一些研究死亡的神经科学家会用“比真实更真（Realer than real）”来形容濒死体验，这一说法来源于一些声称“经历”过死亡的人对濒死体验的形容。 但生者真的能”经历“死亡么？对死亡的解释究竟是来自幻想还是真实？或者说所谓濒死体验只是在死之前的，与死本身毫无关系的某个瞬间。 活着的人对死亡的解释永远只能在死的意义而非死的本身。很多时候对活着的人来说只有死所带来的才是重要的。

因此我们需要不断描摹死的边缘，感受死的形状，不是死是什么，而是死于生者意味着什么。纯粹理性无法解释超越经验的死后（After life）。也许死是存在的，就像海德格尔说的，我们从诞生开始就一直在死。也许死是不存在的，没有人可以证明死，没有人可以证明这世上存在一种终极的结束。 人为什么要幻想死，人对死的欲望和恐惧从何而来。对死的幻想几乎能彻底改变人活着的状态，幻想轮回的人选择承受更多苦难，幻想地狱的人开始畏惧罪恶，幻想虚无的人眼中只剩当下。

生者需要死，需要死作为一种内在的驱动力，所以生者幻想死，甚至幻想死不存在。


Some neuroscientists studying death use the phrase "Realer than real" to describe near-death experiences, a term originating from descriptions given by those who claim to have "experienced" death. But can the living truly "experience" death? Are interpretations of death born from fantasy or reality? Or are so-called near-death experiences merely moments before death, utterly unrelated to death itself?For the living, any interpretation of death can only grasp its meaning, never its essence. Often, for the living, only what death brings is important.

Therefore, we must continually trace the edges of death, feel its contours—not to know what death is, but to understand what it means to the living. Pure reason cannot explain the realm beyond life after death, as it lies beyond experience.Perhaps death exists—as Heidegger suggested, we are dying from the moment we are born. Perhaps death does not exist—no one can prove death; no one can prove that an ultimate end exists in this world.

Why do humans fantasize about death? Where do the desire for and fear of death come from? Fantasies about death can utterly transform how one lives: those who envision reincarnation choose to endure greater suffering; those who envision hell begin to dread sin; those who envision nothingness see only the present moment.
The living need death. They need death as an inner driving force. Thus, the living fantasize about death—even fantasizing that death does not exist.