Meno's Paradox and the Immortality of Soul

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Nick_A
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Meno's Paradox and the Immortality of Soul

Post by Nick_A »

Meno's Paradox and the Immortality of Soul: how will you know what you are looking for if you first don't already know it (and thus have no reason to go looking for it)? But why look for something you already have? This is the paradox raised in Plato's dialogue called the Meno. In answer to "Meno's Paradox," Plato suggests that before we were born we existed in another realm of being (the realm of the Forms). The shock of being born makes us forget what we knew in that realm. But when we are asked the right questions or have certain experiences, we remember or "recollect" innate (inborn) truths. So if we existed before our births, there is every reason to think that we will continue to exist after our deaths.
What makes it possible to contemplate a quality of existence which is unnecessary for an earthly existence? You can sense that you are thirsty or hungry and look for water or food since the body understands what it needs. But what can be the impulse to search for higher meaning if we are unaware of it? Perhaps what some are looking for spiritually and through philosophy isn't anything new. Rather it is knowledge that just needs to be remembered. Is there a better explanation?
yiostheoy
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Re: Meno's Paradox and the Immortality of Soul

Post by yiostheoy »

Nick_A wrote:
Meno's Paradox and the Immortality of Soul: how will you know what you are looking for if you first don't already know it (and thus have no reason to go looking for it)? But why look for something you already have? This is the paradox raised in Plato's dialogue called the Meno. In answer to "Meno's Paradox," Plato suggests that before we were born we existed in another realm of being (the realm of the Forms). The shock of being born makes us forget what we knew in that realm. But when we are asked the right questions or have certain experiences, we remember or "recollect" innate (inborn) truths. So if we existed before our births, there is every reason to think that we will continue to exist after our deaths.
What makes it possible to contemplate a quality of existence which is unnecessary for an earthly existence? You can sense that you are thirsty or hungry and look for water or food since the body understands what it needs. But what can be the impulse to search for higher meaning if we are unaware of it? Perhaps what some are looking for spiritually and through philosophy isn't anything new. Rather it is knowledge that just needs to be remembered. Is there a better explanation?
What I demand of Philosophy is first a methodology to determine the truth or likelihood of anything.

Emmanuel Kant's system of a-priori / a-posteriori works well for me in that respect.

Something is either self evident or not.

If not self evident then it can either be determined with rational analysis to be valid or unlikely.

with Philosophy I judge all things around me in the Universe -- my own thoughts, motives, words, behaviors, and intentions -- as well as those of others -- and of God(s) as well.

In addition, I enjoy reading other philosophers' discussions, whether classic or modern, and whether professional or amateur.

Another additional argument besides Plato's that we each existed before being born is the nature of justice and fairness.

Because life contains challenges and pain, it would have been incumbent upon the Philosophy-God to first ask us if we agreed to a stint on Earth in mortality.

Thus to have given our consent we must have lived before. And to have given it to God we must have lived with God as well.

Call it the "First Justice" argument.
Nick_A
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Re: Meno's Paradox and the Immortality of Soul

Post by Nick_A »

yiostheoy, you wrote:
What I demand of Philosophy is first a methodology to determine the truth or likelihood of anything.
Plato asserts that we must "remember" rather than learn the truth of our situation through methods of inductive reason. Do you believe a methodology for remembrance ( anamnesis) is possible?
yiostheoy
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Re: Meno's Paradox and the Immortality of Soul

Post by yiostheoy »

Nick_A wrote:yiostheoy, you wrote:
What I demand of Philosophy is first a methodology to determine the truth or likelihood of anything.
Plato asserts that we must "remember" rather than learn the truth of our situation through methods of inductive reason. Do you believe a methodology for remembrance ( anamnesis) is possible?
I remember that about Plato from college Philosophy 101.

I don't agree with Plato.

There are things that we might remember from our past life, sure. But not to the extent that Plato asserts. Why would we need the experience of mortal life if we already knew everything? If we already knew everything then we would already be gods.

We are not gods. Therefore we do not know everything. Therefore we did not know everything already before.

So while I agree that we must have lived before birth with God, I do not agree with Plato that we already knew all the answers back then.
Nick_A
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Re: Meno's Paradox and the Immortality of Soul

Post by Nick_A »

yiostheoy wrote:
There are things that we might remember from our past life, sure. But not to the extent that Plato asserts. Why would we need the experience of mortal life if we already knew everything? If we already knew everything then we would already be gods.
This is really a profound religious question. Why forget and why remember? It is related to the meaning of the Crucifixion and Resurrection. It is a question of universal meaning and purpose: evolution and involution which would be destroyed on this site so best avoided.We'll just keep things simple.
Nick_A
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Re: Meno's Paradox and the Immortality of Soul

Post by Nick_A »

"My brain is only a receiver, in the Universe there is a core from which we obtain knowledge, strength and inspiration. I have not penetrated into the secrets of this core, but I know that it exists." —Nikola Tesla
Nikola Tesla agrees with Plato. Our brain depends on what is already there. If so is there any reason this receiver can only arise once?
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