There is ample evidence that when modern humans, homo sapiens, emerged some 200,000 years ago they began developing understandings of themselves and the world around them that included a realm beyond that directly accessible by their physical senses, a realm of spirit. This came to comprise a vast array of spirit forces and entities. We can speculate that many of these early humans believed that this realm was inhabited by their ancestors, and that when they died, they too would become part of it. Out of these understandings a vast array of beliefs developed about an afterlife.
For the sake of clarity I am proposing four very broad perspectives on the afterlife that characterize most of today’s beliefs: those provided by science, religion, metaphysical systems, and reincarnation.