How to turn into a tree after you die(spiritscienceandmetaphysics.com)
spiritscienceandmetaphysics.com
How to turn into a tree after you die
http://www.spiritscienceandmetaphysics.com/how-to-turn-into-a-tree-after-you-die/
9 comments
I immediately thought of the father trees from Ender's Game series when I saw this.
Having just read a particular Philip K. Dick short story, that's what came to mind here.
http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Of_Withered_Apples
http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Of_Withered_Apples
Thank you for the afternoon read.
Same here. My immediate response to the headline was "design a metamorphosis virus like the Descolada."
What went through my head was "Step 1: Be a piggie."
As I understood it, the "ashes" you receive post-cremation are actually the ground remains of bones from all cremations that took place that day, and thus you can't actually guarantee that it's "you" in the urn (or the tree), it's actually just a large collection of the people cremated that day.
Apart from that, I love this idea. It actually throws up all sorts of strange meta-physical questions about the self and who we really are.
Also, for added creepiness, could you be turned into, say, an orange grove? If you were, would the people eating the fruit be somehow digesting ... you? Strange.
Apart from that, I love this idea. It actually throws up all sorts of strange meta-physical questions about the self and who we really are.
Also, for added creepiness, could you be turned into, say, an orange grove? If you were, would the people eating the fruit be somehow digesting ... you? Strange.
As long as they got a few pieces of me in there, I'm cool with that. Maybe the best way to look at this is "Turn yourself and a bunch of other nice dead people into a tree".
I'm probably being too prosaic, but do note that plants don't actually use any matter from the soil they grow on besides water plus some minerals and micronutrients. The carbon that constitutes most of the plant matter is literally taken out of thin air via photosynthesis. Also, most of the molecules that were a part of you a year ago are already a part of something or someone else.
Obligatory link to Feynman's explanation:
http://youtu.be/N1pIYI5JQLE
http://youtu.be/N1pIYI5JQLE
It's weird only if you start from being human. If you start from being, to reference the famous quote, a star, it gets rapidly less weird.
Or more weird.
Or more weird.
>>As I understood it, the "ashes" you receive post-cremation are actually the ground remains of bones from all cremations that took place that day
While that is, unfortunately, pretty common for pet cremations it not supposed to be that way for humans.
http://caringcremations.com/frequently-asked-questions-crema...
While that is, unfortunately, pretty common for pet cremations it not supposed to be that way for humans.
http://caringcremations.com/frequently-asked-questions-crema...
Does it really matter, though? Even if they were more carefully selected, the ashes would still contain lots of atoms from other sources and lack lots of atoms.
Cremation: Guaranteeing that your chances of reanimation are as near to zero as possible. Personally I'd go with cryonics, but thats after you move past the coping mechanisms.
Personally, I specify scattering ashes to the wind or over the water. Can't be too sure.
Since you mentioned coping mechanisms, a genuine but slightly OT question:
I wonder what the grieving process like for the surviving friends and family of a deceased, cryopreserved person? Do they try to ignore the negative aspects of the death because of the possibility that the deceased will be brought back to life in the future? Or feel as sad as they would if cryonics had not been used, because revival is unlikely and/or even if it did occur would almost certainly happen in the far future? Or is there no difference.
I wonder because grief, while unpleasant, is important when dealing with the death of others. Failure to grieve can cause long-term psychological problems.
I wonder what the grieving process like for the surviving friends and family of a deceased, cryopreserved person? Do they try to ignore the negative aspects of the death because of the possibility that the deceased will be brought back to life in the future? Or feel as sad as they would if cryonics had not been used, because revival is unlikely and/or even if it did occur would almost certainly happen in the far future? Or is there no difference.
I wonder because grief, while unpleasant, is important when dealing with the death of others. Failure to grieve can cause long-term psychological problems.
> Failure to grieve can cause long-term psychological problems.
Sure. But this presumes that one is a lesser evil.
I'd defer to you which is worse: The Void, or someone having mixed emotions for a while.
Sure. But this presumes that one is a lesser evil.
I'd defer to you which is worse: The Void, or someone having mixed emotions for a while.
Zero chances of being reanimated as a zombie, from another point of view.
This makes me smile. These days, when most of the news is about the latest gadget and tech stuff and connecting yourself to the cloud somehow, I am glad there are still people coming up with fresh ideas involving not much technology at all. Just seed and ashes in a paper cup. Awesome!
What if you plant the tree in your back yard, and it dies, or don't make it for what ever reason?
Would that not be distressing to the surviving family members even more and re-awaken the pain of loosing someone all over again?
Would that not be distressing to the surviving family members even more and re-awaken the pain of loosing someone all over again?
That's a good point, you should use Soil IQ [1] to make sure that doesn't happen.
[1] http://techcrunch.com/2013/09/10/soil-iq/
[1] http://techcrunch.com/2013/09/10/soil-iq/
We planted a tree (from seed) when each of our kids were born. Being the superstitious, symbol creating species that we are it was a little stressful for the first year or so in case the trees didn't make it and so foretold our childrens fate.
Then you could cremate the tree and use it's ashes to grow another
The correct answer. Life is a continuous process.
> the tree seed is nourished by and absorbs the nutrients from the ashes of your body
What's really left after the cremation anyway? Is there really anything left that we can call "nutrients"?
What's really left after the cremation anyway? Is there really anything left that we can call "nutrients"?
According to [1] its mainly pulverised bone, salts, and minerals. This appears to provide some nutrition for plants - in the UK peoiple are being urged not to scatter ashes in upland/moorland areas because the minerals are changing the local soil composition and plant ecology [2].
[1] http://www.cremationsolutions.com/All-About-Cremation-Ashes-...
[2] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1508784/Cremation-ash...
[1] http://www.cremationsolutions.com/All-About-Cremation-Ashes-...
[2] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1508784/Cremation-ash...
I have to agree that if every human became a tree after he dies we would reforestate the whole world in no time!
Hm. People actually die slowly. If you planted a tree every time someone was born, it would be far more effective!
The Fountain
Totally! For those who missed it, in the movie there's a story about how a civilization used to bury their people and they'd plant a seed in the deceased's body/chest so it could grow from the inside and take the persons' soul, or whatever there was in it, to the sky, to ascend it. And that's somehow part of the plot of the movie too. Something like that, IIRC.
Reminds me of the Russian [1] who had a tree growing in his lung
[1] http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1169861/Shocked-Russ...
[1] http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1169861/Shocked-Russ...
Sounds implausible. It is more probable that he inhaled it and didn't realize or is ashamed to admit it.
http://journal.publications.chestnet.org/article.aspx?articl...
http://tywkiwdbi.blogspot.com/2009/04/russian-man-did-not-as...
http://journal.publications.chestnet.org/article.aspx?articl...
http://tywkiwdbi.blogspot.com/2009/04/russian-man-did-not-as...
It's one of my favourite films for its depth and its amazing soundtrack.
I didn't think about it so literally. I understood it more as a methaphor/explanation for life and meaning of life.
What if you become an apple tree and people eat the fruits?