Theories about life after death are all interested in whether or not there is a part of

the human body which survives the death of all the physical parts and where or
when it goes. Dualism states that there is a distinction between our body and our
actual self, commonly referred to as our soul. Generally, in dualism, the soul is
viewed as immortal, and therefore our existence in the afterlife is defined by our soul.
Materialism is quite the opposite, and holds that we are our bodies, nothing more,
and whilst it seems natural to think that there cannot therefore be any afterlife (we
clearly see our bodies decay beyond repair after death) we must consider full body
resurrection as a viable option.
1di. Body and Soul in John Hick: (see original notes on 'John Hick's view of life after death')
For Hick, religious belief in God will be verified after death. A God of love would not write-off the lives of so
many innocent victims of life's cruel struggle. There must be, in John Hick's words "some kind of
continuation of the human story beyond the point of bodily death."
. Hick rejects the idea that the soul can exist independent of a body. All that is important about us; our
identity and relationships require a body
). The transformed body that each person receives in the next para-eschatological state is (a thus also the
Christian idea of resurrection) is imagined through an analogy of replication the so called replica theory. A
replica of the personality that has just died re-appears in the next para-eschatological state ready to continue the
development of the that personalities dispositional structures toward their fulfilment in the likeness of God.
Hick accepts that his account rests on belief in God but he argues that this belief is meaningful and can be
verified eschatologically.

Problems:
Hicks own analogy of replication suggests (a) that the John who areas in New York is identifiable bodily as the
John who disappeared in London. In his analysis though he suggests (b) it is only the deeper self or the
dispositional attitudes (as he sometimes calls the deeper self) which is replicated in a new body. If we follow
(a) the problem would centre upon the extend of the transoformation of the body and the question of whether the
handicapped remain handicapped in the next para-eschatological state arises.
Hicks theory is logically possible. There is howvere no evidence suggesting this happens. Hick provide a
possibility, not a certainty.
Paul Davies argues it would be no consolation for a replica of you to be created upon my death. The real you
would still be dead.
1ei. Body and Soul in Richard Dawkins:
People who believe that the mind does not have a separate existence from the body and brain that
produces it are called materialists. . For Dawkins, Human bodies are fundamentally vessels for the
survival and passing on of genes. Anything else, such as consciousness, intelligence, love, meaning,
justice, and beauty are unintended consequences of this evolutionary process. If an individual has
managed to have offspring during its life then its genes will survive the death of its body. Genes survive,
or rather, the digital code of DNA for making further individuals survives by being is passed on in our
genes but the individuals who carry this genetic code (you and me) do not. The individual has done his or
her bit in the process of genetic evolution when they have successful passed on the genetic code they
contains. For Dawkins all things that we calim to be true must be shown to be true based on evidence. He
claims that the evidence for life after death is not strong enough for us to allow that it be considered true.

Problem: Dawkins theory about evolution and the selfish gene, however does not
explain things like emotions. According to his theory, emotions would be a mistake since
they are unusally inefficient, and often get in the ay of gentic processes. Why would a
survivl gene commit a self-sacrficing act.
One of the first issues for those who accept this belief is what exactly do Christians
expect
these bodies to be like. Some may recognise the problem of whether Christians believe
that somehow they will magi
cally receive their old bodies back in some improved

immortal form or whether the soul of the person is all that survives until it is united
with an
entirely new body. Many will recognise that the monist/dualist debate is at the heart to the
embodied existence after death issue and use it as the foundation of their response