Basic Teachings of the Great Philosophers

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Basic Teachings of the Great Philosophers

VI. The Soul and Immortality

1. What is Aristotle's view?

Aristotle taught others that the soul is to be found wherever life is. Since signs of life are found in nature, the soul must be found throughout nature. He also believed that the human soul is higher than other beings because it has the ability to think in terms of concepts. He also stated that the soul of man has the power of reason. This reason perceives concepts just as the lower part of the soul perceives objects in the world. He believes there are only two types of reason. Creative reason and passive reason. Creative reason is a form and it existed before body and soul. Passive reason is passive and will perish when the body is ultimately destroyed. Personal immortality is impossible. The only part of the soul that survives death is actually part of God and simply returns to God.

2. What's Aquinas's view?

Alquinas had a slightly different view than Aristotle. Aquinas believed God created the human soul. This soul was immaterial and the intellectual and vital principle of the body. The soul is added to the body only at birth and this soul can will. It does not depend on the body for existence or function. Therefore, it can continue to act even after the body has perished. The soul forms a spiritual body for itself so it can live for eternity. Almost all of the Christian believers today still follow this view.

3. What's Bacon's view?

Bacon had an interesting view on the Soul and Immortality. His view is fairly different from anyone else. He believed the human soul was actually two souls, one divine or rational and the other irrational. He said that the divine soul could only be handled by religion and nothin...

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..., the knowledge gained is generalized or applied to similar situations. It then becomes a general principle. If a step is missed, then the hypothesis might be proven false.

8. What's your view?

I think that our human quality of curiosity helps us to think and experience things much better. When we are scared or frightened about something, it is a sudden reaction to get the chills. When we are sad, it is just a reaction to cry and pout. And when we are happy…it is just a reaction to smile from ear to ear. We do not learn these things or acquire them through our life span. It is something we are born with. You can tell you are born with these reactions and ‘human quality of curiosity’ because you did the same thing when you were a baby. When babies are wet or cranky…they cry. It is something inborn. I believe this will make us experience life to its fullest.

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