Plato and Hick's Body and Soul Distinction

Short overview of what could be included in a compare and contrast question involving Hick and Plato for OCR A2

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  • Created by: JMitch
  • Created on: 25-05-13 17:04

Plato and Hick's Body and Soul Distinction

Similarities

  • Both Hick and Plato argue that it is possible for the soul to return to a non-physical world at death: Plato, the realm of the forms, and Hick in his Replica theory
  • Therefore both have to agree there is some form of non-physical aspect to the soul
  • Hick argues that ESPs and Telepathys point to a non-physical aspect of the soul but also suggest we learn something from the soul - This is similar to the Platonic which gives us knowledge from the forms

Differences

  • Plato is a strong Dualist whereas Hick takes a more materialistic approach to the Body and Soul distinction
  • Plato believes that the soul is made up of three aspects (reason, spirit and appetite), whereas Hick believes the soul is part of our mental characteristics
  • Hick believes that the soul is passed down through our Parents
  • Plato believes the soul comes from the realm of the forms
  • Hicks argument only points to a logical possibility whereas Plato's argument from opposites suggests a necessity to the existence of the soul
  • Plato's afterlife would be of disembodied existence whereas Hick has a semi-embodied existence with his view on resurrection and the replica theory

Overall comparison

They are both fairly different concepts and arguments towards the body and soul distinction. The main similarity is drawn through the Replica theory presneting the posibility for a non-physical aspect to the afterlife and the soul. However fundamentally the role of the soul and body are different and Hick and Plato take up different stand points in the argument over the body and soul distinction

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