Their star would eventually die. Flames would die, objects break, it's not a far fetched thing to think that similar stuff can happen to living beings.
"Like a leaf caught aflame, it's matter converted to heat and the bonds broken down to ash. It's not gone, it's structure has changed to the point of no longer being 'a leaf', and what we see before us when looking at someone/something who has passed on is the same as ashes in the fire. Changed, but jot truly gone"
I'm having trouble imagining a real universe "where nothing ever dies". What counts as a thing? What counts as dying? If nothing ever changes then nothing dies, but if nothing changes then I can't explain anything at all to this person.
Alternately, they're from a toy universe, like a game with no death condition, but even those depend on outside things to continue existing. Eventually the game stops and everything in the universe "dies", but otherwise there's nothing in their world that ever dies. Maybe that's close enough.
Anyway:
"You know how right now I'm talking, but eventually I'm going to stop? Imagine being like that."
You know how right now, things are happening in other places that you'll never be a part of or know about, because you can only be in one? It's like that but with times.
It gets across the concept of nonexistence, although that might leave confusion about if you live only once or multiple times. If they're still born at some point, I could say it's like that but the opposite.
You know when someone isn’t around and you can’t see them? Well imagine that someone were in a place where no one in the world could see them. The person in this separate place is sleeping but does not dream.
without death there is no end and without end there is no real beginning either since the word doesnt even have meaning at that point. And without end there is also no change, because changing enough would be also kind of an ending and also "dying" as one version of you stops and another begins. Could such being even be sentient enough to understand you? Would it want to be?
I'm going to push back a bit. Ending doesn't necessitate death. A movie ends. You don't need an end to have a beginning, either—the positive integers begin at 1. Your second sentence is begging the question. You assert that without death there couldn't be endings, and change is a kind of ending, so without death there couldn't be change. But plenty of things change without dying. I used to be a baby. My infancy ended without my infant death.
If we take OP's question to include anything that could even metaphorically be compared to death, then there wouldn't even be such a universe, because any instant in time could be described as the "death" of a prior instant in time
Idk yet! I'm still reading it lol. I just got to the part where he ponders explaining sleep to Rocky, and it reminded me of that. Then I saw your comment talking about getting energy directly from sunlight and I was like "this dude must be reading it too" lol
44 Comments
jordanlund@lemmy.world · 38 pts · 161d
Where NOTHING dies? That's going to make meal prep super awkward.
Karl@literature.cafe · 17 pts · 161d
They rawdog energy from their star
CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org · 9 pts · 161d
I love this description of photosynthesis.
Karl@literature.cafe · 2 pts · 160d
Feel free to steal it
Nibodhika@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 161d
Their star would eventually die. Flames would die, objects break, it's not a far fetched thing to think that similar stuff can happen to living beings.
FreshParsnip@lemmy.ca · 2 pts · 159d
Maybe in that universe, stars don't die either. Everything is everlasting. There probably wouldn't be reproduction because there'd be no need
Rhynoplaz@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 161d
Just slice off a chunk of ol' Bessie each day, and you'll eat steak for the rest of your life!
superduperenigma@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 161d
I think number 2 the next day would be a more harrowing experience.
MajorMajormajormajor@lemmy.ca · 2 pts · 161d
Maybe it's a fun 8 hour rollercoaster ride?
FreshParsnip@lemmy.ca · 2 pts · 159d
Maybe they wouldn't need to eat
Redacted@lemmy.zip · 11 pts · 161d
The same way you do to a child. They go away and can never come back
3rdXthecharm@lemmy.ml · 9 pts · 161d
"Like a leaf caught aflame, it's matter converted to heat and the bonds broken down to ash. It's not gone, it's structure has changed to the point of no longer being 'a leaf', and what we see before us when looking at someone/something who has passed on is the same as ashes in the fire. Changed, but jot truly gone"
pmw@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 161d
You describe birth, youth, parental love, new beginnings, etc. first, because those things could not exist without death.
IWW4@lemmy.zip · 4 pts · 161d
All biological functions of an organism stops.
Now what happens to the mental and cognitive functions is unknown.
Rhynoplaz@lemmy.world · 17 pts · 161d
It's pretty well known that they stop too.
Zwuzelmaus@feddit.org · 7 pts · 161d
Thinking is function of the brain. The immortal soul is not a function of a body part.
Fokeu@lemmy.zip · 3 pts · 161d
Human mind is also a biological function so it's pretty straightforward.
