Frameworks that have historically accepted or at least engaged with the concept of Annihilationism (that consciousness can cease to exist as a thing):
Materialism (Carvaka/Epicureanism/Stoicism/Modern Secular Materialism/Etc) - The most notable examples of this. Materialism argues that everything emerges from and is dependent on physical matter, typically viewing the mind as dependent on physical brain processes. From this perspective, there must be nothing after death as the brain ends and therefore all mental processes end. Some Post-Enlightenment Materialists have attempted to argue for some form of continuation after death (Eternal Recurrence, Reincarnation, Quantum Immortality, various others), most of these are highly contested and/or considered Pseudoscientific. Stoicism also had various beliefs and interpretations of temporary persistence or potential short-term independence of mind however still typically believed cessation was the inevitable endpoint.
Christianity - Some early schools of Christianity as well as a lot of modern Christian philosophers argue that the “Second Death” and “Gehenna” were referring to the cessation of being rather than a physical realm of damnation, with continuation in itself being apart of the reward for following Jesus. This is most prevalent in the Seven-Day Adventists, Jehovah’s Witnesses and Christadelphian denominations whom all hold this as core doctrine, however various denominations including Anglicanism, Baptism, Anabaptism and various Classical Orthodox positions have wrestled with this as a possibility.
Kemetism/Neterism/Egyptian Religion/Egyptian Paganism - many of these traditions held the belief that post-death, if your soul weighed heavier than the feather of Ma’at due to your wrongdoings, your soul would be devoured by Ammit and you’d cease to be. This was considered the worst fate imaginable by those traditions and enormous resources were funnelled into funeral practices, mummification, tomb goods and the Book of the Dead specifically to avoid this.
Buddhism - while Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions hold varying metaphysical positions on what Nirvana means, certain classical interpretations of Theravada Buddhism especially held the view that achieving Nirvana was simply the cessation of all being, an interpretation still held by millions of Buddhists today. While contested, Secular forms of Buddhism typically accept death as singular and followed by cessation whether or not Enlightenment was achieved in the lifetime.
Daoism/Taoism - While various views exist, Philosophical Daoism/Taoism often views death as a transformation where the individual consciousness dissolves back into the Dao. Whether or not this counts as “Annihilationism” in the same sense depends on how you view it, however there is typically no “self” that continues.
Judaism - Jewish views on the afterlife differ massively, from Sheol (a dim shadow realm where all go) to end days resurrection to a Paradise for the virtuous. Jewish texts have always been very Agnostic on the specific question of the afterlife, as such, cessation has been an interpretation. Whether this cessation is inevitable for all life or only for the wicked or whatever else… varies.



















