immortality plato and penelhum. plato and immortality socrates was convicted by the athenians of...
TRANSCRIPT
ImmortalityImmortality
Plato and PenelhumPlato and Penelhum
Plato and ImmortalityPlato and Immortality
Socrates was convicted by the Athenians Socrates was convicted by the Athenians of impiety and the corruption of youthof impiety and the corruption of youth
Plato’s Plato’s PhaedoPhaedo describes Socrates’ final describes Socrates’ final day in prison and his deathday in prison and his death
Was developed by Plato during his middle Was developed by Plato during his middle period where it seems that he was period where it seems that he was beginning to develop Socrates’ ideasbeginning to develop Socrates’ ideas In an earlier dialog Socrates was unsure of In an earlier dialog Socrates was unsure of
the status of the soul after death.the status of the soul after death.
The Theory of FormsThe Theory of Forms
In addition to the sensible world (in space In addition to the sensible world (in space and time), there is another world that can and time), there is another world that can be grasped only by the mindbe grasped only by the mind
This intelligible (non-sensible) world This intelligible (non-sensible) world consists of Forms consists of Forms
Sensible things arise by participating in the Sensible things arise by participating in the corresponding Form corresponding Form They exist insofar as they embody the They exist insofar as they embody the
perfection of the corresponding Formperfection of the corresponding Form
The Exclusion of OppositesThe Exclusion of Opposites
In In PhaedoPhaedo, Socrates explains that a Form , Socrates explains that a Form is completely what it is, and contains is completely what it is, and contains nothing of its opposite nothing of its opposite Absolute largeness will never contain Absolute largeness will never contain
absolute smallnessabsolute smallness As something small grows, it moves from the As something small grows, it moves from the
Form of smallness to one of LargenessForm of smallness to one of Largeness
Fire, Snow, and SoulFire, Snow, and Soul The essential trait of fire is hotness and the The essential trait of fire is hotness and the
essential trait of snow is coldnessessential trait of snow is coldness Heat is the opposite of cold and if heat approaches Heat is the opposite of cold and if heat approaches
snow it will be incompatible with the cold of snowsnow it will be incompatible with the cold of snow When heat overtakes snow it will cease to existWhen heat overtakes snow it will cease to exist
A rock will become hot because heat is the A rock will become hot because heat is the essential trait of fireessential trait of fire
He then uses this for the human bodyHe then uses this for the human body What make the body alive?What make the body alive? A body is alive because it has a principle of life, and the A body is alive because it has a principle of life, and the
name of this principle is soulname of this principle is soul As heat is the essential trait of fire, life is the essential As heat is the essential trait of fire, life is the essential
trait of soultrait of soul
Life Excludes DeathLife Excludes Death
No thing can appropriate a quality that is No thing can appropriate a quality that is the opposite of a quality that is an the opposite of a quality that is an essential part of its natureessential part of its nature Fire cannot receive cold and still be fireFire cannot receive cold and still be fire
The opposite of lie is deathThe opposite of lie is death Life is the essence of the soulLife is the essence of the soul
The soul cannot appropriate death and still be The soul cannot appropriate death and still be a soula soul
Because the soul cannot receive death, it is Because the soul cannot receive death, it is immortalimmortal
The Immortal and the ImperishableThe Immortal and the Imperishable
He shows that the soul is immortal but in what sense?He shows that the soul is immortal but in what sense? The soul is deathless so it cannot be dead and still be a The soul is deathless so it cannot be dead and still be a
soul (like a fire cannot be cold and still be a fire)soul (like a fire cannot be cold and still be a fire) Perhaps when the body dies, the soul retreats into Perhaps when the body dies, the soul retreats into
nothingnessnothingness Plato has to show that the soul is not only immortal but Plato has to show that the soul is not only immortal but
imperishableimperishable He argues that everything that is immortal is also He argues that everything that is immortal is also
imperishableimperishable he says that it is obvious that there must be some things that are he says that it is obvious that there must be some things that are
imperishable and if anything is to be included in this group it imperishable and if anything is to be included in this group it would be immortal thingswould be immortal things
Since the essential trait of the soul is life, it would be paradoxical Since the essential trait of the soul is life, it would be paradoxical if the soul perished at the approach of deathif the soul perished at the approach of death
Terence PenelhumTerence Penelhum
Born in 1929; went to Edinburgh University Born in 1929; went to Edinburgh University and then Oxford; taught at Yale and the U and then Oxford; taught at Yale and the U of Alberta in Edmonton, Canadaof Alberta in Edmonton, Canada
Sees the question of immortality as closely Sees the question of immortality as closely related to the notion of personal identityrelated to the notion of personal identity
If I believe that my soul survives death, in If I believe that my soul survives death, in what sense does “I” exist in the next life?what sense does “I” exist in the next life?
Spiritual Substance and IdentitySpiritual Substance and Identity
Two criteria for personal identityTwo criteria for personal identity Mental criterion theory: what makes a person Mental criterion theory: what makes a person
the same is the spiritual substancethe same is the spiritual substance Penelhum rejects this because we cannot Penelhum rejects this because we cannot
observe any such spiritual either in ourselves observe any such spiritual either in ourselves or in other peopleor in other people
So we have no way of knowing if it is true if So we have no way of knowing if it is true if we or anybody else are the same over timewe or anybody else are the same over time
Memory and IdentityMemory and Identity Memory is a mental criterion alternative to spiritual Memory is a mental criterion alternative to spiritual
substancesubstance It does not require an unchanging spiritual core because It does not require an unchanging spiritual core because
it is a a relationship among fleeting mental eventsit is a a relationship among fleeting mental events Penelhum finds two problemsPenelhum finds two problems
People forget having done things; if memory is of a past event is People forget having done things; if memory is of a past event is the criterion for determining if he or she is the same person who the criterion for determining if he or she is the same person who did the deed, then the memory criterion is inadequate; because I did the deed, then the memory criterion is inadequate; because I don’t remember doing something doesn’t mean that I didn’t do it.don’t remember doing something doesn’t mean that I didn’t do it.
To say that a person remembers doing something means not To say that a person remembers doing something means not merely that the person remembers it but that it is true.merely that the person remembers it but that it is true.
To determine whether it is true we need to know if the person To determine whether it is true we need to know if the person actually did itactually did it
• In order to determine this we need a criterion of identity independent In order to determine this we need a criterion of identity independent of memoryof memory
• The body seems to be the most plausibleThe body seems to be the most plausible
Resurrection and Personal SurvivalResurrection and Personal Survival
If the body is necessary for personal identity If the body is necessary for personal identity then it would seem difficult to defend a belief in then it would seem difficult to defend a belief in immortalityimmortality
How could I survive death and continue to be me How could I survive death and continue to be me in another world?in another world?
One way to resolve this is to believe in the One way to resolve this is to believe in the resurrection of the body and through the power resurrection of the body and through the power of God we are reunited body and soulof God we are reunited body and soul
Penelhum disagrees with this too because Penelhum disagrees with this too because identity would be based on the new bodies identity would be based on the new bodies
There would be no continuity between this life There would be no continuity between this life and the nextand the next