimreepr]

13 hours ago, Migveg19 said:

I have rewritten my thesis hopefully you read it and it gives you a better understanding of what I’ve been talking about which again you are utterly confused about. I have said nothing of changing what happens tomorrow only your awareness of it all, maybe I can talk over phone with you and explain it better one on one or over a zoom meeting. but for now I will say thank you for engaging in this conversation appreciate you

If you're anywhere near Stonehouse (Gloucestershire), pop round and we can share a beer, and I can explain why your thesis lacks the clarity needed to explain anything worthwhile; just saying that I'm confused isn't a supportive argument... 😣

14 hours ago, Migveg19 said:

Hello my name is Miguel Vega I want to start this by saying if anyone knows of any literature or further evidence of this theory being asked before please let me know.

Epiphenomenalism (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)

[dimreepr]

I'd like to indulge your fantasy, but it might have been a dream and that would be confusing...😉

[Phi for All]

12 hours ago, Migveg19 said:

Good point but your right but it was really just an example to help the reader understand, what it’s like to have a memory feel like it doesn’t exist at all. For the sake of the argument we’ll say you could remember, even when you didn’t know what it was you were remembering. But if you read the post again as I have rewritten it, then it might be a bit of a better read than the first one, and help you to understand my theory all together thanks for the feedback though I really appreciate it .

I read all your posts before responding to you. Each of my responses has been specific to a quote of something you said. Thanks for acknowledging that I make a good point.

I still have a problem with your premise, that having memories taken away is the same as never having lived them. How do you account for muscle memory and capabilities? Doesn't that make a difference, that you don't remember studying how to cook but when asked to help with dinner, you handle a knife like a pro? Doesn't that make it NOT the same as if you actually never studied cooking? If your memories of being an olympic gymnast are taken away, you're still a person that could compete at that level and you still have skills that could fairly easily be tapped into. Your new coach would be amazed at how quickly you pick up on everything. 

But if you never lived through gymnastic training or chef school in the first place, you'd have no advantage, and would learn at a normal pace. Does that make sense to you? Do you see why I have a problem with your premise?

[m_m]

17 hours ago, Migveg19 said:

Yea I’m not sure where on the same page and you might be talking about something completely different there but you have opened my mind with your idea that we’re just someone else’s memory. I would love to talk over phone or on a zoom meeting perhaps, where we can understand and my clearly hear each other’s ideas out if not that completely fine just let me know 

We can exchange ideas over email if it is all right for you. I share your idea about after life, because I myself have been thinking about memory for some time. 

 

17 hours ago, Migveg19 said:

Our experience is as alive as we are I believe, not sure what you mean by that last part can you elaborate please 

I mean it's important to remember our loved ones who have passed, because they live in afterlife until we remember them. I heard this thought and shared it. And there is a movie, "Wings of fame", which expands this idea. 

46 minutes ago, Phi for All said:

I read all your posts before responding to you. Each of my responses has been specific to a quote of something you said. Thanks for acknowledging that I make a good point.

I still have a problem with your premise, that having memories taken away is the same as never having lived them. How do you account for muscle memory and capabilities? Doesn't that make a difference, that you don't remember studying how to cook but when asked to help with dinner, you handle a knife like a pro? Doesn't that make it NOT the same as if you actually never studied cooking? If your memories of being an olympic gymnast are taken away, you're still a person that could compete at that level and you still have skills that could fairly easily be tapped into. Your new coach would be amazed at how quickly you pick up on everything. 

But if you never lived through gymnastic training or chef school in the first place, you'd have no advantage, and would learn at a normal pace. Does that make sense to you? Do you see why I have a problem with your premise?

I would give a lot to not forget whether I locked the door or turned off the iron.

Where is my body's memory, when I forget doing this?

[Migveg19]

1 hour ago, Phi for All said:

I read all your posts before responding to you. Each of my responses has been specific to a quote of something you said. Thanks for acknowledging that I make a good point.

I still have a problem with your premise, that having memories taken away is the same as never having lived them. How do you account for muscle memory and capabilities? Doesn't that make a difference, that you don't remember studying how to cook but when asked to help with dinner, you handle a knife like a pro? Doesn't that make it NOT the same as if you actually never studied cooking? If your memories of being an olympic gymnast are taken away, you're still a person that could compete at that level and you still have skills that could fairly easily be tapped into. Your new coach would be amazed at how quickly you pick up on everything. 

But if you never lived through gymnastic training or chef school in the first place, you'd have no advantage, and would learn at a normal pace. Does that make sense to you? Do you see why I have a problem with your premise?

