How could ghosts be explained without an afterlife?

I've always loved well-done ghosts. However, I've always hated the afterlife-speculation that they engender if used in a story. So I need a way to get ghosts without the fluffy spiritualistic bits. This is not a value judgement on the afterlife, I just don't want to cheapen the concept with easy answers.

If we can get a purely 'materialistic' ghost, some sort of system to preserve and project the memory of a person or important event, that would make me much happier.

What defines an acceptable ghost:

1. Must be perceivable, and if possible by multiple people simultaneously.
2. Must be immaterial in some sense (i.e you probably should not be able to grab it by the collar) Nonetheless, I would like my ghosts to be able to generate sound.
3. Must resemble some formerly living person in some essential aspect (visage, patterns of behavior, speech if possible). I would love it if they were partially sentient/aware and thus interactive and endowed with a deceased person's memories (at least up to a point), so they would (mis-)recognize people and could be persuaded to share their secrets.
4. This is not vital, but if they need to be killed put to rest, I would love for a way to do so.

So, how do you construct a ghost?

EDIT: I was asked if I wanted mere ghosts (not necessarily visible) or full-fledged apparitions (visible). If you feel you have a good answer that would necessarily render ghosts invisible, I'm listening.

posted almost 10 years ago

Serban Tanasa‭

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