Life After Death

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  • Created by: samantha
  • Created on: 03-04-13 23:58

Life After Death

There are two different parts of Life after death. Part 1 which is about comparing differenty TYPES of LAD such as Resurrection etc and Part 2 which is all about general philosophical arguments.

PART 1 - DIFFERENT TYPES OF LIFE AFTER DEATH

Monism Vs Dualism. 

Dualism is strengthened by philosophers like Descartes who wanted to prove the mind or soul exists separately from the body in the act of thought: "I Think therefore I am". The thinking self is different from the physical. Advantage = allow for mental continuity between life and afterlife.

X Issue of "ghost in the machine" (Gilbert Ryle) and lack of scientific evidence for a seperate soul - no proof at all?

Monism fits with neurological views - our minds/selves are aspects of anatomy (our brain). It makes sense to assume that mind and body form single organism, behaviourism of Gilbert Ryle - consciousness not caused by soul but a reflection of complex  behaviour. Religious advantage would be value on the body - ascetics have wrongly denied themselves all physical comforts, could it be better off celebrating physical rather than just soul?

Resurrection.

Latin "Raised up again". Promise of a post-death existence in a re-created human body (perfect but not disembodied soul). Monist theory where physical body required for redeption. Tradition "eschatological" teaching of Christianity, Judaism and Islam - concerned with end of time.

* Ezekiel 37 - God shows Ezekiel a valley of dry bones and states he is able to make these live again.

* 1 Corinthians 15 - St paul argues in favour of the body being "Raised imperishable".

For resurrection :)

Saint Paul argued in favour on 2 grounds. First = Jesus resurrected we should hope to be same. 2nd = God created many types of body must be able of creating perfect. If God is creater resurrection is a totally coherent idea guys!

Aquinas adopted the Aristotlian idea that a person has no truly independent soul ('the natural condition of the human soul is to be united with a body". Can make sense of selves without body.

Mixed feelings from christians and jewbies, traditional teaching supported by la bibiolteca however many find idea of disembodied soul going to heaven more comforting. Rowan Williams said it lies "on the frontier of any possible language". A diffcult, mystical idea but a part of Christian Faith. Is it acceptable to maintain a belief in something that cannot adequately be described?

Against resurrection :(

Christian arguments about creation or resurrection of Jesus wont be persuasive to non-believers, too scripture based.

Idea of physical body being re-made seems strange and mythologicy - plausible in 21st century?

Body seen as a source of flaws and limitations, suffering, desire, disease - may be better off as non-material souls or spirits!!

No empirical evidence for this *****. AJ Ayer would rip this apart with his Verification principle.

Immortality of the soul

The belief that the soul is a distinct and immortal entity within the

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