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Revision as of 11:59, 25 March 2002 by 63.192.137.21 (talk)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)The afterlife (also known as life after death) is the notion of something, typically spiritual and experiential, that happens to human beings when they die.
There is no widely agreed-upon scientific evidence for life after death, though some would point to studies of near-death experiences as such evidence. In any case, some--particularly atheists and agnostics of a scientific, rational, or rationalistic mindset--hold that we entirely cease to exist. For those who do believe in an afterlife, there are various notions about it. Probably the most common notion (common to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) is that human souls go on to a place of happiness or torment, such as heaven, hell, or purgatory or limbo. Others, notably Hindus, believe we reincarnate, whether as humans or as animals. The study of views of the afterlife is a part of Eschatology, which deals with the soul, the resurrection of the dead, the messianic era, and the end or the world.
Many religions hold that after death people suffer reward or punishment based on their deeds or faith. The Christian Bible, for example, contains the words of Jesus: "The measure you give will be the measure you get." (from the Sermon on the Mount?). Others, including some Universalists, believe in universalism which holds that all will be rewarded regardless of what they have done or believed.
The question whether or not there is life after death is closely related to the mind-body problem, and like that problem is one of the classic problems of so-called rational psychology and hence of one (now largely outdated) notion of the scope of metaphysics.
The belief in the existence of ghosts and other undead is a reflection of the belief in an afterlife.
See also Eschatology, predestination
After life (ワンダフルライフ or Wonderful Life, 1998 by Hirohazu Koreeda 是枝裕和) is an award-winning Japanese movie. The theme is quite serious about individual's soul searching. The way of presentation in the movie is rather unique and to some people humorous. The whole movie was set in a house like a travel lodge. A group of "people" check in at the beginning of each week. The "social workers" would explain to each guest that they are on their way to heaven and before Wednesday, they must define what their most memorable moments would be. Then for the rest of the week, the workers would make short movies out of these people's memory. At the end of the week, the movies are shown in the screening room. As soon as each person sees his/her own memory, he/she poofs and goes to heaven. The stories of the guests and the workers' past life and how each individual dealt with them in the wait-station give the movie a lot of depth. Without reading the subtitle or understanding the dialog, the look and feel of the movie gives absolutely no hint on the serious theme behind it. Perhaps such unexpected and unique story telling technique won the movie its awards.