Lecture 26: The Possibility of Life After Death (Part 3)
Overview
- Focus on the possibility of bodily resurrection.
- Previous lecture dealt with the concept of immaterial souls.
- A Christian account requires both an immaterial soul with an intermediate state and the possibility of bodily resurrection.
Key Questions
- What is needed to accomplish bodily resurrection?
- What kind of body is required for resurrection?
- The answer depends on the definition of a human person (anthropology):
- Body
- Soul
- Combination of body and soul
Theories of Human Personhood
1. Substance Dualism
- Belief: You are your soul.
- Implication: Resurrection is easy because only a duplicate body is needed.
- Example: The soul can inhabit a new, identical body.
2. Materialism/Physicalism
- Belief: You are your body.
- Implication: The same physical body must be resurrected; a duplicate body won't suffice.
3. Composite View (Hylomorphism)
- Belief: You are a composite of body and soul.
- Implication: Both body and soul must survive. The resurrection body must be numerically identical to the current body.
Concepts of Sameness and Identity
- Phenomenological/Qualitative Sameness: Objects appear the same but are not numerically identical (e.g., identical shirts).
- Numerical Identity: The exact same object over time.
- Numerical identity is crucial for materialism and hylomorphism in resurrection.
Historical Christian Views on Resurrection
- Reassembly Model: Most of Christian history sees resurrection as a reassembly of the exact physical parts.
- Cannibal Objection: Challenges the reassembly model by questioning how God resurrects bodies with shared components.
Alternative Models
1. Brain Snatching Model (Peter Van Inwagen)
- Concept: God snatches the brain before death and replaces it with a duplicate.
- Goal: Show logical possibility even if it’s not realistic.
2. Body Fission Model (Dean Zimmerman)
- Concept: Body splits into two; one becomes the corpse, the other continues to live.
- Criticism: Logical possibilities but not actual accounts of resurrection.
Criticisms and Further Thoughts
- Logical Possibility: Important to counter atheist claims of impossibility.
- Desire for Realism: Need more than logical possibilities; seek actual mechanisms.
- Upcoming Lectures: Will explore reassembly possibility further, argue against cannibal objection as a definitive problem.
Conclusion
- The lecture explores diverse theories of bodily resurrection.
- Further analysis in future lectures will address potential solutions to objections and practical implications.
Note: This summary outlines key concepts in understanding bodily resurrection from philosophical and theological perspectives.