Download The Self, death, and Afterlife

THE SELF, DEATH, AND
AFTERLIFE
Intro to Religion
DUALISM
 The self is composed of two substances, usually conceived as the
mind (or soul) and the body.
 Substances (mind-body) dualism – Descartes – “the ghost in the
machine”
 Thomistic dualism – Aquinas – the soul as “source of life and
ordering principle.
MATERIALISM
 Self is composed of the physical only. There is no immaterial soul
or mind
 Identity theory – mental properties are physical properties.
 The “mind” is just activity of the brain
 Functionalism – A black box with inputs and outputs – a living
computer
MONISTIC PANTHEISM
 The self is unified with reality, which does not have any distinctions.
Also, everything is God.
 Advaita Vedanta (Hinduism)
 The reality of Brahman
 The illusion of Maya
 The enlightenment of Moksha
 The truth of Atman
NO-SELF OR ANATMAN
 The self does not exist, for nothing has individual or independent
existence
 There is no substances
 Buddhist metaphysics
 Belief in substantial self is illusory
 The illusory effects of karma can be overcome through
enlightenment
REINCARNATION AND
KARMA
 Reincarnation is the view that the conscious self transmigrates
from one physical body to the next after death
 Karma – usually connected with the doctrine of reincarnation.
 Karma is the idea that we reap the good and bad consequences of
our actions, either in this life or in another.
 The law of the universe.
IMMORTALITY AND
RESURRECTION
 The nature of God – human aspirations to understand
 God’s Love is infinite
 The nature of the Soul – Plato
 Near Death experiences are widely experienced and have common
characteristics.
ARGUMENTS AGAINST
IMMORTALITY
 Dependency on the brain
 Physical brains are necessary for consciousness
 Personal identity – we are distinguished by physical features
 How is one soul distinguished from another?
 Eternal misery – eternal life might well be boring, pointless, and unfulfilling.
 An important concern for all belief systems
 Cultural expectations may influence near-death experiences.
QUESTIONS FOR
DISCUSSION
 Do you believe in the after death?
 Do you agree with the claim that eternal life would be pointless
and boring?
 Do you agree think science should intervene and attempt to make
humans immortal?