Afterlife Without a God - Page 3

cc42 · #31 Jun 7, '12, 4:26 am

A thought cannot be divided or broken down into something material therefore it is immaterial. The intellect may work through the brain while it is still a part of the body so a person can become unconscious but that doesn't disprove that the intellect is immaterial.

**GEddie** · #32 Jun 7, '12, 4:32 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by cc42

A thought cannot be divided or broken down into something material therefore it is immaterial. The intellect may work through the brain while it is still a part of the body so a person can become unconscious but that doesn't disprove that the intellect is immaterial.

A flame cannot be divided either, yet it's existence depends upon the presence of fuel and oxidant (normally, but not always oxygen).

Since the thinking clearly stops when the human head stops working temporarily, it is a giant reach to say that it just goes on when the head stops working for all time!

ICXC NIKA

empther · #33 Jun 7, '12, 6:18 am

Quote:

The intellect may work through the brain while it is still a part of the body so a person can become unconscious but that doesn't disprove that the intellect is immaterial.

Consciousness, awareness, is a physical activity. The soul never stops acting, however. It's nature is to think and know, although the brain and therefore consciousness may be turned off temporarily.

cc42 · #34 Jun 8, '12, 9:30 am

A flame can be divided, anyhow the argument is that thoughts are not dependent upon physical porcesses while a flame is. A person can't disect neurons in the brain in order to locate the thought of a bunny rabbit for instance.

Consciousness and awareness are dependent upon the soul. Don't you think that souls are conscious in heaven?

empther · #35 Jun 8, '12, 9:47 am

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Consciousness and awareness are dependent upon the soul. Don't you think that souls are conscious in heaven?

Yes but in this life the soul is not directly conscious of itself. We are on earth for an earthly experience as a test of our faith and all the rest. Out nature is to be body and soul. As somebody said the angels look on our overcoming of the body's weaknesses with wonder.

In Heaven this wouldn't be good enough. We will think of all we know all at once. Clearly the body can't do this. So, as Aquinas says, we will be given a 'divinization' by which the soul will work independently of the body, like the angels, while still conscious of the body as is right for our nature.

cc42 · #36 Jun 14, '12, 6:32 pm

empther,

It makes sense to imagine that the mind is limited by our finite existence and limited body, but the rationality that the mind is immaterial is what I am arguing for as evidence of its possibiliy for existence outside the body, which is material.