Life After Death
- Created by: Katy Mills
- Created on: 19-11-12 19:58
Plato
Main points -
Dualist - the soul and body are separate things
The body is mortal and the soul is immortal
Our knowledge of the forms comes from the soul - as it comes from the world of the forms. We recall information about the forms - don't learn
Body is useless as it distracts the soul from learning/recalling the world of the forms
The body and soul are 'complex' as there are different parts to it - like a house 'simple' on the outside but there are different rooms on the inside
There are three aspects to the soul -
Reason - the search for truth and roles of the soul
Spirit - emotion, humour and aggressiveness
Desire for mercenary - desire for excess
Plato - continued
Main points -
He believes in disharmony of the soul - you are not able to gain knowledge of the forms
Injustice and crime come from disharmony - desires are not governed by reason thus destroying the harmony of the soul
Strengths in his argument -
Chariot analogy - soul = chariot driver, two horses = mind and body. The two horses want to go in opposite directions but the chariot driver has to make them act in harmony
Argument from knowledge - The soul needs to recall knowledge from the forms. The rules of maths and science etc. are true even before we know they are
Argument from opposites - everything in the world has an opposite. Sleeping and waking, living and dead.Therefore the soul has to exist in order to ensure an after life and make this opposite true
Plato - continued
Weaknesses in his argument -
Geach rejects Plato's view of the soul as he claims that the soul 'sees' the forms. 'Seeing' requires a physical body
Is learning a matter of remembering?
Is the argument of opposites a series of excuses to try and prove something that is intangible
Plato's theories of the soul reply heavily on the forms - the forms are debatable so soul is debatable?
Aristotle
Main points -
Monist - the soul and body aren't separate
Definition of the 'soul' comes from the word 'psyche' which does not tally with the idea that the soul survives death
The soul is the form and shape of the body ('form' is not to be confused with 'Form')
The soul is not a substance like matter; matter can be given any form
What gives matter shape and function is its form
There is a hierarchy to the soul - the soul is distinguished by intellect, giving humans leverage over animals because animals do not have rational souls
Strengths -
Does the soul survive death - ideas on the unity of form and matter in the body and the soul states that the soul and body are not two separate entities
Aristotle - continued
Weaknesses -
Kenny - 'inconsistant thoughts' that ration and intellect are eternal this is not the same as a persons personality
The idea that intellect survives death and not the soul conflicts with other views of Aristotle
Hick
Main points -
Monist (body and soul aren't separate) but provides evidence for afterlife
Humans are 'Psycho-somatic unity' - Humans are unity of the physical body and soul
Replica theory in order to explain resurrection
Resurrection happens right after death
Replica is not the same as a copy
He uses the word 'replica' because each person can only exist in one place at a time - the replica is the real you
Hick - continued
Example 1 of replica theory -
A person in London disappears and re-appears in NY
For the person in NY to be identified they would need to be seen by people in London that knew them
The person in NY is the same person as the person in London
Example 2 of replica theory -
Imagine a person dying in London
They are re-created in NY
The easier one to identify is the live body in NY because it is easier than just seeing the body
Hick - continued
Weaknesses -
This cannot work you cannot have two bodies in one place
When someone dies their body does not completely disappear their corpse is still there
Some philosophers believe that replica can mean copy
Lack of personal knowledge
Dawkins
Main Points -
Materialist view - no life after death
Individuals cannot surevive death but they can carry on after death through memories and genes passed to the next generation
Genes do not have a sense of goal or direction
Human conciousness has evolved because of the increase in likihood of survival
The human brain is like a computer
Strengths -
Logical and scientific view
There has been evidence given about genes
Dawkins - continued
Weaknesses -
Doesn't take into account human emotion
If we are only here to carry on DNA and protect it then what is the point in emotions like love, hatred, anger etc.
Surely the body would've evolved to get rid of emotions if we are just a carrying machine
Gives a very pessimistic view on life
Christianity
Main points -
Death is not the end of a persons life. There is an afterlife where the soul lives on
If they have been good they will go to heaven
If they have been bad they will go to hell and repent for their sins
They hope that if they follow Jesus' teaching and accept him as their lord or saviour then (like Jesus' resurrection) they will have an afterlife
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