Abstract

In a thought-provoking interview with Robert Lawrence Kuhn, philosopher Philip Goff examines whether human consciousness could survive bodily death. Goff, a proponent of panpsychism (the idea that consciousness is a fundamental feature of the physical world), weighs the prospects of life after death through different philosophical lenses. He argues that under strict materialism (mind as purely brain-based), consciousness likely perishes with the brain, whereas non-materialist views like dualism or panpsychism leave room for some form of post-mortem awareness medium.com. Goff maintains an evidence-based stance – we must seek the most likely truth, not merely what we wish to be true medium.com – and stops short of affirming a personal afterlife, instead highlighting the mysteries surrounding consciousness. This report first summarizes Goff’s key points from the interview, then offers an academic critique from an Islamic paradigm, drawing on Dr. Zia H. Shah’s writings on God’s omniscience, omnipotence, occasionalism, and the nature of human consciousness. The Islamic perspective – rooted in the Qur’an – underscores God’s unlimited power and knowledge, the concept of the soul, and divine causality, collectively affirming a robust belief in life after death. A thematic epilogue reflects on how this dialogue between modern philosophy and Islamic theology enriches our understanding of consciousness and destiny.

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