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Existing Without My Body: The Technological, Theological, and Ethical Implications

June 20, 2015

Audio Recording

Video Recording

Given the exponential growth and increasing sophistication of technology, the possibility of my continued existence without my human body is not only a logical possibility, but a natural one as well. The question of ‘What does it mean to be a human person?’ is paramount here. If this continued existence after the death of the human body is true, the theistic concept of the separation of the body and soul at death is not only coherent, but a plausible hypothesis that may be explored philosophically in light of technological advancements and without direct reliance upon faith and Scriptures. To establish this claim, I will discuss the different modes or properties that each the mind and the body possess and will use the Real Distinction Argument proposed by Descartes and justified by Saul Kripke. I will argue that it is both logically and naturally possible for the soul (mind) to exist without the body.

Keywords:
Soul; Human nature; Transhumanism; Cyborg; Immortality