Perpetual existence

[Horwood Beer-Master]

...I'm not sure if it's just human incredulity...

I am. It is.

The OP scenario could only "work" if there was a consistent, fixed number of conscious entities on the planet, or in the universe, depending on your woo-level. Otherwise where did the extra 4 billion human consciousnesses come from in the last 50 years?..

Minbari souls reborn in Human bodies?

I'll get me coat...

[hiyymer]

We have a deep-seated vision of ourselves as entities within a stretch of time. We plan for, and assume the existence of, the immediate future because that degree of forward planning is adaptive, and fits within our pragmatically derived consciousness.

The concept of this ending does not sit well with our hominid selves.

As a consequence, we have explored flights of fancy involving some form of continuation beyond death, both philosophical and religious for many millenia, all of which are dreams, none of them are worth tuppence...

Still a bitch, though...

I have never doubted that I will be worm meat as a matter of actual fact. But maybe the consequence is somewhat different. Maybe giving our pragmatically derived consciousness its way is okay, and even a good way to be. Science is great but it's not where we live.