Views about life after death across a range of religious traditions Flashcards
What does Immorality of the soul?
soul as non-physical and spiritual and continuing to exist after death of body.
What does Rebirth mean?
belief there is no unchanging soul and importance of karma.
What does Reincarnation mean? ?
transmigration of souls and importance of karma
What is the Replica theory?
notion that one can die in one body and continue to live in a different body while being the same person, including after death.
What is Resurrection?
Belief that God will restore the dead in bodily form to eternal life.
Why does the bible talk of the afterlife as a gift from God?
For believers it is a reward for fulfilling the roles on earth.
What does the Dhammapada state about reincarnation quote?
‘Like a fish which is thrown on dry land, taken away from his home in the waters, the mind strives and struggles to get free from the power of death’
What does Russel say about death?
Death is a biological function and a necessary part of the natural process ‘ i believe that when i die i shall rot, and nothing of my ego will survive.’
Explain Dawkin’s view of the concept of an afterlife?
It is meaningless and there is clear physical evidence of the destruction of the body at death. ‘We are grotesquely lucky to be here’ and that’s enough. We should value life as intrinsically special, there isn’t a need to ask beyond this point.
What problems does Ayer raise about language of afterlife?
There is no empirical evidence to verify an afterelife so language used is meaningless.
Explore ideas around the immorality of the soul?
In monotheistic traditions of Christianity, Islam and Judaism, scholars have argued that the physical body cannot live without the soul. The body is contingent and will decay and die, but the soul is non-contingent and cannot die.
What do the christian tradition say about immorality of the soul?
there is a distinction between the body and the soul. When the body dies, the soul carries on after death and travels to heaven or hell.
What is the notion of rebirth?
The buddhist teaching that we have no essential self or soul (anatta). Everything that has a conscious life is forever changing. Everything that changes is impermanent ( including phyiscal body). If the soul is not impermanent that means it must rid itself of all change and achieve nirvana, which is end of rebirth.
Is there an afterlife according to rebirth?
There is no personal afterlife but instead a cycle of rebirth(samsara). Rebirth is a fixed principle of reality, not something created by God.
What is rebirth governed by?
the law of karma ( ethically significant actions have consequences.)
What do Buddhists aspire to escape?
They aspire to escape from samsara ( rebirth) by recognizing the illusion ( thus reaching enlightenment (nirvana)
How does a Buddhist achieve nirvana?
Only once a person is free from desire can they escape the cycle of birth, death and rebecoming
How do Buddhist’s see life then?
As a stream of consciousness that eventually ceases upon the attainment of nirvana
What are strengths of the idea of rebirth?
1) There is some truth in the idea of constant change as I am not the same person I was 10 years ago
2) This idea of moral value; since we are constantly reborn we must constantly strive for good karmic effects. We are never just saved or damned.
3) · Could provide a solution to the problem of evil as we are suffering as a direct result of our past actions.
What are weaknesses of the idea of rebirth?
1) It is difficult to live without the idea of a fixed self. Surely it is good to know what we are really like.
2) Problem of verfiability - cannot be proven
3) There is no hard evidence for the law of karma affecting our lives
What is the idea of reincarnation?
Hinduism teaches that the soul ( atman) is immortal and seeks union with ultimate reality( Brahman). Those who perceive the world for what it is (an illusion maya) - may achieve release from the world ( moksha) and longer be subject to reincarnation.
What determines the body we reincarnate into?
Reincarnation is the belief that after death the soul will enter into another body. Hindu’s believe that the karma we generate through our actions in this life will determine the kind of body we will enter in the next life. If you generate good karma your soul will be incarnated into a being of a higher status and vice versa if you generate bad karma.
What do Hindus point out about the reincarnated soul?
hindus believe that a reincarnated soul carries no personal attributes from each life but the immortal essence (jiva) which continues into each life and learns new lessons to take into the next life.
Can Hindus argue that there is empirical evidence for reincarnation?
it lies in the fact that it explains many odd phenomena in human life e.g. our fear of death could stem from knowledge gained in previous lives.
What are 3 strengths of reincarnation?
1) Could provide a solution to the problem of evil as we are suffering as a direct result of our past actions
2) If the soul is independent of the body, then it is logical to suppose that it could have pre-existed.
3) General arguments in favour of dualism may support reincarnation: the idea that the thinking self is more essential than the body.
What are 3 weaknesses of reincarnation?
1) Seems unjust for someone to be punished for something they did in their past life
2) Scientists dispute many past life claims as they cannot be verified and are highly subjective
3) Were all these souls created at one moment or did they not have a beginning.
What is the John Hick’s replica theory about?
John smith lives in America. He dies. However, someone appears in India who looks like John Smith and has all the same memories as John smith. ( they are the same person. An all powerful God would be able to create a replica of a dead person and to place that person in a world inhabited by resurrected persons.
