Do You Have An Immortal Soul? | Prof. Edward Feser
Jun 24, 2024
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Prof. Edward Feser discusses the immortality of the soul and immateriality of the mind, addressing challenges to materialism, the immaterial nature of rational faculties, objections to the immateriality of the mind, and the connection between defending intellect's immaterial nature and the soul's immortality.
Human beings have immortal souls due to the immaterial nature of the intellect, setting them apart from purely material entities.
The mind's immateriality is crucial in rational thought processes, highlighting the limitations of materialism in explaining human rationality.
Understanding human cognition requires considering immaterial elements beyond purely materialistic views.
Deep dives
The Thesis of the Immortality of the Soul
Human beings have immortal souls due to the immaterial nature of the intellect, which sets them apart from purely material entities. The argument defends that human beings are not entirely material, as thinking is an immaterial process. Mortality arises from materiality, where the loss of form and organization leads to destruction. At death, only bodily activities and organs are destroyed, not the immaterial intellect, allowing for the survival of the soul beyond the body's death.
Rationality and Materialism
The computer model of the mind, equating it to software running on brain hardware, fails to explain rational thought processes like addition. Material representations lack the exact or unambiguous conceptual content inherent in rational thought. Even computers cannot definitively determine whether they are carrying out addition or quadition solely based on physical properties. The mind's immateriality is crucial in rational thought processes, proving that materialism cannot fully account for human rationality.
Arguments Against Materialist Views
Materialist views face challenges in explaining the mind's immaterial aspects. John Searle's argument emphasizes that computational notions are observer-relative and cannot fully explain the mind as a computer model suggests. Rational thought processes, including consciousness and intentionality, require immaterial components that transcend purely material explanations. The limitations of materialist views highlight the necessity of considering immaterial elements in understanding human cognition.
Implications for Understanding Mortality
Human immortality is linked to the immaterial nature of the intellect. Mortality results from materiality and the loss of form and structure in physical entities. The partially immaterial nature of human beings allows for the survival of the intellect beyond bodily death. At death, the human being is reduced to just the immaterial intellect, signifying a severe limitation but potential continuity beyond physical existence.
Defending the Immortality Thesis
The defense of the immortality thesis involves distinguishing the immaterial intellect from the mortal body. Death is likened to a full-body amputation, where the immaterial intellect survives beyond bodily destruction. The intellect, being immaterial, allows for the potential continuous existence beyond physical death despite operational limitations. The immortality of the soul hinges on its immateriality even amidst bodily demise.
This lecture was given on January 25th, 2024, at the United States Military Academy.
For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events
About the Speaker:
Edward Feser is Professor of Philosophy at Pasadena City College in Pasadena, California. He is the author of many books and academic articles on topics in natural theology, metaphysics, philosophy of mind, and ethics and political philosophy.
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