this post was submitted on 01 Mar 2026
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I do subscribe to a small comfort belief that our consciousness isn't just encoded in our neurons but has a radiative component that constructively/destructively interferes with the environment on some small level we atttibute to random events, and that when we die, we sever only the somatic component of our consciousness but our radiative part lives on encoded into a wider network of ambient thought.
Sort of like ghosts/an afterlife, but less moaning and chain rattling and more general vibing the emotion of a park bench from the overlapped thought networks that ever intersected it
Might be in the wrong sub...
What you are describing maps quite well to the Quantum Memory Model (accessible explanation here) of Physics. Certainly considering information a fundamental quantity that can neither be created nor destroyed is becoming a popular concept.
I think consciousness is more than just our neurons, it's an active waveform riding and guided by them.
Unfortunately, I don't think it survives death. Without the underlying structure, it collapses to noise.
Interestingly, our brains have special circuits, design to emulate others. In effect, our consciousness imprints onto theirs. It's not the full pattern, and imperfect, but a part of us lives on in the consciousness of everyone who knows us.
Like ripples in a pond. The water of the initial wave is no longer involved, but it has passed to others.
I think this is a far better explained version of what I'm yammering on about. Echoes of yourself living on in other conscious beings, fragmented 1000fold into the general aether of all those you've interacted with
It's useful to understand the mechanisms, it helps you to understand both what it can do, and its limitations. E.g. they can only mirror the parts they see or talk about. The parts of yourself that you hide away will be lost from their imperfect model.
For more info, it generally falls under "mirror neurons". They help us empathise with others. E.g. when we smile, certain mirror neurons start firing. When we see someone smile, the same ones fire. We feel the appropriate emotions because of this. They also fire preemptively. E.g. when you hear your mother yelling about the mess, even though you've lived alone for a decade.
Ah right. I guess I'm sort of implying that the hidden parts are also imprinted somehow too, through a vague hand-wavey mechanism that I've yet to define
I think you had the better version straight out of the gate.
Sounds a bit like if we die, we retreat into the human noosphere and become a concept instead of a person
New word for me, thanks for this!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noosphere
Cool, so you have evidence for this? Or do you routinely believe in outrageous things with zero evidence?
The latter, with a 's/routinely/rare/'
I also have some curious thoughts about higher dimensional beings as well as some murmurs about what the rustling of trees might be a proxy for if you need the extra fodder, or just a fun drink in a pub somewhere
what
They conscript themselves unto a diminutive solace tenet that our noetic essence is not merely inscribed within our cerebral neurons but encompasses a resplendent effulgence that constructively/destructively commingles with the circumambient firmament upon some infinitesimal stratum we ascribe to capricious vicissitudes, and that upon our demise, we sunder solely the corporeal partition of our noetic essence whilst our effulgent essence endures, enscrolled within a vaster concatenation of ambient cogitation.
Somewhat reminiscent of phantasms/an empyrean continuance, yet less plaintive wailing and clanking of fetters and more ethereal attunement to the affective emanation of a park bench amid the interlaced noetic filigrees that have ever impinged upon it.
They might be in the wrong comm though...
oh yeah that makes sense
Lo verrily, I thank thee kind gentleman scholar to the spirit of thine timely repose of which mine gedankenings give flight to the fanciness of bees. May the everlasting illumination of others through proxy prose continue to be a boon to those who entreat upon it!