You may have read them all, but I would go read them again. Most of them say time and time again, that I’m not saying that you will have never lived your experiences.  just that you would not remember that you ever knew them key words “knew them”! So pretty much, if you’re dead and no longer have that thing in your head called a brain, to use the memories you have, or even remember anything, then how do you remember, let alone remember you existed. For a memory to work as a memory you must actually be able to access these memories, so with out a vessel to hold them or allow to access them then you can’t use them and if you can’t remember living then how would you know you lived at all even though you did! And for everything you said I believe it to be nonsense, because if you forget something like being a gymnast, then you can’t just do gymnastics, although yes your muscles would be worked to do so (your legs stronger and all that) and your muscles follow a path that they are used to, more than mine do. You would still know nothing of being a gymnast and prolly be trash at it because of the lack of actual skill and knowledge. But anyway please keep asking questions I will not give up on you 

6 hours ago, dimreepr said:

20 hours ago, Migveg19 said:

If you're anywhere near Stonehouse (Gloucestershire), pop round and we can share a beer, and I can explain why your thesis lacks the clarity needed to explain anything worthwhile; just saying that I'm confused isn't a supportive argument

No I’m in Texas sorry but I really would love to start a zoom meeting with everyone here to explain completely what im talking about 

[dimreepr]

13 hours ago, Migveg19 said:

You may have read them all, but I would go read them again. Most of them say time and time again, that I’m not saying that you will have never lived your experiences.  just that you would not remember that you ever knew them key words “knew them”! So pretty much, if you’re dead and no longer have that thing in your head called a brain, to use the memories you have, or even remember anything, then how do you remember, let alone remember you existed. For a memory to work as a memory you must actually be able to access these memories, so with out a vessel to hold them or allow to access them then you can’t use them and if you can’t remember living then how would you know you lived at all even though you did! And for everything you said I believe it to be nonsense, because if you forget something like being a gymnast, then you can’t just do gymnastics, although yes your muscles would be worked to do so (your legs stronger and all that) and your muscles follow a path that they are used to, more than mine do. You would still know nothing of being a gymnast and prolly be trash at it because of the lack of actual skill and knowledge. But anyway please keep asking questions I will not give up on you 

No I’m in Texas sorry but I really would love to start a zoom meeting with everyone here to explain completely what im talking about 

As @Phi for All and I have been trying to explain, Phi rather more patiently than me, your premise is false and therefore any conclusions you make, based on that assumption, can only be true by accident... 😉

 

For instance, "power corrupts, therefore absolute power corrupts absolutely"; we don't really know, not enough candidates for a significant statistical study.

But I did forget yesterday and I can still dress myself, hint, the odds aren't getting bigger. 

Edited yesterday at 12:03 PM by dimreepr

[dimreepr]

One day, evolution will solve it for us... 😣

Some sort of memory, with some sort of vessel. 

[Phi for All]

18 hours ago, m_m said:

I would give a lot to not forget whether I locked the door or turned off the iron.

Where is my body's memory, when I forget doing this?

That's not what I'm talking about. There is no "body" memory, and forgetting something is just a regular memory problem. Here's the Wiki entry for muscle memory: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscle_memory

[Migveg19]

2 hours ago, dimreepr said:

As @Phi for All and I have been trying to explain, Phi rather more patiently than me, your premise is false and therefore any conclusions you make, based on that assumption, can only be true by accident... 😉

 

For instance, "power corrupts, therefore absolute power corrupts absolutely"; we don't really know, not enough candidates for a significant statistical study.

But I did forget yesterday and I can still dress myself, hint, the odds aren't getting bigger. 

Please talk with me I promise you still don’t understand what it is I’m saying to even say I’m wrong. Please literally on anything phone call, zoom, messenger call anything your willing to talk on. I can explain it completely better than I can on text i promise you will understand. All I ask is you help me help others understand after I get you to. Literally not one person has fully understood or even come close to proving me wrong do to not being able to actually understand so if you will please it will open your mind. Thanks

[iNow]

He is not a practicing scientist 

[dimreepr]

15 hours ago, iNow said:

He is not a practicing scientist 

Indeed, that thought struck me too...

21 hours ago, Migveg19 said:

Please talk with me I promise you still don’t understand what it is I’m saying to even say I’m wrong. Please literally on anything phone call, zoom, messenger call anything your willing to talk on. I can explain it completely better than I can on text i promise you will understand. All I ask is you help me help others understand after I get you to. Literally not one person has fully understood or even come close to proving me wrong do to not being able to actually understand so if you will please it will open your mind. Thanks

Believe me, I understand your frustration. You have a profound thought that you're unable to transfer into an understandable language but you know it's important, like waking up from a vivid dream; how am I, or a practicing scientist, supposed to prove your imagination is wrong?

