Philosophy Body And Soul Flashcards
Substance Dualism
The idea that there are TWO ASPECTS to human beings, PHYSICAL and MENTAL
The MENTAL may be defined as the SOUL
Materialism
The idea that human beings are MADE UP OF PHYSICAL MATTER alone
Plato View on the Soul
Plato argued the SOUL is MORE IMPORTANT than the BODY
Soul Enables us to HAVE KNOWLEDGE
He believed The Soul is IMMORTAL and CANNOT BE DIVIDED
It is UNCHANGING and CAPABLE of KNOWLEDGE
Soul Characteristics Plato
Unchanging
Eternal
Non-physical
Possesses Knowledge
Simple-cannot be divided
Plato View on the Body
For Plato the Body is part of the EMPIRICAL WORLD and like all OBJECTS is SUBJECT TO CHANGE
This means it cannot be a RELIABLE GUIDE to TRUTH
The body allows us to GAIN OPINIONS via OUR SENSES
The body DISTRACTS US from our REAL PURPOSE ;PHILOSOPHICAL THOUGHT
Body Characteristics Plato
Changes
Temporal (Not eternal)
Physical
Gives Rise to Opinions
Made up of PARTS ( CAN be DIVIDED)
Inner Workings of the Soul -Plato
Plato stated that there were THREE ASPECTS of the SOUL
REASON SPIRIT and APPETITE/DESIRE
Inner Workings of the Soul /Tri-Partire View Analogy
Plato Creates the Analogy of CHARIOTEER in Charge of TWO HORSES
One of the Horses BEHAVES the other DOES NOT
The soul works best when the CHARIOTEER ( REASON) is in CHARGE
The Horses often PULL in DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS
Our APPETITE/DESIRE can lead us to UNHELPFUL THINGS
The SPIRIT needs to be DETERMINED to do the RIGHT THING
Plato Stated that a GOOD PERSON is someone who’s SOUL is BALANCED with REASON IN CHARGE
Soul:Past Present Future
Soul in the PAST was in the WORLD OF THE FORMS so it has the KNOWLEDGE of the FORMS before being PULLED TO EARTH BY APPETITE
In PRESENT soul is INCARNATED in the BODY and EXPERIENCES the Conflict between Soul and Body
Plato Describes the BODY as a PRISON for the SOUL
In the FUTURE, the SOUL will be LIBERATED from the BODY and RETURN TO THE FORMS or REINCARNATE to another BODY
Aristotle View on Soul and Body
Aristotle REJECTED Plato’s SUBSTANCE DUALISM
He believed the Soul and Body were NOT SEPARATE
For Aristotle the SOUL is the ESSENCE of our BODY
The SOUL is a FORM of the BODY
Therefore the TWO can NOT BE DIVIDED: The Body is ESSENTIAL TO US
The SOUL is the FORMAL CAUSE of the BODY
Aristotle Reasoning for Criticism Against Plato :Soul and Body
Aristotle Reasoning Comes from his understanding of the Forms
For Aristotle-a FORM Is a PROPERTY POSSESSED by SOMETHING
While for PLATO it is NOT ADDITIONAL to the OBJECT
Aristotle Soul and Body Eye Analogy
Aristotle suggest that if the BODY was an EYE
The SOUL would be its ABILITY TOO SEE
FOR Aristotle he is explaining how THERE CAN BE NO SOUL PRESENT without the BODY
Aristotle Hierarchy of Being
Everything living has a SOUL according to Aristotle
The Human Soul is made up of an IRRATIONAL PART and RATIONAL PART
IRRATIONAL- VEGETATIVE ELEMENT and APPETITIVE ELEMENT
RATIONAL PART-REASON
Aristotle Hierarchy of Being-Plants
Plants only have the VEGETATIVE ELEMENT which give them the ABILITY TO GAIN NUTRITION.
Aristotle Hierarchy of Being-Animals
Animals Have the VEGETATIVE ELEMNT as well as the APPETITIVE ELEMENT
Which INVOLVES MOVEMENT and DESIRE
Aristotle Hierarchy of Being-Human Beings
Human Souls have the ABILITY TO REASON
this is the RATIONAL PART of the SOUL-SEPARATES HUMANS from ANIMALS
Aristotle and AFTERLIFE
“The soul is inseparable from the body”
Does not BELIVE in After-life