Immortal Soul
Running head: THE IMMORTAL SOUL
The immortal soul
Michelle Bell
Southwest Tennessee Community College
Introduction to Philosophy
Dr. Melvin Tuggle
November 15, 2007
The immortal soul Where were you - your soul, your spirit - before you were born? If the soul is immortal, did it have a "life" before your birth? Plato believed that the soul existed prior to our existence in human form. In Plato’s theory, “ Our souls possess knowledge of the Forms before we are born, and with determination, intelligence, and virtue, we can enjoy a blessed communion with the Forms after death”, (Melchert, 2002, p.143). In Plato’s reasoning, man is meant to attain goodness and return to the Form through the experiences of the transmigration of the soul. Plato’s theory also suggested that a higher supreme being as the creator of the world. The Holy Bible states in Job 32:8: “But there is a spirit in man and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding”, (Job, 2002, p. 356). As I believer of the Lord God’s Word, I faithfully believe that we inherit our spiritual being from God; therefore in this paper I will construct why I agree with Plato’s theories. However, Scientists tell us that humans evolved from apes but Plato saw man 's existence as divided into the material and spiritual realms. I believe that Genesis 2:7 supports Plato’s reasoning: “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Moses, 2002, p. 2). When God gave man the ‘breath of life’, He also gave man His spirit; therefore I believe with the transferring of God’s spirit into man’s earthly body we can see how it is possible for our souls to exist prior to our birth. I see God as the “one true and living God’, creator of heaven and earth, almighty, eternal, who is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. Other verses of the Old Testament also supports Plato’s view that our souls
The immortal soul
Michelle Bell
Southwest Tennessee Community College
Introduction to Philosophy
Dr. Melvin Tuggle
November 15, 2007
The immortal soul Where were you - your soul, your spirit - before you were born? If the soul is immortal, did it have a "life" before your birth? Plato believed that the soul existed prior to our existence in human form. In Plato’s theory, “ Our souls possess knowledge of the Forms before we are born, and with determination, intelligence, and virtue, we can enjoy a blessed communion with the Forms after death”, (Melchert, 2002, p.143). In Plato’s reasoning, man is meant to attain goodness and return to the Form through the experiences of the transmigration of the soul. Plato’s theory also suggested that a higher supreme being as the creator of the world. The Holy Bible states in Job 32:8: “But there is a spirit in man and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding”, (Job, 2002, p. 356). As I believer of the Lord God’s Word, I faithfully believe that we inherit our spiritual being from God; therefore in this paper I will construct why I agree with Plato’s theories. However, Scientists tell us that humans evolved from apes but Plato saw man 's existence as divided into the material and spiritual realms. I believe that Genesis 2:7 supports Plato’s reasoning: “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Moses, 2002, p. 2). When God gave man the ‘breath of life’, He also gave man His spirit; therefore I believe with the transferring of God’s spirit into man’s earthly body we can see how it is possible for our souls to exist prior to our birth. I see God as the “one true and living God’, creator of heaven and earth, almighty, eternal, who is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. Other verses of the Old Testament also supports Plato’s view that our souls
References: Melchert, N. (2002). Plato: Knowing the real and the good. In K. King, L. Ward, & J. Gordon (Eds.), The great conversation (4th ed., pp. 117-153). New York, NY: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.. Moses, (2002). Genesis. In (Ed.), Holy Bible (pp. 1-37). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. Jeremiah (2002). Jeremiah. In (Ed.), Holy Bible (pp. 1-36). Grand Rapida, MI: Zondervan. Job (2002). Job. In (Ed.), Holy Bible (pp. 343-361). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.