How do you know for sure if you are alive - since you dont know for sure how it feels to be dead?

Question

This is deeper than it appears on the surface. We dont know how it is to be dead. Therefore, how do you know for sure you are alive?

Answer 1

Dead or alive are not the only states of being. A rock is neither.

I eat, therefore I live.

Seriously, we don't have to know what it's like to be dead for us to fit *our* definition of "life."

Our definition is all we have,and it's pretty easy to tell the difference between the living and the dead, by that definition. (At least for humans, and we are talking about humans, since you said "we.")

If some other sentient beings might have a different definition, it doesn't matter, because man does not! If the *dead* have a different one, that doesn't matter either, because *we* do not! It's not about feelings, it's about definitions.

We type, therefore we live.

Answer 2

I guess that if you are looking at it on a physical level, then we know that we aren't dead because we are breathing, we have a functional brain [well most of us anyway =)], and we have a heart beat. But I guess living is more than that however. A lot of people I think do 'feel' dead inside, so in other words, what I am sketchily trying to say is that there can be two types of dead- the physical dead that as humans we all have to experience, and the emotional dead. Metaphorically we all have an idea of what being dead is, so I guess that is how people know. =)

Answer 3

Yes you are right, this is deeper than it looks. This could actually be death and the people we see here dying are actually going back to where life is.
Maybe that's where heaven is if you believe in it. So here we are, living in the dead realm thinking we are alive, dead in the water, fearing death yet not knowing we will be alive again after we die. Just so we can do it over and over again.
We have been thinking we are on the inside looking out when actually we are on the outside looking in. Wow.
Or have you been watching "Groundhog Day" again !

ps....maybe the muslims are right, in that case I want my share of the virgins and gold now

Answer 4

Your question isn't as deep as you think it is. We know we are alive because we are able to communicate with others and receive responses from them. The mere fact that you are able to ask this question and get responses from others shows you are alive. Trying to equate the death experience with the life experience will not provide you with an answer. Just think about what I have told you and you'll realize that I am right.

Answer 5

because every one has a soul when u die that soul is set free from society. it is set free from the burden of life's troubles. once u die ur born into freedom. u do not have to feel pain u can be happy for the rest of ur spiritual life
u do not have to have no pulse to be dead if u can't live ur life to the fullest cuz u won't try is to be dead to be dead u are unworthy to urself to be dead is to be locked out from ur spirit by ur mind to set boundries that are so ridiculously low that u will never feel joy or triumph

Answer 6

cuz ppl around us are dying & we know for sure they're dead if they lack a pulse & dont respond to our cries of sorrow. rest assured we're alive cuz unlike them we do have a pulse & most of the time we respond to sorrowful laments if we're not completely stoic & 'dead' inside. we are living, breathing things in physical terms. corpses arent. even if we're alive, we know how it feels like to be dead: it feels like nothing cuz the dead no longer feel anything

Answer 7

I could only think so deeply if I was stoned. Umm I am going to base the fact that I am alive, because I think I am. If you think it, you are it.

Answer 8

look around. there iz death everywhere. but 2 kno u aint dead think of your emotions if u have none then u r dead if u do u arent.

Answer 9

Good question dude! :-)