A2 PHILOSOPHY

Disembodied survival after death:

• Dualists - argue that we exist beyond our bodies. People are distinct from their bodies - after death they exist in a disembodied state. (Descartes thought this was possible)
• H.D Lewis - we detect mental processes quite distinct from physical ones. A non-physical self? 
• Swinburne - people could conceivably not be limited to using a chunk of matter for perception, knowledge and control. 
• Descartes - he can doubt his body but not that he exists. - Normal Malcolm argues against - if Descartes was right, we could doubt that a thinking being exists - this does not imply we were not thinking beings.
• Swinburne - it is coherent to describe someone as disembodied - to live means to participate in activities - which requires a body. 

Bodily survival after death:

• May be possible for me to conceive of life in a new bodily form - doesn't mean I actually will have life with a new bodily form.
• John Hick - argues for the possibility of replica bodies.
• John Locke (1632-1704) - the body is distinct from the person - it can exist in a spiritual world/ can move from body to body. 
• Brian Davies - after death we continue as a being that is physically continuous with what has died.