EVIDENCE FOR THE EXISTENCE

OF A SOUL

NEAR DEATH NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCESEXPERIENCES

Dr Raymond Moody’s research into the phenomenon of ‘near death’ experiences demonstrated that there were common features to the experiences, which included the following…

At the moment of death, the person has a feeling of being outside the body

The ‘dead’ person is able to observe what is happening and the setting in which the events are taking place

There is heightened awareness and an absence of physical

pain

Movement is unrestricted and the person is able to pass

through walls

There is a sense of indescribable bliss, ecstasy and peace

There is a rapid movement down a tunnel with a bright light at the end

Dead relatives and friends are waiting at the end of the tunnel

At the end of the tunnel is a beautiful place where they feel in the presence of a divine being

In the presence of this divine being, individuals are shown a panoramic view of their lives consisting of everything that they have done, and this is

displayed all at once

Individuals are made aware of the effect of their actions and how these have affected others

They see themselves as they really are and are able to judge themselves objectively

They realise the most important thing is to show love to others

Finally, they are told that it is not their time to ‘die’ and they are returned to their physical bodies

Think back to William James’ features of a mystical experience.

Why would many claim that a ‘near death’ experience is a mystical

experience

Regression to past lives under hypnosis

• There are people, especially children, who claim to have memories of former lives. Descriptions of past lives are given, which have been partly confirmed by historical records

• Others appear to have regressed to earlier lives under hypnosis. Some of these memories have been investigated and found to be accurate accounts of people and places from the past

Do you think the experience of déjà vu is a memory from a past

life or an electrical discharge in the brain ?

Can memories of a Can memories of a former life be former life be

classed as ‘proof’ of classed as ‘proof’ of earlier lives or the earlier lives or the

existence of a soul ?existence of a soul ?

Some Alternative Some Alternative ExplanationsExplanations

The individual might be remembering The individual might be remembering information gained in childhood and information gained in childhood and attributing it to a past lifeattributing it to a past life

There could be a cultural gene that There could be a cultural gene that passes down information about the lives passes down information about the lives of our ancestorsof our ancestors

Some memories may result from Some memories may result from psychological problems, which are psychological problems, which are manifested as memories of earlier lives manifested as memories of earlier lives when in fact they are suppressed events when in fact they are suppressed events from this lifefrom this life

Sightings of Dead PeopleSightings of Dead People

Dr Deepak Chopra Dr Deepak Chopra pointed out that pointed out that bodies are bodies are comprised of comprised of energy. They may energy. They may appear solid, but appear solid, but the truth is that the truth is that they are in reality they are in reality just an impulse of just an impulse of energyenergy

When an individual When an individual dies, the energy field dies, the energy field may retain his or her may retain his or her image and may be image and may be perceived as a ghost.perceived as a ghost.

He considered the He considered the ‘ghost’ to be an ‘ghost’ to be an individual’s individual’s consciousness, consciousness, manifesting itself manifesting itself through the through the remaining energy.remaining energy.

Others argue that ghosts are Others argue that ghosts are apparently manifestations of dead apparently manifestations of dead people. It is doubted that they are people. It is doubted that they are hallucinations because they are hallucinations because they are often seen by more than one often seen by more than one personperson

There have been sightings in the There have been sightings in the same place, by different people, same place, by different people, at different timesat different times

Other Explanations for GhostsOther Explanations for GhostsHoaxes or elaborate tricks to make people think Hoaxes or elaborate tricks to make people think that they have seen a ghostthat they have seen a ghost

The ‘stone tape’ theory suggests that just as The ‘stone tape’ theory suggests that just as magnetic tape is able to record events and play magnetic tape is able to record events and play them back, so, in certain conditions, stones will them back, so, in certain conditions, stones will record dramatic events and ‘play them back’ record dramatic events and ‘play them back’ when the same conditions are presentwhen the same conditions are present

Ghosts could be mistaken identity, or the power Ghosts could be mistaken identity, or the power of suggestion could lead to the mistaken belief of suggestion could lead to the mistaken belief that a ghost has been sightedthat a ghost has been sighted

SPIRITUALISMSPIRITUALISM

The belief that it is possible to The belief that it is possible to communicate with departed spiritscommunicate with departed spirits

The communication between those The communication between those that have ‘passed over’ and those in that have ‘passed over’ and those in this world takes place through a this world takes place through a mediummedium

A medium is an individual believed to A medium is an individual believed to have the ability to receive messages have the ability to receive messages from those in the spirit world and from those in the spirit world and pass them on to the livingpass them on to the living

Communication between the spirit world Communication between the spirit world and the living is regarded by many as and the living is regarded by many as evidence of life after deathevidence of life after death

