And to lay down one’s life, as so many soldiers have to do in War, that is sheer madness. Honour, duty, nobility of character are all contemptuously discarded! I have little time for those who discard the better human virtues; they depend on the rest of us, who try to do our duty most of the time. It may not be a philosophical answer, to say that the practice of the basic human virtues is necessary for society to continue; but it is a very good guide to practical conduct. And if my Theory of Consciousness is correct in saying that the validity of the philosophical answers depends on the validity of the assumptions underlying the philosophical frame of mind; it means that if the assumptions are rubbish, the philosophical answers are rubbish too! So what seems a sensible choice in practice, is likely to be a sensible choice to make.
And the moment one admits that there probably is a next world, then by far the most likely speculation is that one’s conduct in this world is likely to influence one’s fate in the next. To take the argument a stage further; if there is telepathy in this world, and I am sure there is, for though I have never sought it I have had experience of it, then there is nothing to prevent communication with the spirits of the dead. Indeed all Christians will at one time or another pray to Jesus; and few religious facts are more certain than that he died, even if he rose again. Praying to him is attempting to have communication with the dead, in the sense of his being on the other side of death from us.
And finding inspiration in the conduct of others who have died is in a manner of speaking to have some communication with them, at least in one’s imagination. If they are alive in the next world, then finding inspiration in them is similar to praying to Jesus. If they are in limbo, and not really alive at the present moment, the position is different; and none of us has any reliable idea what that position is. But such inspiration presupposes that the conduct, which one seeks to emulate, was rewarded, and not punished. And we do all seek to emulate figures in the past, or people whom we have known who have died. So what general speculation about the next world is likely to be nearest the mark?
Surely the most likely speculation is that what a man has sought diligently in this world, he will obtain in full measure in the next? After all, Socrates and Jesus were both agreed that one’s fate in the next world would depend on one’s choices in this! If one has sought self-advancement in disregard of everyone and everything, then in the next world where there are no things and probably no advancement, one is likely to be left with oneself, for an eternity. No friends, no loyalty, no deference. What an appalling prospect; to have only one’s own company! If one has looked forward to sexual fulfilment, then one will probably get it in the most appalling degradation imaginable.