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This study group provides an opportunity to explore fundamental philosophical problems surrounding death.

The Philosophy of Death study group provides an opportunity to ask questions such as: “What does it mean to die and who or what is the ‘person’ that dies? Is it merely a physical body, or is it also something like a soul, and, if so, does the existence of a soul indicate that there is some hope of immortality? What should our attitude toward death be and what effect should that have on the way we live our lives?” The study group uses a number of prominent philosophical and literary works—including those by Plato, Tolstoy, Montaigne, Jonathan Swift, Walter Kauffmann and Lucretius—to think about death philosophically.

Tags

  • death
  • kauffmann
  • lucretius
  • montaigne
  • philosophy
  • plato
  • soul
  • swift
  • tolstoy
View Full Description
  • Runs Sept. 19, 2011 to Nov. 4, 2011
  • Kind
    Study Group
  • Signup
    Non-moderated signup
  • Chat
    #p2pu-338-the-philos
  • Updates
    66
  • Organizers
    7
  • Participants
    2
  • Followers
    18
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People


C. Redwing, Ph.D. (organizer) CBizzle (organizer) Teresa (organizer) Rasika (organizer) mimi (organizer) simonlsays (organizer) hoganse (organizer) zkkman (participant) alaskagreen (participant) AJC (follower) Skatey (follower) kturla (follower) DawnMichelle (follower) TheCresteb (follower) tham (follower) Mr.adult930 (follower) MurderMedic (follower) miss p (follower) Philippa (follower) skorpyan7 (follower) Antje (follower) ved (follower) sameer gupta (follower) TR (follower) Ruud (follower) Special_Kev (follower) Amy Busch (follower)

Tasks


  • Activity Wall Introduction Discussion (Due 10/3)
  • Introduction: Philosophy of Death Study Group Introduction and Learning Outcomes
  • I. UNIT 1: The Metaphysics of Death (10/3-10/13)
  • Activity Wall Discussion #1 (Due 10/10, Follow-Up 10/15
  • II. Unit 2: Personal Identity and the Nature of Death (10/14-10/24)
  • Activity Wall Discussion #2 (Due 10/21, Follow-Up 10/24)
  • III. Unit 3: The Value of Death (10/25-11/4)
  • Activity Wall Discussion #3 (Due 11/1, Follow-Up 11/4)
  • IV. Study Group Survey (Due 11/4)

External Links


  • The Saylor Foundation
  • Saylor Foundation's The Philosophy of Death
    Teresa
    Teresa at The Philosophy of Death
    posted comment at I. UNIT 1: The Metaphysics of Death (10/3-10/13).
    10 Oct 2011 via courses.p2pu.org
    1 Comment

    Comments


  • C. Redwing, Ph.D.   Oct. 10, 2011, 3:10 p.m.

    There are two ways we can begin to think about the nature of death. One way is to suppose that human beings are composed of a body and a soul--a dualist view. If we possess a soul, then we can imagine that while the body dies, the soul may continue to exist in some fashion. Of course, having a soul is no guarantee that this is true, but it does appear to be a necessary condition for surviving the death of the body. The other way we can think about death is to assume that there is no such thing as the soul. This view, known as physicalism, asserts that human beings are entirely physical, once the body dies; there is nothing to sustain our consciousnesses. Do you find Plato's argument for the immortality of the soul convincing?

    In the Phaedo Socrates offers a somewhat “uncertain” theory of the existence of the immortal soul, it does not really prove anything, but does begin a long history of defining the arguments about immortality. Many of the conversants (including Cebes and Simmias) are physicalists, and seem to find it quite difficult to believe that the soul does anything other than disappear upon death into “breath or smoke” (70a). Socrates responds to these physicalist arguments by suggesting that the disembodied soul exists after the death of the physical body and that it is conscious and intelligent. Socrates uses the affinity argument (78b-80b) for the immortality of the soul. The soul has an affinity for the intellect and the body has an affinity for that which is perishable. Socrates suggests that the soul is “naturally” durable but Cebes still is not convinced it is immortal—what if a soul reincarnates many times but is on its last reincarnation? Socrates says “life” is akin to “soul” and thus, immortal.

    In the end of Phaedo, the soul is immortal because it is, in essence, that which animates the body—it is life force. Basically, life itself (an indestructible force) has an affinity for soul and continues to remain within soul, even after bodily death. Life is ensouled and must always remain so, or there would be no life.


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