But what if the soul -the residual energy/information that doesn't register on our electromagnetic energy detectors- doesn't go somewhere else, but just, you know, snuffs out? Ceases to exist? That has always been my own depressing, humdrum assumption regarding death. No can be, says Nahum. Standing in the way is the First Law of Thermodynamics: Energy is neither created nor destroyed. It has to go somewhere...The question then becomes, Where does it go? The question is not, Is it there? It's there.
The quote raises a thought-provoking question about the soul and its existence after death. The narrator contemplates a rather bleak possibility that the soul, which may represent leftover energy or information, simply ceases to exist after death. This assumption brings a sense of gloom and pessimism about life and what follows. However, Nahum challenges this notion by referencing the First Law of Thermodynamics, which states that energy cannot be created or destroyed. According to this principle, energy must transform into something else rather than just disappearing.
This leads to a deeper inquiry about the fate of the soul's energy. Instead of debating its existence, the focus shifts to where this energy goes after death. The assertion is that the soul's energy must transition into another form, indicating that it is indeed present in some capacity. This thought evokes a sense of curiosity about the afterlife and the nature of existence, prompting reflection on the remarkable interplay between science and spirituality in understanding life beyond death.