Life after death Flashcards
1
Q
What is the definition of atman
A
The spiritual life principle of the universe, especially when regarded as immanent in the individuals real self
2
Q
What is the definition of the body
A
The physical structure, including the bones, flesh, and organs of a person.
3
Q
What is the definition of disembodied existence
A
To divest of material existence. (deprive someone of)
4
Q
What is the definition of dualism
A
Mind and soul are divided but linked
5
Q
What is the definition of gene
A
The part of the DNA in a cell that controls the physical development, behavior etc
6
Q
What is the definition of heaven
A
A place, state, or experience of supreme bliss
7
Q
What is the definition of hell
A
A spiritual realm of evil and suffering, often punishing the wicked.
8
Q
What is the definition of karma
A
A sum of some ones actions
9
Q
What is the definition of life after death
A
The state of afterlife
10
Q
What is the definition of materialism
A
The theory that our minds are inseparable from our bodies
11
Q
What is the definition of hard materialism
A
No soul or consciousness, no afterlife
12
Q
What is the definition of soft materialism
A
Afterlife, people are wholes
13
Q
What is the definition of monism
A
The soul and the body are a unity, the soul cannot be separated from the body.
14
Q
What is the definition of near death experiences
A
An unusual experience taking place on the brink of death and recounted by a person
15
Q
What is the definition of personal identity
A
The distinct personality of an individual regarded as a persisting entity.
16
Q
What is the definition of purgatory
A
A place or state of suffering inhabited by the souls of sinners who are expiating their sins before heaven
17
Q
What is the definition of rebirth
A
The process of being reincarnated or born again
18
Q
What is the definition of reincarnation
A
The rebirth of a soul in a person
19
Q
What is the definition of resurrection
A
The act of restoring a dead person
20
Q
What is the definition of samsara
A
The cycle of death and rebirth to which life in the material world is bound
21
Q
What is the definition of soul
A
spiritual or immaterial part of humans/animals
22
Q
What is the a level philosophy structure
A
Knowledge Understanding Evaluation Link 35 marks
23
Q
What is dualism
A
Dualism is the idea that there are two aspects to humans, the physical and the mental.
24
Q
What do some believe the mental is
A
- Mind
- Soul
25
What is the word cartesian referring to
Descartes
26
Which book did Plato write "I shall no longer remain with you, but shall go off and depart for some happy state of the blessed"
Phaedo- Writing of Socrates death
27
What does Plato think happens to the soul after death and the body
The soul will go back to the forms but the body is irrelevant
28
What quote refers to duality from Descartes
"It is certain that I am really distinct from my body and can exist without it."
29
What quote refers to the body by Plato
"The body is not the real me"-Plato
30
What if disembodied existence
Afterlife without a body
31
Summary of dualism
- The human person is a non-physical entity called a soul which can survive apart from its host body.
- At death comes the end of a person's bodily life.
- It makes sense to talk of the soul continuing to exist in a disembodied afterlife.
32
What is the Charioteer example
Plato paints a picture of a charioteer driving a chariot pulled by 2 horses. One is white, long necked, well bred and doesn't need doesn't need the whip. The other is black, short necked, troublesome and needs the whip to behave.
33
What does the charioteer represent in the chariot example
The charioteer represents intellect or the part of the soul that must guide the soul to truth.
34
What does the white horse represent
The white horse represents rational or moral impulse or the positive part of passionate nature.
35
What does the black horse represent
The souls irrational passions, appetites or lusts
36
What does the charioteer try to do
The charioteer tries to direct the entire chariot/soul, trying to stop the horses from going different ways, and to proceed towards enlightenment.
37
what is the 'great circuit'
This is what souls make as they follow the gods in the path of enlightenment.