Many mediums have passed on messages Many mediums have passed on messages from departed spirits that contain from departed spirits that contain accurate information, which was accurate information, which was previously unknown to the mediumpreviously unknown to the medium

These messages give comfort to the These messages give comfort to the bereaved as they suggest that their loved bereaved as they suggest that their loved one is still ‘alive’ in another dimension, one is still ‘alive’ in another dimension, and that at some future date they will be and that at some future date they will be able to join them able to join them

Investigations of some Investigations of some mediums have proved mediums have proved that they are fraudulentthat they are fraudulent

Others appear to be Others appear to be genuine and to genuine and to demonstrate that demonstrate that something extraordinary something extraordinary is happening when they is happening when they pass on messagespass on messages

It could be It could be communication from communication from departed spirits or it departed spirits or it could be some form of could be some form of telepathic access to the telepathic access to the minds of those who are minds of those who are still livingstill living

If spiritualism were If spiritualism were proved to be true, in proved to be true, in

what form would what form would individuals survive individuals survive

their death ?their death ?

MATERIALISMATERIALISMM

GILBERT RYLEGILBERT RYLE

1900 - 1976

Ryle was a materialist In The Concept of the Mind (1949),

he argued that the idea of the soul – ‘the ghost in the machine’ – was

a ‘category mistake’ It was a mistake in the use of language It led people to speak of the mind and body as different phenomena

Ryle’s Example…Ryle’s Example…

The foreigner expected the team spirit to The foreigner expected the team spirit to be be something identifiably extra to the something identifiably extra to the players, players, umpires, scorers and equipmentumpires, scorers and equipment

A foreigner watches a cricket game A foreigner watches a cricket game and asks, and asks, “Where’s the team spirit ?”“Where’s the team spirit ?”

Ryle argued that any talk of a soul was Ryle argued that any talk of a soul was talk about the way in which a person talk about the way in which a person acted and integrated with others and the acted and integrated with others and the world. It was not something separate and world. It was not something separate and distinct.distinct.

Ryle does not accept that it is right to talk of ‘mental

processes’ as a separate function, independent of the

body.Why does he describe this idea of a separate mind as

‘the ghost in the machine’ ?

There are TWO forms of There are TWO forms of materialism..materialism..

An individual’s characteristics are An individual’s characteristics are nothing more than physical onesnothing more than physical ones

Consciousness is nothing more than Consciousness is nothing more than brain activitybrain activity

The mind cannot be separated from the The mind cannot be separated from the bodybody

When the body dies, so does the brainWhen the body dies, so does the brain

Consciousness is more than just a brain Consciousness is more than just a brain processprocess

The mind and body are related and do not The mind and body are related and do not act independently of each other, but the act independently of each other, but the body often displays inner emotionsbody often displays inner emotions

A physical symptom may be caused by A physical symptom may be caused by something that is troubling the mindsomething that is troubling the mind

There is nothing we can do independent of There is nothing we can do independent of our mindsour minds

Our personal identity must involve our bodyOur personal identity must involve our body When the physical body dies, so does the When the physical body dies, so does the

mindmind

The Materialist PositionThe Materialist Position

Materialists argue that there is no Materialists argue that there is no scientific evidence for the existence of a scientific evidence for the existence of a soulsoul

Such an area is inaccessible to scientific Such an area is inaccessible to scientific activity so it would never be possible to activity so it would never be possible to prove whether or not a soul existsprove whether or not a soul exists

It is not possible to locate the soul in It is not possible to locate the soul in any part of the bodyany part of the body

The body is matter alone so there The body is matter alone so there cannot be a soulcannot be a soul

There is no survival after There is no survival after death because…death because…

Life depends on a Life depends on a functioning brain, nervous functioning brain, nervous system and physical bodysystem and physical body

Death involves the Death involves the destruction of the brain, destruction of the brain, the nervous system and the the nervous system and the physical bodyphysical body

Therefore, a person’s life Therefore, a person’s life ends at death as without a ends at death as without a physical form, life cannot physical form, life cannot be supportedbe supported

Rene DescartesRene Descartes

Descartes was a dualistDescartes was a dualist He included in the ‘mind’ all the feelings He included in the ‘mind’ all the feelings

and sensations that he could describe and sensations that he could describe but which he could not locate physicallybut which he could not locate physically

Everything non-physical becomes part Everything non-physical becomes part of the mindof the mind

I think therefore I

am

I am dying of a heart condition. I am informed that the technique exists to transplant my brain into the body of someone who has died of a brain tumour. I agree and my brain is transplanted into this new body. The body works perfectly and I have all my memories intact, but I look totally different. My friends and family no longer recognise me while the friends and family of the person into whose body my brain has been transplanted greet me in the street. Who am I ? Am I the person who died of the brain tumour or the person whose brain was transplanted ?Could I be a new identity altogether ?