But I don't want to believe in reincarnation

[Zinjanthropos]

Here's one way of doing it:

http://www.voanews.com/a/first-human-hea...08988.html

Hope the poor bastard survives.

[Carol]

Looks like the man has ALS and this is a death sentence. His only chance for a long life is a new body. Except Hawking has lived a very long time with ALS. A very small percentage of ALS victims live long, and knowledge of the direction of the neuron damage can increase the ability to predict how long a person may live. Taking part in the experimental head transplant is for sure a way to have a meaningful life. The ancient Greeks would have loved it. He will go down in medical journals no matter what, and people will talk about him for generations. In a way that is an extension of one's life that most of us will not enjoy.

[Zinjanthropos]

Looks like the man has ALS and this is a death sentence.  His only chance for a long life is a new body.  Except Hawking has lived a very long time with ALS.  A very small percentage of ALS victims live long, and knowledge of the direction of the neuron damage can increase the ability to predict how long a person may live.  Taking part in the experimental head transplant is for sure a way to have a meaningful life.  The ancient Greeks would have loved it.  He will go down in medical journals no matter what, and people will talk about him for generations.  In a way that is an extension of one's life that most of us will not enjoy.

Are we getting close? ..... A mechanical head on a human body?

So the question is.....do they cremate or bury the dead head with the discarded body? Two funerals for the price of one?

If the new head starts chatting like the previous body owner then maybe the reincarnate crowd has something to work with.

[Carol]

Looks like the man has ALS and this is a death sentence.  His only chance for a long life is a new body.  Except Hawking has lived a very long time with ALS.  A very small percentage of ALS victims live long, and knowledge of the direction of the neuron damage can increase the ability to predict how long a person may live.  Taking part in the experimental head transplant is for sure a way to have a meaningful life.  The ancient Greeks would have loved it.  He will go down in medical journals no matter what, and people will talk about him for generations.  In a way that is an extension of one's life that most of us will not enjoy.

Are we getting close? .....  A mechanical head on a human body?

So the question is.....do they cremate or bury the dead head with the discarded body? Two funerals for the price of one?

If the new head starts chatting like the previous body owner then maybe the reincarnate crowd has something to work with.

Dang, I forgot about that possibility.  Now look at the mess you got us into!!!

I believe we hold memories in our body.  Not that this information from the body would come in words, but it would come in feelings.  But blimey!  The body is not the soul, only the vehicle of the soul, if there is a soul.  So even if the body has life in it, it could be soulless?  Oh my, our consciousness seems to occur in our heads, so would the soul remain in the head?   Do you see the mess your train of thinking got us into?  

Zinjanthropos,  what if the body and head become a zombie, a soulless body, a Frankenstein's monster!      Philosophically we have a real mess on our hands.  We don't know where the soul resides, or if it would go with the body or head or with neither.  

But we also have the science without the supernatural.  Returning to, I strongly believe memories are in our bodies, and then we have a question of personality?  If the body feels different and sends different messages to the head, would the personality of the head be changed?  

Try this, ask yourself how know who you are?  Where do you search for that information?  

For disposing of the remains.  I am an organ donor and questioned what happens to my unused parts.  The unused parts are sent back to the family.  Oh no  .  If the guy survives the operation, he will have to have a burial for his body.  That is just creepy, going to one's own funeral in a someone else's body.

[Zinjanthropos]

Looks like the man has ALS and this is a death sentence.  His only chance for a long life is a new body.  Except Hawking has lived a very long time with ALS.  A very small percentage of ALS victims live long, and knowledge of the direction of the neuron damage can increase the ability to predict how long a person may live.  Taking part in the experimental head transplant is for sure a way to have a meaningful life.  The ancient Greeks would have loved it.  He will go down in medical journals no matter what, and people will talk about him for generations.  In a way that is an extension of one's life that most of us will not enjoy.

Are we getting close? .....  A mechanical head on a human body?

So the question is.....do they cremate or bury the dead head with the discarded body? Two funerals for the price of one?

If the new head starts chatting like the previous body owner then maybe the reincarnate crowd has something to work with.

Dang, I forgot about that possibility.  Now look at the mess you got us into!!!

I believe we hold memories in our body.  Not that this information from the body would come in words, but it would come in feelings.  But blimey!  The body is not the soul, only the vehicle of the soul, if there is a soul.  So even if the body has life in it, it could be soulless?  Oh my, our consciousness seems to occur in our heads, so would the soul remain in the head?   Do you see the mess your train of thinking got us into?  

Zinjanthropos,  what if the body and head become a zombie, a soulless body, a Frankenstein's monster!      Philosophically we have a real mess on our hands.  We don't know where the soul resides, or if it would go with the body or head or with neither.  

But we also have the science without the supernatural.  Returning to, I strongly believe memories are in our bodies, and then we have a question of personality?  If the body feels different and sends different messages to the head, would the personality of the head be changed?  

Try this, ask yourself how know who you are?  Where do you search for that information?  

For disposing of the remains.  I am an organ donor and questioned what happens to my unused parts.  The unused parts are sent back to the family.  Oh no  .  If the guy survives the operation, he will have to have a burial for his body.  That is just creepy, going to one's own funeral in a someone else's body.

I think the entire belief system is about to undergo a radical if not revolutionary change. The best part is that some of the most ancient of beliefs are about to take their place on the top of the trash heap. It's going to be a great moment and bravo science. I hope like hell this head transplant works and even if it doesn't they will learn from it. A successful transplant is inevitable.

