Terminal Recursion – A Thought Experiment on Consciousness at Death
I had a post recently rejected for being too speculative (which I totally understand!). I’m 16 and still learning, but I’m interested in feedback on this idea, even if it’s unprovable.
What if, instead of a flash of memories, the brain at death enters a recursive simulation of life, creating the illusion that it’s still alive? Is this even philosophically coherent or just a fancy solipsism trap? Would love your thoughts.
You’re absolutely right to point out that this is speculative I state up front that it’s a hypothesis, not a proven model. The Terminal Recursion Hypothesis doesn’t claim to explain a common or well-documented phenomenon, but rather explores a possible interpretation of what the brain might do in a death scenario. While ‘life flashing before your eyes’ is anecdotal, there’s evidence for time distortion, vivid memory recall, and immersive mental experiences during trauma. I propose recursion as a potential mechanism the brain might engage in not because it’s efficient or practical, but because it feels like survival, even if it’s ultimately futile. Thanks for the constructiv criticism, it helps me strengthen the idea or know where it falls apart