Astral Body vs. Immaterial Soul

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Questions and Answers

What distinguishes the immaterial soul from the astral body model?

The immaterial soul is a kind of body.

The immaterial soul is perceived through the senses.

The immaterial soul occupies physical space.

The immaterial soul survives the death of the body. (correct)

Which philosopher argued that for something to exist, it must occupy space?

Plato

Henry More (correct)

René Descartes

Pythagoras

What belief about the soul and body was prevalent among philosophers until the twentieth century?

The body is immortal and the soul is mortal.

Persons are primarily souls and consist of soul and body. (correct)

Humans are made up of three substances: mind, body, and soul.

The mind is separate from the body.

What did most philosophers, following Descartes, associate the soul with?

The mind and its mental contents. Signup and view all the answers

According to the doctrine of reincarnation, where do immortal souls exist after death?

In a temporary incorporeal state before being reborn. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following concepts is NOT associated with the belief in the immaterial soul?

The soul can be perceived through senses. Signup and view all the answers

What view do some Eastern religions hold regarding the soul at the time of death?

The soul may adhere to a new body at birth. Signup and view all the answers

What is commonly accepted about the body and soul according to many philosophers?

The body is mortal while the soul is immortal. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary distinction between the physical body and the astral body?

The astral body cannot be touched but can be seen. Signup and view all the answers

Which characteristic does NOT describe the astral body as mentioned?

It possesses solidity. Signup and view all the answers

What happens to the astral body upon death?

It detaches and mourns in a separate region. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following reflects a common view in films and literature regarding the astral body?

The astral body is typically portrayed as a ghost. Signup and view all the answers

What are the two insurmountable difficulties presented against the model of the astral body?

Astral bodies cannot be seen during death and they require clothing. Signup and view all the answers

What is one similarity between the astral body and the immaterial soul models?

Both are considered to exist after death. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the astral body as noted in the content?

It has a solid figure. Signup and view all the answers

What concept is commonly associated with the astral body in literature and film?

The notion of immortality. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary issue related to morality and belief in God highlighted in the content?

The problem of evil Signup and view all the answers

Which philosopher claimed that the existing world is the best of all possible worlds?

Leibniz Signup and view all the answers

What type of evil is accounted for by human actions according to the content?

Moral evil Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following strategies suggests that certain evils are necessary for the existence of specific goods?

Evil as a prerequisite for good Signup and view all the answers

According to the content, what does the 'cognitive distance' approach emphasize?

The superiority of divine understanding over human comprehension Signup and view all the answers

What is defined as resulting from natural events like earthquakes and plagues?

Natural evil Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a strategy mentioned to address the problem of evil?

Moral relativism Signup and view all the answers

What can be a potential benefit of a world in which free will exists, even when it leads to moral evil?

Development of virtuous characteristics Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the positive strategies addressing the problem of evil?

The importance of free will in accounting for moral evil. Signup and view all the answers

Which concept suggests that some evils are necessary for certain goods to exist?

The idea that some evils are a logical precondition for the existence of certain goods. Signup and view all the answers

What is meant by 'cognitive distance' in the context of human understanding and God's will?

The gap in understanding due to human limitations compared to divine perspectives. Signup and view all the answers

What is one reason given for why morality is thought to depend on religion?

Religion offers motivation for moral behavior. Signup and view all the answers

What tension exists within the philosophy of religion?

The balance between abstract concepts and concrete religious practices. Signup and view all the answers

Which argument suggests that morality is independent of religion?

Moral truths can be recognized through reason and conscience. Signup and view all the answers

Why might the abstract approach to religion yield limited philosophical illumination?

It overly simplifies complex religious beliefs. Signup and view all the answers

What dilemma do proponents of religious-based morality face according to the content?

If God's commands are morally obligatory, they reflect independent values or are good by God's whim. Signup and view all the answers

What is a challenge posed by discussing religious pluralism?

The potential misrepresentation of individual religious beliefs and practices. Signup and view all the answers

How do some philosophers view the world's religions in relation to an ethical stance?