Areldyb@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 160d
I'm having trouble imagining a real universe "where nothing ever dies". What counts as a thing? What counts as dying? If nothing ever changes then nothing dies, but if nothing changes then I can't explain anything at all to this person.
Alternately, they're from a toy universe, like a game with no death condition, but even those depend on outside things to continue existing. Eventually the game stops and everything in the universe "dies", but otherwise there's nothing in their world that ever dies. Maybe that's close enough.
Anyway:
"You know how right now I'm talking, but eventually I'm going to stop? Imagine being like that."
jobbies@lemmy.zip · 1 pts · 159d
Its a world where your car or washing machine never breaks down and goes on forever. I can get on board with that.
DarrinBrunner@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 161d
We can't even explain death to ourselves.
tyrant@lemmy.world · 9 pts · 161d
We can. We just don't want to believe there is an end.
Sendpicsofsandwiches@sh.itjust.works · 3 pts · 161d
Just pining for the Fjords
Randomgal@lemmy.ca · 3 pts · 160d
That pile of dirt is going to walk and talk around for a while. And then it's going back to being an insert pile of dirt.
CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org · 3 pts · 161d
You know how right now, things are happening in other places that you'll never be a part of or know about, because you can only be in one? It's like that but with times.
It gets across the concept of nonexistence, although that might leave confusion about if you live only once or multiple times. If they're still born at some point, I could say it's like that but the opposite.
dil@lemmy.zip · 3 pts · 160d
Leaving and never coming back ever
AstroLightz@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 161d
You go to sleep and you never wake up.
CodenameDarlen@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 161d
Karl@literature.cafe · 2 pts · 160d
...
Fleur_@aussie.zone · 2 pts · 161d
Kill something Infront of them
Karl@literature.cafe · 1 pts · 160d
Weirdo
FreshParsnip@lemmy.ca · 2 pts · 159d
Ceasing of all functions
Kazel@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 2 pts · 160d
at a random time you cease to exist just because
Kolanaki@pawb.social · 2 pts · 159d
The entity you knew as yaddayadda is gone and the only thing left behind is an empty, decaying shell and the memories we have of them in our minds.
crimsonpoodle@pawb.social · 2 pts · 161d
You know when someone isn’t around and you can’t see them? Well imagine that someone were in a place where no one in the world could see them. The person in this separate place is sleeping but does not dream.
DeathByBigSad@sh.itjust.works · 1 pts · 161d
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peOFMz4ca6c
reksas@sopuli.xyz · 1 pts · 160d
without death there is no end and without end there is no real beginning either since the word doesnt even have meaning at that point. And without end there is also no change, because changing enough would be also kind of an ending and also "dying" as one version of you stops and another begins. Could such being even be sentient enough to understand you? Would it want to be?
starman2112@sh.itjust.works · 1 pts · 160d
I'm going to push back a bit. Ending doesn't necessitate death. A movie ends. You don't need an end to have a beginning, either—the positive integers begin at 1. Your second sentence is begging the question. You assert that without death there couldn't be endings, and change is a kind of ending, so without death there couldn't be change. But plenty of things change without dying. I used to be a baby. My infancy ended without my infant death.
If we take OP's question to include anything that could even metaphorically be compared to death, then there wouldn't even be such a universe, because any instant in time could be described as the "death" of a prior instant in time
reksas@sopuli.xyz · 2 pts · 159d
Way I see it, death is something that is in between different states, something ends and something else begins.
CMLVI@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 160d
You reading Project Hail Mary? And Ryland is talking to the Eridians?
Karl@literature.cafe · 2 pts · 160d
Been a long time since I read it. Eridians are immortal ?!?!
CMLVI@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 160d
Idk yet! I'm still reading it lol. I just got to the part where he ponders explaining sleep to Rocky, and it reminded me of that. Then I saw your comment talking about getting energy directly from sunlight and I was like "this dude must be reading it too" lol
Crackhappy@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 160d
Blinding reading tbe blind in here.
Karl@literature.cafe · 2 pts · 160d
It's definitely one of my favorite books xD, idgaf what some people say
CMLVI@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 160d
It's been enjoyable so far! Nice change of pace from what I've been reading. I just want Ryland to curse one time. He's too wholesome.
MonkderVierte@lemmy.zip · 1 pts · 160d
Karl@literature.cafe · 2 pts · 160d
It's an hypothetical scenario, genius