38
What happens if someone is fully enlightened
They can see the realm of the forms
39
What happens if someone finds it hard to control the black horse
They can see the forms sometimes
40
What happens if someone is overcome by the black horse
They don't see the forms and the soul is overcome
41
What nice things is your soul incarnated into if you cant reach the forms
- Philosophers, lovers of beauty, men of culture, or those dedicated to love
- Law-abiding kings or civil leaders
- Politicians, estate managers or businessmen
- Ones who specialise in bodily health
- Prophets or mystery cult participants
- Poets or imitative artists
- Craftsmen or farmers
- Demagogues
- tyrants
42
How is the soul split
- reason
- desire
- spirit
43
What is the reason for
Searches for the truth, rules for the soul (Charioteer)
44
What is the spirit for
Includes aspects that can be trained such as aggressiveness, honour, emotion (White horse)
45
.What is the desire for
Seeking pleasure for yourself, desire for what is necessary, like for food or unnecessary like luxury items.(Black horse)
46
What does Plato say the soul is like instead of patchwork
Composite
47
General arguments in favour of dualism
- Body changes but as a person we are the same
| - We can think something without bodily display
48
What is anamnesis argument for
Recollection especially of a supposed previous existence. The idea that humans possess knowledge within us
49
What is the argument of opposites
Everything has an opposite so through death there must be life
50
What is the myth of er
Nothing can destroy the soul because it is immortal. A warrior was killed and his body was left, however, it did not deteriorate. His soul was sent to heaven where he could look down and watch, before returning to say what happened.
51
Arguments against Descartes
- He thinks the body is divisible yet his mind isn't, however he can't prove this so it is therefore invalid.
- Appearances can be deceptive EG. could be drunk but not look it. Disabilities
52
What view does Plato hold
Dualist view- the soul is immortal, whereas the body is mortal. Human soul is imprisoned in the body.
53
What is Plato's goal
The world of the forms, which can only be seen indirectly from the physical world.
54
Where does Plato argue real knowledge comes from?
The soul, he suggests that when we learn, what we are actually doing is recalling back to mind and knowledge about the forms that the soul had before it was incarnated in the body.
55
Why is Plato's view of the body negative?
He believes the body distracts the soul from seeking knowledge of the world of the forms. The body is the source of endless trouble to us by reason of the mere requirement of food; and is liable also to diseases which overtake and impede us in the search after true being: it fills us full of loves, lusts and fears. Takes away all power of feeding (Plato, Phaedo)
56
What does plato suggest true philosophers do
Avoid any distractions from the body and concentrates all his or her energy on gaining knowledge of the forms.
57
What are the three main aspects of the soul (Plato)
Reason
Spirit
Desire
58
What is reason for within the soul
- Searches for the truth
| - Rules the soul
59
What is spirit within the soul
- Aggressiveness
- Being honourable
- Emotion
60
What is desire within the soul
- Linked to the idea of seeking pleasures for yourself; Plato identifies many types of desire, such as:
i) Desire for what is nice, like food
ii) Desire for what is unnecessary, like luxury items
iii) perverted desires
b) Mercenary, because fulfilment of desires like these requires money
61
What is the evidence for different parts to the soul
The conflict between the aspects
62
What does plato say harmony of the soul is?
A virtue, which only happens when all parts work together. If they don't you cannot obtain true knowledge of the forms. Injustice comes from disharmony in the soul.
63
Problems with Plato's views on the soul
- Peter Geach rejects his views. He questions what it can mean for the disembodied soul to see the forms, given that seeing is a process that is linked to the body and experience through one's senses.
- Is learning really a matter of remembering? For many people learning concerns acquiring new knowledge and is not an act of remembering.
- Does the argument of opposites demonstrate the existence of the soul? Many people have questioned whether an argument from opposites can demonstrate the existence of anything, since the assumption that there are pairs of opposites can be challenged.
- Part of platos defence relies on the theory of the forms. If Plato's theory of the forms is debatable, this also undermines the theory of the soul.
64
The soul for Aristotle
The principle of activity and life of the body. It also gives the body form (structure and shape). It is an inseparable unity with the body.
65
Aristotle's definition of body
The body refers to the matter that a living creature is made of
66
Why did Aristotle say the soul is not matter
Matter can be given a form and be many different things, but what gives matter its shape and function is its Form. So just like a marble statue is physically a block of marble but it has the shape and Form of a statue. The soul cannot be separated from the body in the same way.
67
By suggesting the soul is the form of the body what does Aristotle mean
1. The soul gives shape to matter which is the body;
2. The soul is the principle of life or activity of the body.
hugh Lawson-Tancred uses a car to illustrate this. In Aristotle's way of thinking the form of the car is both its shape and its activity- driving. As the soul is the principle of life of living things.
68
Who suggested there are different faculties to the soul and not all animals have the same. There is a higher archy of faculties of the soul.