[Migveg19]

2 hours ago, dimreepr said:

Believe me, I understand your frustration. You have a profound thought that you're unable to transfer into an understandable language but you know it's important, like waking up from a vivid dream; how am I, or a practicing scientist, supposed to prove your imagination is wrong?

Ok this is a losing battle I don’t have enough of an influence to have people at least hear me out. I’m no scientist I’ve stated that I’m not a genius or even close. But I swear on everything, that you and everyone else here, don’t even want to understand what I’m saying I ask for a chance and you tell me I’m wrong and I won’t admit to it. But I’m here to say if I was wrong I promise I would admit to it but, I feel I have stumbled onto new information that to me is actually quite easy to comprehend. My wife tells me she sorta gets what I’m saying and it makes since but sees no point in knowing the information. All I have is an idea for why there must be a life after this one and I hope eventually someone will hear me and I will be able to have them truly understand this theory. I swear that this is beyond what I want to be true, and to close to what has to be reality to be false. Till someone else understands I will be alone in this thought with the world calling me crazy but I will not give up till i find someone who can really prove me wrong or I find the real truth. But I’ve gone over this idea in my head and it’s hard to find any flaws with the theory that are solid or arnt bound to causality, and science. I may be having the Dunning Kruger affect when it comes to most things in science, while I’m no expert on any matter I am an avid consumer of knowledge, mostly, astrophysics and obviously a little philosophy, but I believe im not wrong in my thought processes of this matter. Thanks for the “kind” words, and and trying to actually understand what I’m saying but I guess I will be “wrong in my premise” until I can truly put my my theory in good writing. Thanks!

17 hours ago, iNow said:

 

He is not a practicing scientist

 

Must me the dunning Kruger effect lol

Just now, Migveg19 said:

Ok this is a losing battle I don’t have enough of an influence to have people at least hear me out. I’m no scientist I’ve stated that I’m not a genius or even close. But I swear on everything, that you and everyone else here, don’t even want to understand what I’m saying I ask for a chance and you tell me I’m wrong and I won’t admit to it. But I’m here to say if I was wrong I promise I would admit to it but, I feel I have stumbled onto new information that to me is actually quite easy to comprehend. My wife tells me she sorta gets what I’m saying and it makes since but sees no point in knowing the information. All I have is an idea for why there must be a life after this one and I hope eventually someone will hear me and I will be able to have them truly understand this theory. I swear that this is beyond what I want to be true, and to close to what has to be reality to be false. Till someone else understands I will be alone in this thought with the world calling me crazy but I will not give up till i find someone who can really prove me wrong or I find the real truth. But I’ve gone over this idea in my head and it’s hard to find any flaws with the theory that are solid or arnt bound to causality, and science. I may be having the Dunning Kruger affect when it comes to most things in science, while I’m no expert on any matter I am an avid consumer of knowledge, mostly, astrophysics and obviously a little philosophy, but I believe im not wrong in my thought processes of this matter. Thanks for the “kind” words, and and trying to actually understand what I’m saying but I guess I will be “wrong in my premise” until I can truly put my my theory in good writing. Thanks!

Must me the dunning Kruger effect lol

Be*

[iNow]

3 hours ago, Migveg19 said:

Must me the dunning Kruger effect

How so?

[Migveg19]

44 minutes ago, iNow said:

How so?

Yes maybe I said that to the wrong person but, I don’t really have a way to experiment with this theory, but I’m sure there’s a way. I need people to help me figure it out, but I can’t even get people to understand what I’m saying let alone help me figure it out. Although I will say I think I have something worth research, and beyond research an idea of what life after life will have to be.

[m_m]

You won't prove anything to anyone on this forum. If you have understood something about memory, then this understanding is for you and your personal growth. 

[Phi for All]

43 minutes ago, m_m said:

You won't prove anything to anyone on this forum. If you have understood something about memory, then this understanding is for you and your personal growth. 

Science is about the best supported explanations for various phenomena, so nobody is asking for "proof". All we're asking for is a persuasive argument that makes sense, that has some reasoning behind it. 

Unfortunately and admittedly, the OP is NOT well written, and has some assertions that can be shown false, and those haven't been addressed (or have been but in the same difficult to follow style). A second page of explanation hasn't helped. Do you understand what the OP is talking about?

