Two Essential Perspectives of “Is There Life After Death?”
A look into Dualism v. Physicalism. A philosophical entry into the question of whether there is life after death according to the two different viewpoints. Recreated from the lectures of Shelly Kagan, a professor at Yale University.
Although there are many viewpoints on the situation, two of the most prominent viewpoints are the Dualist view, and the Physicalist, or Monist view.
The Dualist View, consists of two parts, hence the name ‘Dualist.’ According to the view, a person, is a combination of both a body and something seperate and distinct from the body, known as the mind, the psyche, or the soul. The mind is non-physical. The mind is a immaterial substance. The mind can also direct the body and give it orders. In addition, the body generates signals, that can be sensed by the soul, such as pain. Pain is physical, but the body informs the mind, it is experiencing pain. The body and mind both affect each other. The mind/soul, has no real spatial location either. Doctors cannot open a human up, and locate where the mind is, therefore it’s not necessarily in any particular part of the body, as spatial location inside of the body is used metaphorically.
The Physicalism/Monist view, states that there is one basic thing that humans are composed of, and that is the body. A person is a material object. Not to be mistaken that a human is plain, or basic. It is a very complex body, that can achieve great things, but it is material nonetheless, and has no such non-physical mind or soul that is not part of the body.
If the soul is immaterial, then when the body dies, the soul may be able to continue to exist, according to the dualist view.
Now, with the defining of these two distinct parts, death may be considered the severing of these two parts, if they do indeed exist. The soul, no longer giving input to the body, nor the body giving input to the soul.
A person has two basic building blocks now. If the person is the soul and body combined as the pair, then when the body is destroyed, the person would die. If the person is the soul and just has a strong tie to the body, you may not necessarily die when the body dies. It is similar to having a very strong connection with your house you live in, but when your house is destroyed, you do not die.
New issues include whether the body and soul are distinct, whether the soul survives destruction of the body, and how long the soul survives. If forever, are we immortal?
So now, the question lay in your hands, with two prominent viewpoints on the issue, neither yet able to be confirmed, so it is up to your pondering, and thinking, as to what your opinion is. Do you, a Human, live after death?
Liked it
