Homework – is there a God

When the body dies, the soul lives onIt is impossible for anyone to live

forever

Philosophy and Ethics

Topic 3 - The end of life

Today’s lesson:

By the end of the lesson you will:

• analyse three different views on what a soul is

• examine Christian belief about the body and soul

• Identify Christian beliefs about the relationship between the body and soul.

THE SOUL

What part of our existence do we consider to be ‘us’ or the ‘soul’

There are three kinds of things which could be required for the continued existence of ‘your self’ (whatever this is).

1. One is bodily continuity; which may actually require only parts of the body to stay in existence.

2. Another is psychological continuity, for the continued existence of the self; by which is meant your thoughts, ideas, memories, plans, beliefs and so on.

3. And the third possibility is the continued existence of some kind of

immaterial (essence/spiritual) part of you, which might be called the soul.

• It may be the case that a combination of one or more types of these

continuity are required for you to survive.

 

http://www.philosophersnet.com/games/identity.php

• Scenarios: to give your ‘self’ the biggest chance of survival

Next up.. James Bond.. Start time: 1.55.47 (in

chapter 24) End time: 1.57.18

Pay particular attention to what James Bond has to say about his soul.

What conclusions can be drawn about Bond’s view of the human soul from this clip?

‘You do what I do for too long and there won’t be any soul left to salvage. I’m leaving with what little I have left.’

He seems to regard the soul as being a sense of ones self, but it is also a fragile thing which can be damaged or diminished by the action and choice we take in life.

Do you think that he sees the damage done to his soul as something that affects him in the HERE and NOW…or

in the eternal consequences in HEAVEN and HELL.

Bond seems to think that doing what he does (cold blooded killer) will cost him his soul.

Do you agree with Bond's assessment of the soul. Doyou think that there is such a thing as 'soul'?

Questions…

Three contrasting points of view concerning the human soul.

• The modern scientific materialist view (Francis Crick), who concentrates on the processes of the body and denies the soul

• The philosophical view of ‘Descartes’, who concentrates on the human thought process.

• The Christian view which unites the body and soul, with an emphasis on their interdependence

• discuss in pairs how you feel about this theory.

• do you accept the idea that you are nothing more than a machine?

• how would you explain your thoughts and emotions?

• how could you use this theory to explain why you didn't do last week's homework?

• How would you respond to Descartes' ideas? • Which theory do you prefer – materialism or

idealism?• Is there anything wrong with this idea?

Christian's believe they will still be embodied souls, although the nature of the heavenly bodies will not necessarily be the same as earthly bodies.• In which case, what will they be like?

Christian beliefs about the soul

• Christians believe humans have a mind and a body, and something else (a soul) which makes them unique. The immortal soul lives forever.

• Ideas include:

1. Not physical

2. Lives on forever after the body dies

3. The spiritual aspect of a human (unique)

4. Allows a relationship with God (a spiritual connection)

Christian beliefs (see worksheet)

• Christians believe that every person has a soul, and this soul has been given by God.

• It is said that God gave Adam “the breath of life.” (This is said to be the soul).

• It says in Genesis 2:7 “The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostril the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” What could this mean?

Philosophy and Ethics

Topic 3 - The end of life

Obj:

1. analyse three different views on what a soul is

2. examine Christian belief about the body and soul

3. Identify Christian beliefs about the relationship

between the body and soul.

Do you have the soul for this…1. Give a definition of the soul…

2. It is said that God gave Adam “the breath of life.” What does this mean?

3. What book of the Bible does this appear?

4. Give a definition of eulogy

5. Name two things Christians believe about the soul…

6. Give a definition of purgatory

7. Who is Francis Crick; what did he say?

8. The idea that sins can be forgiven and a person can be redeemed. Jesus is seen to be the redeemer - What is the word?

9. What is

10.The rising again of Jesus on the third day after the

Crucifixion - What is the word?

11. Jesus came to earth to save people from their sins –

What is the word?

You should have finished this 5 minutes ago

The philosophical view of ‘Descartes’ (Idealism).

• Belief in the soul will affect a Christian’s view on what happens when we die.

