I must admit to have been a Trekkie — for the series with Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock.  But I’m not ashamed to admit that I never missed an episode, and still enjoy the reruns, although now I think some of the razzle dazzle technology a bit outdated, with the except of the tricorder (first smartphone?) and beaming people up and down and all around — no better way to travel.

Despite being popular culture, there were some episodes that had a real contemporary edge to them and a strong message.  I remember one where there were two races on this planet who hated each other with a visceral hatred that they could barely contain.  They were in mortal civil war at each other’s throats when the Enterprise showed up to mediate the conflict.  What was truly brilliant about this episode about racism was that the two races were in…

“You are a little soul carrying around a corpse.”  Epictetus

Epictetus Quotations

My Story

Is there an afterlife?  Religious people always think so, and how you are treated in the afterlife is based on how well you behaved while alive, so for them there is even a kind of morality involved in death — good people are rewarded, while bad people pay a dear price — for an eternity no less.  Fine.

I know we can’t peek beyond the grave, but let’s just think about what is undeniable about death.  For one thing, you won’t have the 5 senses you have now to interface with whatever the reality is after death.  You won’t be able to see anything because you won’t have eyes; you won’t be able to smell anything because you won’t have a nose — in fact, all 5 senses are not going to be available to you.  Another thing that is certainly missing is the brain.  You won’t be able to think…