Soul + L.A.D (Dawkins, Plato, Aristotle, Resurrection) Flashcards
Define Materialist (Dawkins + somewhat Aristotle)
Human is purely matter and ‘aspects’ of soul are in the body
What is Dawkins view on what we are made of and what our goal is?
We are products of our genes
Goal and end: reproduction and death
Dawkins view on soul?
quote?
Mythological concept invented by ancients to explain conciousness.
“not an explanation but an evasion”
Dawkins soul 1 and soul 2?
Soul 1: REJECTS Traditional spiritual view, personality. The River out of Eden “we are just bytes of data”
Soul 2: “an intellectual or spiritual higher power”
“Higher development of the mental faculties”
Dawkins view on Life After Death?
Traditional religious views on soul are wrong.
Memes are ways in which we can pass on our cultural identity. IDEAS. Bytes of data.
Genes DILUTED in 3 GENERATIONS. Memes may live on forever eg: Da Vinci
Plato: Define dualism
Dualism: belief that the human person is made up of a body and a soul
Plato’s Analogy of Charioteer:
Black horse: appetite and desire
White horse: emotion
Charioteer: The soul, reason, balances the horses
Plato’s views on soul
Body = matter. Soul = form of the body
Soul pre-existany and lives on after death of the body. Soul forgets world of forms.
Questioned Socrates as people can find knowledge within themselves, already knowing it (Meno)
What is Meno?
Plato’s description of knowledge already existing that people can find withing themselves to question Socratic thinking
Plato’s arguments for dualism (also strengths)
+ 1: Beauty is remembering
+ 2: fits with understanding of body/soul as seperate
Weaknesses of Plato
- 1: no evidence of seperate body and soul
- 2: Dawkins Soul 1
Facts about Plato:
Greek
Dualist
Philosophy relies on contrasts between opposites
428-347 BCE
