It is mean to be basic and universal for all human beings.
Note the above is genetic and a default, i.e. embedded in the DNA-RNA genetically in the subconscious mind and not within the conscious mind.
Yes, there are varying degrees in how humans strives to survive due to opposing forces from external environment and internal circumstance. But one cannot deny the default will-to-live from the genes.
This default will-to-live and survive may be weakened due to unfoldment in the RNA processes and thus human will have varying degrees of will-to-live to the extreme of really bad damage and the person turned suicidal.
Again one cannot deny the default will-to-live from the genes.
‘To live’ is equivalent to, ‘to avoid death’.
This is a matter of looking at a cup half-full or half-empty but each perspective has it utility.
Thus premise 1 is true.
- Firstly, imputed by what? IMV, the fear of death is in our conscious awareness, we just don’t think about it all of the time. There is obviously a relationship between the conscious and subconscious mind, but people avoid death by being consciously aware of what will kill them, so we could tenuously say that the subconscious is where information is stored, but we cannot claim that the information is constantly active, if you see what I’m saying. It’s dormant, until the threat of death comes to our awareness, but then I’m guessing. The fear of death could be in our conscious awareness, because we don’t know for sure what the capacity of the consciousness mind is, and what information is stored where (note my use of mind, not brain). I don’t know why you think you do? Certain claims relating to the subconscious are problematic to make, because it is not something we consciously experience, so obtaining empirical evidence is difficult, hence the theoretical nature of this area of investigation.
The fear of death is both activated by the subconscious and conscious mind.
If you observed danger or a threat, e.g. a poisonous snake nearby, you will consciously move away from that snake.
The conscious mind [10% powerful] is limited, therefore the subconscious mind [90%] will drive you away from potential death even before you are conscious of any potential death.
Such unconscious reactions are very common to the normal person.
Note the fight or fight responses, they happen within the brain and body even before you are conscious of it. The other is the freeze response.
Even in the snake case, you subconscious mind had already reacted before you are conscious and rationalize the situation and take rational actions.
In extreme cases, the subconscious mind will even sent the person into coma in the face of a very severe threat of death, even before the person or doctor consciously decides what to do.
This is what doctors will do consciously in a calculated and rational sense in severe cases of emergency, i.e. put the person into temporary coma so that the body can heal itself.
You need to do more research on the unconscious mind and how it works.
- I don’t understand how you could know that? What are “indirect existential pains”? Didn’t we discuss that you should explain terms like this?
I have explained many times.
A fear of death is activated in the subconscious mind.
Because it is in the subconscious mind, one is not conscious of it.
But the powerful impulses of the subconscious fear of death, manifest indirectly as anxieties, unease, Angst and a general mental suffering.
These are the indirect existential pains resulting from the subconscious fear of death.
- You need to explain what you mean by “indirect existential pains”. Also, this is a diagnosis.
Note above.
- This conclusion doesn’t necessary follow from the premises. What if John 3:16 doesn’t relieve “indirect existential pains” (whatever that is)? Are you claiming that all Christians aren’t afraid to die, because John 3:16 suppresses the subconscious fear of death? When I was a Christian I was very afraid to die, and I still had existential questions, how would you explain that? Or is the actual experience of a Christian not valid here?
It works in degrees with different people.
To be afraid to die is natural, i.e. to avoid death as in 1.
However the Christian [majority] is not likely to have a fear of physical death, since John 3:16 promised eternal life in heaven based on his 100% faith in Christ/Jesus. Surely a Christian must believed 100% [faith] in the promise of Jesus/Christ.
That you still had existential questions imply your rational mind was working against blind faith. This is perhaps the reason you was able to unchain yourself from the grasp of the terrible impulses of the subconscious fear of death.
For the typical Christian-proper, his subconscious fear of death is very active and powerful and the only way is the contract with Jesus/God’s promise of eternal life re John 3:16 entrench by the Christian’s strong blind faith.
This is why it takes a lot for the typical Christian to break away from the above bondage of faith and often they have to go through terrible stage of cold-turkey, for years in some cases.