Aristotle
69
What facilities of the soul did Aristotle suggest
- Nutrition
- Perception
- Desire
- Locomotion (ability to move)
- Intellect
The faculty of intellect is what distinguishes human beings
70
What does Aristotle believe about the soul after death
He suggests the soul does not survive after death. His book De Anima does not focus on the question of the immortality of the soul. Its concern is to explain plant and animal life. However, Aristotle did also suggest that intellectual thought could possibly be separated from the soul and be eternal. Even if thought can survive after death, this is not the same as saying one's personal identity survives death. Some of his ideas are conflicting and unclear.
71
What do monists believe
A monist refers to anyone who believes that there is only one substance- matter- and therefore dualism is incorrect, since it postulates the existence of matter and non-physical substance. (body and soul)
72
For materialists what is the identity of a person linked to
It is linked to the physical body and when the physical body dies so does the person. Everything is explainable by reference to the mental activity of the brain.
73
What does the identity theory say
All mental activities are centred in the brain. This approach is supported by scientific research which can point to the modification of mood, behaviour and character by drugs. If antidepressants or alcohol affect our character this suggests mental activity cannot be linked to an immaterial soul or identity but to our brain. When our physical life ends, mental activity ceases.
74
Criticisms of the identity theory
ADD LATER (pg248)
75
Strength of identity theory
Nasa has created a function magnetic imaging scanner used to detect, successfully when people's attention was focused on different images. The thought of people could be read. The mind is material
76
What covenant did Dawkins use to prove his materialistic idea
God promised Abraham in Genesis 17 that he will multiply him exceedingly through his children. But he himself shall not live on.
77
What is the main basis of John Hick's replica theory and its significance
It presents one way in which the concept of resurrection may be understood. The significance of his theory is that he rejects dualism, while presenting a defence of belief in bodily resurrection. This contrasts many philosophers in history who have had monist views and believe there is no life after death.
78
What is Hick's replica theory
He starts with humans being a 'psycho-somatic unity'. By this he means human beings are a unity of physical body and the mind or soul. The two cannot be separated.
He does not think that a soul is like Ryle's ghost in a machine. The concept of mind or soul isn't a ghost in the machine but flexible and sophisticated ways in which humans behave and have it in them to behave.
Hick argues that resurrection is a divine action in which an exact replica of us is created in a different place. The replica is exactly the same but the location is not on earth. It could take place instantaneously or after a time lapse determined by God.
It isn't the same as a copy because there is only one can exist in one place and time.
79
Issues with the replica
- Hick says the person must have the same 'consciousness, memory, emotion and volition' but for some physical continuity matters and because the replica doesn't the exact same body is it the same identity.
- There could be multiple replicas losing individuality. Hick says we have not developed the concept of the 'same person' to cope with such a situation.
80
What do most Christians believe in
Resurrection, it shows God does not abandon people, even when they are dying.
-However some believe in Dualism.
81
Important points of Jesus' resurrection
- his followers didn't recognise him at first because he is changed and different.
- Jesus is described as a ghost or vision; he is risen from the dead physically but his body is transformed and different.
82
What is samsara
The cycle of birth, death and rebirth in Hindu belief. The jiva is reincarnated as human or other life form depending on the conduct of its last reincarnation.
83
What is karma in hinduism
In Hinduism it is the law of cause and effect
84
What is atman
Meaning 'self' It can refer to body, mind or soul depending on context. Ultimately it refers to the real self, the soul. Sometimes referred to as jiva
85
What does the status of the reincarnated body depend on (Hinduism and rebirth)
The actions of the united body and soul in the previous incarnation. If in the previous life the person was orally good, the soul will be reincarnated in a better body (eg. that of a wealthy person or even a deity).However, if bad
86
What do Hindus believe the physical world is like
A dreamlike state
87
What do Hindus believe reality is
Brahman, who is divine and transcendent
88
What does the souls place in life reflect (Hindu)
The law of karma
89
What is the soul (hindu)
The essence of the person
90
What is some evidence to support belief in reincarnation
-Children who remember events they were not present at, or people having a sense of deja vu.
91
What is Stephen Davis' point about the doctrine of karma
what is the connection between the person suffering and the past life? If the person suffering now has no memories of a past life and the link is only the immaterial soul. How is it that just the person suffers for sins committed by a different person in a previous life.
92
Three focal points many philosophers use to reject life after death
1. belief in an afterlife is the product of human wishful thinking.
2. There is no evidence to suggest that people do survive death.
3. It makes no sense to talk of a person surviving death, since a person is a physical entity.
