In the reading by Richard Swinburne, he evaluates the mortality of the soul and its interaction with the human body. His position is best described as attributing the soul to a light bulb, and the brain to a functioning socket:
“If the socket (brain) is damaged or the current turned off, the light (soul) will not shine. So, too, the soul will function if it is plugged into a functioning brain. Destroy the brain […] and the soul will cease to function, remaining inert.”
Given his position, Swinburne’s idea on the role of the mind and the soul, as well as the mortality of the soul are what I will be exploring.
For Swinburne, the soul is essentially what our mind is. It is the part of us that analyzes information, thinks on it, and decides on a course of action. Whereas the brain exists as a sort of intermediary between our soul and the physical world. The brain feeds our soul information of our surroundings based on sensory input. However, it is important to stress that Swinburne believes that the soul is not responsible for the functioning of a body, the life sustaining functions are carried out by the brain. Given this divide, we can see a system taking place wherein the soul serves our higher mental thought and the brain keeps the soul informed and regulates bodily function.
In terms of the souls mortality, Swinburne maintains that “when the body dies and the brain ceases to function […] the soul will cease to function also.” This essentially means that the soul is dependent on the brain for the sustainment of its own function. What happens to the soul after the brain dies questionable, with Swinburne offering three different arguments.
The first argument is one of parapsychology, that when the soul ceases to fu...
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...ok an old broken table, fixed it, polished it, and painted it to the point that the old table is unrecognizable. The original object is still there, it has just been transformed so much that you can’t say it is still as it was.
In summary, it is my belief that our mind exists within our brain; however that is just its housing. Upon the death of our physical body our mind moves and inhabits our soul in a similar way. In terms of the immortality of our mind, it undergoes a transformation so great during these transitions that the old mind no longer exists as it did. Over time, if the soul dies as well, and the mind transitions again to a different vessel, these changes continually alter and shape the mind to the point where it is no longer the original.
Works Cited
Swinburne, Richard. "The Soul Needs a Brain to Continue Function." N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2013.
Taylor, Richard. "The Mind as a Function of the Body." Exploring Philosophy. 4th ed. New York: Oxford UP, 2012. 131-138. Print.
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