• If you have been ‘good’ in this life then Christians believe your soul will return to God in Heaven.

• The soul can become damaged through sin, which could hinder the soul’s path to Heaven upon death.

• There are different Christian beliefs:– Some believe that the body and soul are

separate entities. Only the soul goes to heaven. (Plato 424-347BC)

– Others believe that the body and soul cannot be separated. The body and soul both go to heaven.

– Some Christians believe that you will get a new body in heaven.

So why these different beliefs?• Due to the teachings of St. Paul in the

New Testament (Corinthians 15: 42b-44).

• He spoke of the imperishable soul, “The body that is sown is perishable”. In other words, the body on earth decays but the soul is everlasting. http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=1+Corinthians+15%3A42-44

• He uses the example of planting a seed which then dies so that the plant will grow.

The relationship between the body and the soul...

• Nicene Creed states ‘I believe…in the resurrection of the body’.

• Christians’ debate whether this is a physical or spiritual body.

• Again, St Paul argues that the proof of this is with Jesus, as God raised Him from the dead and he ascended to heaven. ‘This will happen to them in death if they believe’.

So what do these different beliefs mean when it comes to death?

• If a person believes that it is only the soul that will go to Heaven, then they will accept cremation as a form of burial.

• If a person believes that it is both the body and soul which will return to Heaven, then they will not agree with cremation as they believe that the body will be raised on Judgement day to return to God.

What do you think a Christian would understand by the term eternal life?

• Christians belief:

Definition – Life as God intended it to be lived, with Him. It starts on earth and continues in heaven forever.

What about animals?

Some Christians believe that humans and animals were made differently, and only humans were given souls by God. This is because it was believed that God made man in His own image.

Explain ideas about the body and soul [6 marks]

There are different Christian beliefs:

Nicene Creed

Lives on forever

relationship with God (a spiritual connection)

unique

Life Designs• In your book, write a

paragraph:– If you could pick what

happened to you when you die, from one of the beliefs we have looked at today, what would you like to happen?

– How would you prepare yourselves to enter this next life?

– Would you be in another form? If so, what? And why would you choose to be in this form?

– Would you have any new powers in your new form which may help others?

• According to materialism, the human being is a machine that has no user, and our feelings of being a unique individual are false; we are simply at the mercy of our bodily and mental functions. This perspective is sometimes described as 'nothing buttery', not because of any aversion to dairy spreads, but because it says the mind is nothing but the physical component parts.

• Read the following quote from one of the discoverers of DNA, Francis Crick:

'Your joys, your sorrows, your memories and your ambitions, your sense of personal identity and free will are no more than the behaviour of a vast assembly of nerve cells and their assorted molecules. 'You're nothing but a pack of neurons.’

• Ask the class to discuss in groups how they feel about this theory.• Do you accept the idea that you are nothing more than a machine?• How would you explain your thoughts and emotions?• How could you use this theory to explain why you didn't do last week's

homework?

Descartes – idealism

The phrase 'Cogito ergo sum' (I think therefore I am).

What does this mean?

Explain that it was coined by the philosopher Descartes.

He doubted the existence of the outside world, but he could not prove false his own doubting. He therefore thought that he must exist because he was thinking these thoughts.

• For Descartes the world of thoughts and reflection was more important than the material world.

• Descartes' theory – idealism – is opposed to the materialism of Crick. For him the human spirit, particularly reason, is our reality. To claim that we are nothing but machines is a denial of the human experience we share.

• How would you respond to Descartes' ideas. Which theory do they prefer – materialism or idealism?

• Is there anything wrong with this idea?

The third view point is the biblical Christian perspective. • The Bible provides a view of a person as being both

body and soul. • This is not to say that there are two versions of people.• Rather, Christians believe they have a body but that they

are the soul. A complete person is an embodied soul –• In heaven Christian's believe they will still be embodied

souls, although the nature of the heavenly bodies will not necessarily be the same as earthly bodies. (See worksheet).

Buddhists

• Buddhists do not believe in a ‘soul’ as such. They believe that we have an ‘essence’ which moves from one life to the next. It links you to your previous life but is not a part of you.