Arouet
Member
A "soul" or personal consciousness I think would have an origin, and there is no choice involved.
If that personal consciousness reincarnates, it is difficult to know what goes on between different lives. Was there really a choice? Or was the personal consciousness just conditioned which results in rebirth? And what is the state of consciousness after death? NDEs suggest that it is clear, but Buddhists in the Book of Bardo say that it can be confusing and almost dream-like. How do we know how we would act or decide anything in such a state?
Why do you choose what you choose in your dreams now? Why aren't all your dreams exclusively full of bliss?
As you suggest, there are many different hypotheses out there. I think the basis for the choice hypothesis is based on accounts of some mediums, NDEs reporting that they were conveyed information that we come here by choice. Some even suggest that we choose our particular roles.
The question of whether that is the case is a different issue but I think for the purpose of this thread we're just assuming the choice option for the sake of the discussion.