Proof is for maths and philosophy. Science uses theory. But thanks for the ignorant criticism of the forum.

[Migveg19]

42 minutes ago, Phi for All said:

Science is about the best supported explanations for various phenomena, so nobody is asking for "proof". All we're asking for is a persuasive argument that makes sense, that has some reasoning behind it. 

Unfortunately and admittedly, the OP is NOT well written, and has some assertions that can be shown false, and those haven't been addressed (or have been but in the same difficult to follow style). A second page of explanation hasn't helped. Do you understand what the OP is talking about?

Proof is for maths and philosophy. Science uses theory. But thanks for the ignorant criticism of the forum.

Yo I’m mad confused how no one understands I’m terrible at writing. How bout this yall ask questions about everything yall don’t understand and I will explain one by one maybe we can come to an understanding then

[m_m]

Just now, Phi for All said:

Science is about the best supported explanations for various phenomena, so nobody is asking for "proof". All we're asking for is a persuasive argument that makes sense, that has some reasoning behind it. 

Unfortunately and admittedly, the OP is NOT well written, and has some assertions that can be shown false, and those haven't been addressed (or have been but in the same difficult to follow style). A second page of explanation hasn't helped. Do you understand what the OP is talking about?

Proof is for maths and philosophy. Science uses theory. But thanks for the ignorant criticism of the forum.

I can't answer for Migveg19, but for my understanding, this topic is about memory. I think he says that,  if there is no brain, i.e. body, memory IS there. Memory DOESN'T disappear. I believe he is talking about our soul.

And I think that we have the brightest memories when our memory is mostly connected with our body. When you do something, and you are aware of doing it. Total presence and attention. 

Edited 1 hour ago by m_m

[Genady]

15 minutes ago, Migveg19 said:

Yo I’m mad confused how no one understands I’m terrible at writing. How bout this yall ask questions about everything yall don’t understand and I will explain one by one maybe we can come to an understanding then

Did a bot understand you correctly? Check it:

 

Summary of the Text:

Miguel Vega expresses a thought-provoking theory regarding memory, existence, and the afterlife. He begins by reflecting on the nature of memory and forgetting, suggesting that forgetting an experience (like in cases of amnesia, Alzheimer's, or blackout drunkenness) may make it feel as if the event never occurred, at least from the perspective of the individual who forgets. Vega wonders if, similarly, if a person were to forget their entire life due to a condition like Alzheimer's, it could be as though they had never existed at all, at least in their own experience.

Vega then explores two different perspectives on the afterlife: the religious view (that there is life after death) and the scientific view (that death is the end, and human consciousness is just the result of biological processes). He discusses the idea that, without memory, a person might feel as if they never lived, and in this context, questions whether consciousness could persist after death or if everything could simply cease. He speculates that consciousness might continue in some form after death, citing personal experiences and religious texts like Isaiah 65:17, which alludes to forgetting past things in the afterlife.

He also shares his belief in God, combining a scientific mindset with spiritual experiences that have led him to think there may be a form of eternal consciousness beyond this life. He ends by requesting literature or evidence that supports or challenges his theory, quoting Albert Einstein's statement, "I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious," to emphasize his quest for understanding.

---

Structure of the Text:

1. Introduction:

   • Miguel introduces his theory about memory and forgetting, questioning how memory loss impacts our perception of existence.

2. Exploration of Memory and Forgetting:

   • Discusses the idea that forgetting something, such as during blackout drunkenness or due to Alzheimer's, might make it seem as though the experience never happened from the perspective of the individual.

3. Existence and Afterlife:

   • Reflects on the philosophical implications of memory loss and connects it to the two primary views of the afterlife: religious (life after death) and scientific (biological processes ending with death).
   • Asks if the inability to remember could equate to not truly experiencing life or existence.

4. Personal Reflections on Consciousness:

   • Shares personal beliefs and experiences regarding consciousness, suggesting it may persist after death and may not be lost entirely.
   • Cites religious texts, particularly Isaiah 65:17, to ponder whether memory could be erased or simply not matter in the afterlife.

5. Closing Remarks:

   • Requests feedback, literature, or studies on the subject from others who may have explored similar ideas.
   • Ends with a quote from Albert Einstein to express his curiosity and desire for further understanding.

[m_m]

And when I am under anesthesia, I don't remember myself, but a doctor DOES. So, I am his(her) memory.  When I am awake, I'm still in a doctor's memory. That's why I think that we are memories for each other. And it's up to us what memories we leave to our neighbors.