[Carol]

I am with the side that believes there is more to life than our experience of it. I started this morning by reading an explanation of astral reality and our chakras. My sister and I have a bad karma and I am hoping this can be resolved in this lifetime because I sure don't want to be tied to it. I invited her to look at her deep-seated anger towards me and then when she did begin expressing it and the reasons for it, I became resistant to her reality. I am so glad this morning's reading made aware of my part of the immediate problem, resisting her reality instead of acknowledging it. I am hoping she reads my emailed attempt to resolve this problem, acknowledge her reality and release the karma.

She is going in for dangerous surgery on the 22 of Dec. and it would suck to loose her before we clear our karma. You may think this is superstitious nonsense, but for me it makes perfect sense, and practically speaking, this train of thought has a very positive impact on my life here and now. It seems like most people give up on their family relationships instead of working on resolving the problem. I don't think anyone is happy about this, but they just don't see how to do any better. Most people are trapped in a belief system that does not seem to get good results. My beliefs may be wrong, but I get good results.

[Zinjanthropos]

  My sister and I have a bad karma 

You're on this forum, ne c'est pas? Plus you have a sister.  Also you think you know how to recognize something good or bad. And it's me responding to you. How bad is that? 

[Carol]

  My sister and I have a bad karma 

You're on this forum, ne c'est pas? Plus you have a sister.  Also you think you know how to recognize something good or bad. And it's me responding to you. How bad is that? 

No, I am not sure I can recognize something good or bad.  There used to be a delightful comedy routine, where one fellow would say something awful happened and the other would say "that really is too bad".  Then first fellow would say, "no, that was good because____________", and the other fellow would say, "that is really great", and the first fellow would say, "no, that was really bad because _________."   

Three weeks ago someone ran a red light and totaled my very dependable, 31-year-old and irreplaceable Toyota, and I thought that was really awful.  Then a mechanic friend helped my buy a replacement car and I can hardly wait to drive it.  He is doing small repairs on it now so I do have to wait, but at the moment it is possible I may have a much better car.  Of course tomorrow we could find out something is seriously wrong with the 20-year-old car, and then I will regret not having my old Toyota.   The point is, it can be hard to tell if something is good or bad.

What we can know is our reaction.  Something makes us feel good or bad.   But, why do we feel good or bad?  There are so many variables!  If I get into a good discussion here and realize something I had not realized before, I am ecstatic.  I absolutely love an argument that pushes me to learn more and magically brings concepts together giving a glimps of the bigger picture.  And when I feel socially supported, that is a huge upper for me, while getting negative points is a downer.   For me, the experience of being in a good argument can be as good as good sex, and for the rest of the day or longer, everything will seem to be going very well.   Even if something goes wrong, it doesn't seem like that big of a deal.  But so much as a physical set back, a health problem or family problem, can result in me having a very negative point of view, and I will think people are saying mean things, and that my life must be cursed.  It is really embarrassing when I realize nothing was as bad as I thought, it was only my emotional state of being that made everything seem so bad, but that is being human.  I am learning to do better but it is still an effort, and not automatic.  

Bottom line, nothing is for sure, and a good moment will sooner or later become a bad one, and with experience we learn how to bounce up more quickly, and the more we practice positive thinking, and spread good cheer, the better our chances are of having good moments that last longer than the moments that feel awful.  And if reincarnation is our reality, all the work I am putting into managing my life well will pay off like a bank account with high-interest rates.   

    that smilie makes me feel good.  Thank you.

[Zinjanthropos]

  My sister and I have a bad karma 

You're on this forum, ne c'est pas? Plus you have a sister.  Also you think you know how to recognize something good or bad. And it's me responding to you. How bad is that? 

No, I am not sure I can recognize something good or bad.  T

Then how can you be sure that you & sis have bad karma?

a good moment will sooner or later become a bad one

I reiterate. You can recognize one or the other. 

I used to tell my kids as they were growing up that there's at least 5 days in a year where you'd wish you never got out of bed. A  car accident qualifies as one of those occurrences. It's guaranteed, karma's a bitch. Sometimes it's funny as hell, other times not so much. Still, if you can anticipate those days and prepare for them then you'll be all right.

[Carol]

  My sister and I have a bad karma 

You're on this forum, ne c'est pas? Plus you have a sister.  Also you think you know how to recognize something good or bad. And it's me responding to you. How bad is that? 

No, I am not sure I can recognize something good or bad.  T

Then how can you be sure that you & sis have bad karma?

a good moment will sooner or later become a bad one

I reiterate. You can recognize one or the other. 

I used to tell my kids as they were growing up that there's at least 5 days in a year where you'd wish you never got out of bed. A  car accident qualifies as one of those occurrences. It's guaranteed, karma's a bitch. Sometimes it's funny as hell, other times not so much. Still, if you can anticipate those days and prepare for them then you'll be all right.

You are right about the need to accept there will be difficult days.  The Aztecs planned for them.  Actually, put difficult spells in their calendar.  I think there could be an advantage to this?  

A friend is speaking with me about the need of being more accepting and going with the flow.  I thought I was very good at that, and then I thought intentional living is a better way to go?      Perhaps you have some words of wisdom?  I am feeling totally confused.   To what degree should I attempt to plan my days and set my boundaries, or should I even do that?