On this Halloween, its seems appropriate to consider the nature of ghosts. During our childhood, as will be evident this evening, ghosts are thought to be scary beings that, while unseen, make themselves evident via eery noises or unexplained phenomena.
As we mature, many humans retain their belief in ghosts. Most believe that they represent the spirits of the dead who, for one reason or another, could not depart this world. Others believe they are messengers, returning to ensure loved ones that they remain alive and well. In either case, ghosts are thought to be spiritual remnants of those who once walked the Earth, confirming the religious or mystical beliefs of those who accept their presence.
Of course, despite widespread anecdotal reports, which feed a lucrative business for psychics and other mediums, there is no scientific evidence that ghosts truly exist, though, theoretically, visual manifestations of past life could reflect aberrations in space-time that we don't yet understand. Many of us believe that ghosts are illusions, products of the complex human brain which are evoked by intense emotion, vivid imagination or fervent religious belief. Signs of spiritual communication from the dead are especially common after the death of a loved one, when grief alters our interpretation of otherwise random and meaningless events. Convinced that we are witnessing signals from the deceased, our grief is diminished by the assurance that their spirit lives on and that, someday, we will meet them again. Indeed, our fear of death is a potent force.
