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