1.2 - Human Nature and the Human Condition

Question 1

Give 3 arguments supporting materialism.

Answer 1

Occam’s razor - simpler to not believe in the soul
Brain scans suggest consciousness is just electrical impulses in brain
Buddhism: anatta - no permanent self, only karmic energy reborn
Changes in thought / feelings have physical effect on the body
No objective evidence of soul
Evolutionists: we evolved from a single cell - at what stage did we gain a soul?

Question 2

Give 3 arguments supporting spiritualism

Answer 2

God is omnipotent + omnibenevolent - without soul / afterlife life is meaningless
“Then the Lord God … breathed into his nostrils the breath of life” (Genesis 2)
Jesus’ resurrection - body disappeared
Near death experiences (NDEs), e.g. Pam Reynolds - brain not functioning during experience, ergo must be a soul, BUT - drugs / endorphins could lead to peaceful sensation, eye cells firing could lead to light tunnel
Hindus: samsara involves the atman (soul)

Question 3

Give 3 Christian views on the body.

Answer 3

Body is part of God’s creation so it is good. It is also made in the image of God.
However, it is weak (it can be damaged, diseased and it will die) and Augustine argued that the sin is the result of the body not listening to the soul. Augustine likened the body and soul to a rider (soul) and a horse (body)
Some believe the body is also resurrected with the soul as Jesus’ resurrection was physical - the body was missing. However, it is a different body; it is a ‘heavenly’ body as people were not able to recognise Jesus at first.
Body is weak to temptation and cause one to sin. “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26)