As multiple embodiments of one basic religious or ethical stance. Signup and view all the answers

According to Kant, what is a necessary condition for adhering to moral law?

The existence of God and the immortality of the soul. Signup and view all the answers

What criticism is leveled against Western philosophy of religion?

It neglects philosophical traditions of non-Abrahamic religions. Signup and view all the answers

What is the implication of alternative 2 from the dilemma mentioned?

God's commands are the ultimate source of morality. Signup and view all the answers

What problem is raised by the suggestion that morality depends on religion?

The notion that God could command immoral acts. Signup and view all the answers

How does the content characterize the relationship between morality and cultural convention?

Cultural factors can influence but do not define morality. Signup and view all the answers

What does the phrase 'postulates of practical reason' refer to in the Kantian view?

Assumptions for understanding moral law. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Survival of the Astral body

Primitive religions believe that humans are made up of two body substances: a physical body, and an astral body
The Astral body cannot be touched, but can be seen, and its appearance is similar to the physical body, except its color tonalities are lighter and its figure is fuzzier
Upon death, the astral body detaches itself from the physical body and survives; this is the type of immortality most commonly found in films and literature
There are two difficulties with the Astral body model: the astral body should be seen departing the physical body at the moment of death, and it's improbable that astral clothes exist

The Immaterial Soul

The model of the immortality of the soul is similar to the 'astral body' model, in as much as it considers that human beings are made up of two substances
Unlike the astral body model, this model conceives that the substance that survives the death of the body is not a body but an immaterial soul, which has no extension and thus cannot be perceived through the senses
Henry More believed that for something to exist it must occupy space, therefore souls exist in space
In the 20th century, many philosophers believed that human beings are made of soul and body, and considered the soul to be identical to the mind
Eastern religions and some ancient philosophers believed in the doctrine or reincarnation, where the soul abandons the body upon death, may exist temporarily in an incorporeal state, and may a adhere to a new body at the time of birth

Reasons to Morality depends on Religions

Religions provide motivation for people to behave morally
Through God who sets objective standards and who will punish or reward people

Morality is independent of Religion

Those who believe that morality is independent of religion contend that moral truth can be discerned through reasons, conscience or moral intuition
There is a dilemma faced by those who believe that religion is the basis of morality: If the commands issued by God are morally obligatory, then that is because either they express independently justified moral values, or God's commands are necessarily morally good. If morality is independent of religion, then what is morally good depends implausibly on God's whim

The Problem of Evil

The problem of evil is the most difficult issue concerning the relation between morality and belief in God
The problem is of ancient origins and has long been discussed by philosophers and theologians in the Abrahamic religions in relation to the Fall of Man—the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden
Leibniz claimed that the existing world is the best of all possible worlds
There are three positive strategies to account for the problem of evil: the importance of free will in accounting for moral evil, the idea that some evils are a logical precondition for the existence of certain goods, and the "cognitive distance" between human understanding and God's will
Some have argued that evil presents an overwhelming problem for theism, but it provides an argument for a life after death in which the injustices and inequities of the present life are remedied

Philosophy, Religion, and Religions

There is a tension within the practice of the philosophy of religion between those who philosophize about religion in general, versus those who consider the concrete expressions of religion in a specific faith
The term philosophy of religion became current in the 19th century, with many attempts to define or characterize the essence of religion in phenomenological or psychological terms such as the recognition of contingency, the feeling of absolute dependence, or the sense of awe before the sacred
Such attempts have no inherent purpose, and don't raise many serious philosophical issues
There is a similar tension in the discussion of religious pluralism, with some philosophers seeing the world's religions as offering multiple embodiments of one basic religious or ethical stance
Western philosophy of religion tends to concentrate upon the philosophical traditions of the Abrahamic religions, which may lead to being neglectful of other great faiths, such as Hinduism and Buddhism
This neglect can be countered by acknowledging that both religions and philosophy are constantly in dialogue and engagement with each other

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Description

Explore the fascinating concepts of the astral body and the immaterial soul in relation to human existence and immortality. This quiz delves into various beliefs about the nature of humanity after death and contrasts the two models. Test your understanding of these intriguing ideas.